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 to command a total of $100 million or more, but they took a gamble.
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 calls 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, 토토사이트주소 as they both exceeded 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.