The Befuddling Nature Of Hee Seop Choi

Well, it probably won't come as much solace to the Paul DePodestas of the world, but for one week, anyway, the stat nerds have been vindicated; the much maligned Hee Seop Choi is beating the piss out of the world's pitchers. Last night he hit a three-run homer off Team USA's Dan Wheeler — wait ... Dan Wheeler is on that team? — that secured a 7-3 victory for Korea. It was the U.S.' second loss in the World Baseball Classic — Korea is the only undefeated team — and they need a win tomorrow against Mexico (and a little help) to advance.

Meanwhile, there is Hee Seop Choi. We have always liked him, because we love players who are huge, lumbering, clumsy and still productive; it reminds us that baseball has always been less of an athletic endeavor than other sports. We remember being at Wrigley Field a few years ago, when Choi pinch-hit in the 11th inning of a game against our Cardinals. Wrigley rocked with the sound of "Hee-Seop-CHOI! Hee-Seop-CHOI! Hee-Seop-CHOI!" In the clutch situation, Choi, true to form, walked.

The Joy Of Choi [Baseball Musings]