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Choo Shin-soo’s spring BA drops to 0.139

March 18, 2014

Strikes out 4 times in 2 days  

You could say Choo's bat was broken on Tuesday.

You could say Choo’s bat was broken on Tuesday.

By Lee Kyutae

The Texas Rangers’ $130 million man, Choo Shin-soo, is having a tough week. He struck out three times to go hitless in four at-bats on Monday, and went 0-for-4 again on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Korean outfielder entered Monday’s preseason game against the Kansas City Royals in Arizona’s Surprise Stadium as the Rangers’ leadoff and designated hitter, only to get burned by blazing fastballs.

In the first inning, the Royals’ top pitching prospect Yordano Ventura blew away Choo on three pitches. The 22-year-old Dominican rookie flame thrower set up Choo with two fastballs in upwards of 96 miles, and then unmercifully dropped a 83-mph bender to have him go down swinging.

In the third inning, Choo couldn’t catch up to Ventura’s triple digit smoke, and in the eighth inning, the Royals’ right-handed reliever Louis Coleman got Choo to chase an 84 mph slider to go down on strikes for the third time in the game.

In the fifth, Choo swung at Ventura’s first pitch, an 83 mph curve, and flied out to left.

Choo’s preseason batting average dropped to 0.139 (5 for 36) as he went 0 for 4 against the Milwaukee Brewers also on Tuesday.

The Rangers lost to the Royals 6-0, and 9-3 to the Brewers.