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aasportsblog · 9 years

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Dae-Ho Lee To The Rangers Makes Sense

With the news of Chris Davis re-signing with the Baltimore Orioles, that leaves only one power-hitting first baseman left in the MLB free agency this off-season.

Dae-Ho Lee.

These past two off-seasons, we’ve seen a trend of Korean-born players from the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) make their way to America. Jung-Ho Kang (PIT), Byung-Ho Park (MIN), Hyun-Soo Kim (BAL), and Seung-hwan Oh (STL) will be playing for their respective teams in 2016, joining MLB veterans Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD) and Shin-Soo Choo (TEX), although Choo never played in the KBO.

One of the biggest stories of the 2015 MLB season was Jung-Ho Kang, proving in his first season that players from the KBO can adjust to American style of baseball and play with the pressure of the big leagues. Kang’s first season, cut short by injuries, paved the way for fellow countrymen looking for opportunities to live out their dreams of playing on the big stage.

Spring Training is still a month away, and the newcomers have yet to play and prove their worth. However, with Korean-born players on the rise in North America, Dae-Ho Lee deserves his shot as well.

Lee has had, arguably, the most decorated and best career out of all the players that have come over from the KBO. In 15 seasons playing in Korea and Japan, Lee has racked up 323 career home runs and over 1100 RBI’s. Though 33, he has not showed any signs of slowing down, hitting 31 homers in 2015, surpassing his home run totals his previous 4 seasons. His best season was in 2010 while playing for Lotte in Korea, blasting 44 homers.

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(Video: Dae-Ho Lee’s first 10 homers of the 2015 season)

When the Texas Rangers lost Mike Napoli to the Cleveland Indians this off-season, the team lost its only right handed power hitter. The loss of Napoli intensified the talks of a Mitch Moreland trade during the winter meetings, most seeing no need for two power lefthand bats at first base. However, losing Moreland’s defensive skills were a concern to the front office, especially without a backup plan and a lack of trustworthy first basemen out in the market.

And, this is why I believe Dae-Ho Lee and the Texas Rangers are a perfect fit.

Fortunately, for the Rangers, Lee isn’t looking for a payday. He has plenty of money in his bank account. He isn’t looking for a long contract. He knows he’s getting older. What Lee is looking to do is fulfill his dream of donning an MLB uniform and hitting against the best pitchers in the world.

Lee has made his desires to play in the Major Leagues quite clear. After dominating Japan and Korean pitchers the past 15 years, and making millions of dollars doing it, his next challenge is to hit against MLB pitching. Fortunately, for the Rangers, Lee isn’t looking for a payday. He has plenty of money in his bank account. He isn’t looking for a long contract. He knows he’s getting older. What Lee is looking to do is fulfill his dream of donning an MLB uniform and hitting against the best pitchers in the world.

Made obvious this off-season, the Rangers are not looking to spend money. Like, close to none. However, they are in need of a right-handed hitter that can hit with power. Lee can give Moreland days off against lefthand pitching and give Fielder days off when in need, a role held by Napoli last season.

All of that may sound positive, but here’s what excites me. Lee and Choo are childhood friends. During a dinner I had with Choo a couple of weeks ago, I asked him about Lee. Choo told me that when they were in elementary school, he had told his baseball coach about a big kid (Dae-Ho Lee) in school. The coach told Choo to bring the kid by. Choo invited Lee to practice and introduced him to baseball. The rest is history.

Coming over to a new country and learning a new culture can be challenging. On top of all the culture shock and trying to adapt, it can be even more challenging to come and learn to play a different style of baseball, a style different compared to the previous 20+ years of his life. Think about the help Choo could give Lee. Choo came up through the Seattle Mariners minor league system and has endured his share of hardships. Choo could help Lee with something minor, like finding a good Korean restaurant, to something major, like learning to lay off breaking balls moving over 90 mph.

To give Lee and Choo an opportunity to play professional baseball together towards the end of their careers playing on the same team, with each player playing a vital role in helping the team get back to the World Series, would be a dream come true for both players.

Having a native countryman in the clubhouse would be helpful. Having a native countryman that introduced you to baseball that happens to be a childhood friend in the clubhouse would be a dream come true. To give Lee and Choo an opportunity to play professional baseball together towards the end of their careers playing on the same team, with each player playing a vital role in helping the team get back to the World Series, would be a dream come true for both players.

Lee won’t cost much. He’ll come off the bench, he’ll home runs, he’s right handed, he’s not looking for a long contract, and he’ll have a friend to help him ease his way into the clubhouse and the major leagues. Oh, and adding millions of new Korean fans around the world to the Rangers fanbase wouldn’t hurt.

I don’t see a downside.

Lee to the Rangers makes perfect sense. And, all of it could happen with just a few cents.

#texasrangers #shinsoochoo #daeholee #kbo #dae-ho #shin-soo #choo #mlb #napoli #moreland #prince fielder

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