Cincinnati entered the 2013 season looking to reach the postseason and beyond. In a trade with Cleveland, they acquired all-around player Shin-Soo Choo (41‧SSG) to bolster their lineup.
Cincinnati had a pretty solid outfield at the time, and the addition of Shin-Soo Choo represented an upgrade. Shin-Soo Choo was one year away from free agency at the time. Given Cincinnati’s financial capabilities, there was no guarantee they would be able to land Shin-Soo Choo, who was guaranteed a total of more than $100 million, but they took a chance.
Shin-Soo Choo was at the peak of his powers in 2010, hitting 22 home runs and stealing 22 bases. On the one hand, he was already a master at getting on base, having already posted a .401 on-base percentage in 2010, and on the other hand, Cincinnati had another run-scoring machine. Joey Votto, 40, was a veteran player who had already accumulated enough stolen bases to earn a place in Cincinnati history.
Since his debut with Cincinnati in 2007, Votto has been one of the league’s best hitters, combining precision, power, and on-base percentage. In 2011, he was one of the best players in the league, hitting .309 with a .416 on-base percentage and .531 slugging percentage. Votto nicknamed Shin-Soo Choo “Bunny 1” to show both friendliness and respect. He called himself “Rabbit 2. He treated Shin-soo Choo accordingly.
In 2013, the two players showed off their batting prowess. Votto played in all 162 games, batting .305 with a .435 on-base percentage, .491 slugging percentage, and .926 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). He hit 24 home runs. Shin-Soo Choo didn’t fare as well as Votto. Undaunted by the number of balls hit to his body, Shin-Soo Choo hit .285 with a .423 on-base percentage, .462 slugging percentage, and an OPS of .885 with 21 home runs and 20 doubles in 154 games in 2013.
At the time, Votto had 135 strikeouts and Shin-Soo Choo had 112. Together, they were one of the most difficult lineups for opposing pitchers to face as they both topped 100 strikeouts and runs scored. Although Shin-Soo Choo left Texas prior to the 2014 season, signing a seven-year, $130 million contract with the team, the two players showed off their friendship during Players Weekend 2017 by wearing the names “Bunny 1” and “Bunny 2” on their backs.
Since then, both players have continued their major league careers, doing their best at their respective positions. It’s not a combination that’s talked about much anymore, as Shin-soo Choo returned to the KBO ahead of the 2021 season, and Votto’s performance has sagged as he’s shown no signs of age. Votto felt the weight of his age last year, as he was plagued by frequent injuries and finished with a career-worst .205 batting average and .319 on-base percentage in 91 games.
Votto signed a 10-year, $225 million deal with the team prior to the 2014 season. This year is the final year of that deal, with a $20 million team option for 2024 ($7 million buyout). Many thought Votto’s time in Cincinnati would come to an end this year, and that was a reasonable expectation given his age and declining performance. But it wasn’t to be for Votto.
After a slow start to the season due to injury, Votto is batting just .217 through 14 games as of July 7, but has a decent on-base percentage of .345. Add to that his five home runs, and he’s slugging .543 with an OPS of .888. We’re still halfway through the season, but if he can maintain these rates, it could change the way Cincinnati thinks about their team options. Considering he’s a respected leader on the team and a future Hall of Famer, the $20 million could be symbolic.
“Rabbit 1” is also still active. He may not be in the major leagues, but he’s still hitting in the KBO. His OPS was 0.409 in 2021, 0.382 last year, and 0.390 this year, which is even better than last year. Considering he lost a lot of his stats for a while after his ankle injury, he could end the season with a 4% OPS again, assuming he stays healthy. The end of their careers are coming to light for two players who will be remembered as run-scoring machines.
At the time, Votto had 135 strikeouts and Shin-Soo Choo had 112. Together, they were one of the most difficult lineups for opposing pitchers to face as they both topped 100 strikeouts and runs scored. Although Shin-Soo Choo left Texas prior to the 2014 season, signing a seven-year, $130 million contract with the team, the two players showed off their friendship during Players Weekend 2017 by wearing the names “Bunny 1” and “Bunny 2” on their backs.
Since then, both players have continued their major league careers, doing their best at their respective positions. It’s not a combination that’s talked about much anymore, as Shin-soo Choo returned to the KBO ahead of the 2021 season, and Votto’s performance has sagged as he’s shown no signs of age. Votto felt the weight of his age last year, as he was plagued by frequent injuries and finished with a career-worst .205 batting average and .319 on-base percentage in 91 games.
Votto signed a 10-year, $225 million deal with the team prior to the 2014 season. This year is the final year of that deal, with a $20 million team option for 2024 ($7 million buyout). Many thought Votto’s time in Cincinnati would come to an end this year, and that was a reasonable expectation given his age and declining performance. But it wasn’t to be for Votto.
After a slow start to the season due to injury, Votto is batting just .217 through 14 games as of July 7, but has a decent on-base percentage of .345. Add to that his five home runs, and he’s slugging .543 with an OPS of .888. We’re still halfway through the season, but if he can maintain these rates, it could change the way Cincinnati thinks about their team options. Considering he’s a respected leader on the team and a future Hall of Famer, the $20 million could be symbolic.온라인카지노
“Rabbit 1” is also still active. He may not be in the major leagues, but he’s still hitting in the KBO. His OPS was 0.409 in 2021, 0.382 last year, and 0.390 this year, which is even better than last year. Considering he lost a lot of his stats for a while after his ankle injury, he could end the season with a 4% OPS again, assuming he stays healthy. The end of their careers are coming to light for two players who will be remembered as run-scoring machines.