Big Choi: “Cincinnati is in my hand”

“Big Choi” Choi Hee-seop (Florida Marlins) bats better when he meets the Cincinnati Reds.

He had performed greatly against them, averaging .438 (7 hits in 16 at bats) with 4 homers, 8 RBIs, 10 runs and 9 walks in 6 games against the Reds last year in his Chicago Cubs’ days. The pleasing memory of homers in three consecutive games was also made in a series against Reds in April of last year.

Choi hammered his 11th homer of the season against the Reds in the Great American Ball Park on May 27.

He offered a strong swing on a 137kmph two-seam fastball from opposing pitcher Todd Van Poppel on a two-strike and three-ball count with one out in the top of 7th inning with the Marlins leading 1-0. The batted ball was driven into the right-centerfield stands.

It was a 125m big solo homer to ensure the victory. It was the first homer in a week for Choi since his inside-the-park homerun against the Houston Astros at home on May 20.

Choi continued his 12-day consecutive on base streak with the homer, 26 days after he had passed over a fence against the San Francisco Giants on May 1.

He is strong against the Reds, with 5 homers against them out of a total of 21. But he was not too powerful against Reds at the beginning.

In the second half of 2002, when he made his debut in the Major Leagues, he was shamed with a .150 batting average (3 hits in 20 at bats) and 5 strikeouts against them.

Referring to this, Choi said, “I didn’t make good results against the Reds in my debut season. I made efforts with more concentration last year in order to overcome my dullness.”

Giving the Reds’ pitchers shivers, Choi went to first base with his season-first intentional walk in his final at bat in the 9th inning. He managed 1 hit, 1 RBI and 1 run in 3 at bats, and is averaging .244. The Marlins won the game 3-0.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com