It's 10 RBI

Ledee in left field.

Derek Thompson AA
22ip, 31k, 6bb, 0hr, 4.09 ERA

Plus he wears a nifty shell necklace like Lowe.

I hate the Yankees.

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TODAY'S FACT OF CHOI, SB'S FAVORITE PLAYER, 2005:

Two comments to start off today...

a) I missed the last two editions of Fact of Choi because the kid has held the computer hostage with his Lego Star Wars game. An unusually entertaining game it is, by the by. And...

b) Saenz pinch-hitting for Choi last night made no earthly sense to me. None whatsoever. I am open to suggestions as to why it was a good move.

So here we go. I have officially made a request to the Dodgers for a press pass so I could interview our hero as I am running out of information for these things. There isn't much on the net in the way of interviews with Choi and there is apparently good reason for it. A buddy of mine has a friend in the Chicago Trib's sports department who claims that as an interview, Choi is duller than grease-pocked pans.

This the only interview I could find, from 2001, just before Choi got called up by the Cubs. Try to stay awake. I dare you. (courtesy Korea Times)

Korea Times: In the pre-season reviews you were picked as one of the top prospects in the Chicago Cubs system as well as in all of baseball. What are your goals for this season and for the next couple years?

CHOI: I want to go to Chicago this season and be the first Korean position player to reach the major leagues. It would be a great honor to be the first and I want to stay there and play well for a long time.

Times: This is just your third season in the Cubs system and you are already in triple-A ball in Iowa. What have you done to get there and what do you feel are your best attributes?

CHOI: I think the Cubs like my offense the most. I can hit for a good average and I can hit for power.

Times: Who has been the biggest influence in your baseball career and how have they helped you?

CHOI: My high school coach was very good and he told me that I should be a hitter and not a pitcher. My hitting coaches each year with the Cubs have been good too. I have learned a lot here.

Times: What are you focusing on this season with the Iowa Cubs to improve your game?

CHOI: I just need to learn to be more consistent. I'm also focusing on learning a new level of baseball. The closer you get to the major leagues, the harder it gets, so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can.

Times: Do you feel there is any chance of you making it to the big team this year with Matt Stairs and Julio Zuleta (now with Iowa) splitting duty at first base? When do you think you will make it to the MLB?

CHOI: I think I can get there this year if my hand gets better. Those other guys are good players, but I hope to get a chance to show what I can do too.

Times: The Chicago Cubs are still in first place nearly halfway through the season. Do you think they will stay there? Why or why not?

CHOI: Yes, they can stay there because they have good pitching and everyone on the team can play good so they should be a good team.

Times: This season you have struggled a bit at the plate and been injured, both pretty new things in your baseball career. What are you doing to get back on track?

CHOI: I just get treatment on it every day and try to keep the rest of my body in shape so when my hand is better I'll be ready to play.

Times: A number of Koreans are finding success in the Major Leagues and in the minors -- Park Chan-ho, Kim Byung-hyun, Kim Sun-woo and yourself to mention a few. Do you keep track of what other Koreans are doing? Do you keep in contact with any of them?

CHOI: Yes. I watch for them on TV and I keep in touch with most of them by cellular phone. They are all very nice guys.

Times: Many Korean athletes are pressured to `bring glory to Korea.' Have you faced any of this kind of pressure? What motivates you?

CHOI: I feel a little pressure just because I'm the first Korean position player to be this close to the majors, but I just want to make the people of Korea happy and proud of me.

Times: Do your teammates realize that you are Korean? What do you tell them about Korea?

CHOI: Yes, they know I'm Korean, and I tell them it is a lot like the US. I tell them they would like it there

He gets the Rolaids award for the wrong reason.

A lot of the Choi stuff I get is from baseball.playerprofiles.com. I pick out a fact and then do some Googling to see if there's any color to add. With Choi, colorful stories are not easy. His young career so far has been blissfully free of acrimony.

With that said, what's up with Repko? I like this kid and thought he was doing a decent job filling in for Werth? Anyone have an idea?

BC

BC

Ha! Good one. And more to the point, how much extra did they pay for those advancements?

Erickson looks good so far. He made Gonzo and Glaus look bad.

Score 1 for Green.

BC

(Yes, I looked this up Sunday)

Why is that?

I think with using new stats, he would only want to use things he knows enough about. He knows about sample sizes.

Luis Terrero? You have to be kidding me. Dan Kolb could get Luis Terrero out. Thanks for the memories Scott, but there's a new DJ on the dial.

He did.

Check out Fourth Outfieder for another take on the Saenz PH decision last night. I agree with it completely, but didn't realize that Saenz's platoon split was SO huge. He was, arguably, not just a bad choice to replace Choi there, but the worst possible choice off the bench against a RHP.

Wow - Ortiz isn't fooling anyone. That's a lot of booming outs we've made so far.

By the way, Choi is terrific over there at 1st. Helps to be 6' 5". Right Bob?

It is bad enough to still be at work but it is worse to see LA fall behind in a game again. That's ok, though, we will just get single runs in the next five innings and win 7-3.

I don't know what Choi's OBP and SLG are after tonight, but Hee Seop gets to eat meat tonight!

If Werth is healthy, would Leedee be the first lefty off the bench?

Hee-Seop is 3 for 3. Think he'll finish the game?

As for the Izturis CS, Vin keeps saying there was a missed hit-and-run sign with Choi. I don't think it was missed. The pitch bounced 2 feet in front of the plate. Of course Choi didn't swing at it.

btw, izturis looked safe to me on the replay.

I think I need to see a therapist about it.