Texas Rangers: What To Expect From Shin-Soo Choo In 2017

Shin-Soo Choo is coming off a disastrous 2016 season. He had not one, not two, not three, but four stints on the disabled list. Staying healthy has been the biggest problem for Shoo since he signed a seven-year, $130 million deal with the Texas Rangers prior to the 2014 season. Shoo will look to make 2017 his best in a Rangers uniform.

Last season, Shoo played in just 48 games, registered 43 hits, 17 RBIs, scored 27 runs, blasted seven home runs, and batted .242. He appeared in just one game during the playoff run against Toronto. He went 0-for-3. Four trips to the disabled list. His injuries included his hamstring, calf, lower back and a fracture forearm. By now, probably about 98 percent of Rangers fans have given up on him. Since his arrival in Arlington, he hasn’t fully exceeded expectations.

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Choo, 34, is definitely past his prime now and he’s obviously very injury prone. I understand that it’s very difficult to have faith in him based on how his time with the Rangers has gone since his arrival. It’s not only his ability to stay healthy, but his performance is always a cause for concern. We remember how the first half of the 2015 season started for him. At one point, his batting average was .095 and he was being struck out left and right, but he did turn it around in the second half of the season.

On July 21, 2015, Choo hit for the cycle and became the ninth player in Rangers history to hit for the cycle. Not only that, but he also became the first Korean player in Major League Baseball history to hit for the cycle.

I expect Shin-Soo Choo to have an average 2017. Because I really don’t know if he’ll be able to stay healthy. There’s no telling if he’ll be very good or very bad. We’ll have to wait and see.

I do believe he can still put up some good numbers statistically. But that all depends on how healthy he is and if he still has passion for the game. The first step is to see how he does in Spring Training.