Hee Seop Choi to the Red Sox, for NOTHING.

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

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The catch-22 is that Choi's performance seems to be strongly correlated with his job security. He does well in a regular platoon role, okay when used more sporadically, and terribly as a pinch-hitter. Still an outstanding pick-up for the Sox, but he might have made more sense for a team like the D-Rays.

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Nate,

is it correct then to assume that a guy like that who works the count would tend to flourish in a situation where he's playing regualarly in a dangerous lineup in a hitter's park? or is that too much of a leap?

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That's probably too much of a leap. Remember that pinch hitters are *usually* called upon with runners on base, and with at least one out in the inning. Under those circumstances, a walk is less valuable, and you're usually looking for someone with a high BA and good plate coverage, perhaps at the expense of his OBP.

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

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Nate,

Why would the Dodgers release such a guy for nothing? Why would seven teams pass on the guy before the Sox put in the claim (this one is obviously team dependent)?

Are some baseball gms really this bad or is does it come down to something like what formula is used to evaluate talent?

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Choi isn't appealing for a number of reasons:

1. He strikes out a lot and has a rather passive approach at the plate.
2. He doesn't run well.
3. He doesn't field well.
4. His 240 lbs are not entirely muscle.
5. From what I recall about his time in Chicago, he's not much of an English speaker. I'm not suggesting that there's any sort of overt racism going on here. But he's not the kind of guy who is going to talk his way out of the doghouse. What might be considered a deferential demenaor in one environment might be thought of as uncompetitive, uncaring, or passive-aggressive in another.
6. Other organizations have passed on him, which tends to put no.'s 1-5 in a worse light. These things can be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.