Why Choi Ji-man stepped on trash can repeatedly

When the Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the American League Champions Series, Choi Ji-man from Korea and fourth batter in the team was seen stepping on repeatedly and crushing a trash can. Whey Choi displayed such a ceremony.

Tampa Bay had a 2-1 upset win over the New York Yankees, a time-honored champion, in the fifth game of the American League Division Series in the Major League Post Season, which took place at Petco Park in San Diego, California on Saturday, and confirmed its advance into ALCS with three wins and two losses. It is the first time in 12 years that Tampa Bay have advanced into ALCS since 2008 when the team became the runner-up in the World Series. Thus, Choi has gained an opportunity to play in the ALCS race, which will determine the League’s Champion, for the first time among the batters from Korea.

After the game, Choi webcast live through Instagram scenes of his teammates who were dancing to the tune of “Empire State of Mind,” a song which ends with “New York, New York, New York” to celebrate their victory. Choi, who was seen moving around different locations in the ballpark with a cigar in his mouth, spotted a trash can in the dugout and instantly shouted “Trash Can” to his teammates. While his teammates were watching him, he stepped on the trash can repeatedly and crushed it. It was an act meant to “attack” the Huston Astros, which the team will face off in ALCS. Huston was caught for after stealing a camera for video judgment and drumming a trash can in the dugout to send signals to its batter during a home game in 2017 when it won the World Series, and has been disciplined by the Major League Secretariat in January this year.

The two teams will hold from Monday the ALCS race, in which a team that wins the first four of the seven games will advance to the next round. Tampa Bay singled out Blake Snell as starting pitcher for the first game, while Huston picked Framber Valdez as its starter.


Kyu-In Hwang kini@donga.com