The Reds knew acquiring career corner outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and installing him in center field would require a trade off of sorts. Would Choo be as gifted defensively as predecessor Drew Stubbs? No chance.
Clearly, Cincinnati was willing to give up some defense to get a whole lot more production offensively from the leadoff spot. All the merits of that December deal for Choo were under the microscope during Monday’s wild Reds’ 13-4 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Despite a pair of costly errors by Choo, both on Yadier Molina deep drives that scored a combined three runs, he drew the leadoff walk to begin a nine-run top of the ninth inning. Then he scored the go-ahead run on Brandon Phillips’ RBI double and drove in three RBIs with his own double.
“I almost died. My teammates gave me another life,” a relieved Choo said.
During the bottom of the first with two outs and two on, Reds starter Mat Latos’ 0-2 pitch to Molina was smoked for a deep drive to center field. While looking into the sun, Choo made a long run toward the wall and had a bead on the ball. It bounced off his glove not once, but twice, for an error that scored two unearned runs and made it a 2-0 game.
“After that, you get a little gun shy. You hope the ball isn’t hit to you,” Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said.
It would be, in almost identical fashion. The St. Louis lead was 3-2 with two outs in the sixth when Molina sent another long fly to center field. Choo appeared to be under the ball without issue before it went in and out of his glove for an error that scored Matt Holliday from first base.
“Sun balls are a part of baseball. It’s not an excuse,” Choo said. “I had to learn something. This was the first time I’ve played center field as I learn the ballpark. No excuse. I just missed it.”
Teammates were quick to absolve Choo and eager to get him off of the hook. Latos was one of the players to seek him out in the dugout.
“They were two balls that I hung that I shouldn’t have hung. If I don’t hang them, maybe he doesn’t get put into that situation,” Latos said. “I can’t sit there and blame him for it. He went back and made the best effort he could. I said, ‘Forget the two errors, we need to get you on base here … just get on base for us and score.’ And then he did.”
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