Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
The Cincinnati Reds have many things to feel good about as they enter the All-Star break.
Right near the top of the list should be the solid bat of Shin-Soo Choo, who had a home run and RBI from his leadoff spot in the Reds’ 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
Choo is probably someone who would just as soon not have the All-Star break because he’s swinging a very dangerous bat right now. Despite their insistence that a break doesn’t matter, many MLB batters who go into the break swinging a hot bat lose that momentum and can’t find it again when the season resumes.
Could this happen to Choo? He’s hoping it won’t and so are the Reds, who have seen Shoo get 17 hits in his last 41 at-bats with 11 runs scored. Once the hits come game after game, the confidence level soars. All-Star breaks are supposed to give players a much-needed physical and mental break, and maybe it will be for Choo. He’s one of the players the Reds can’t afford to have a cooler bat in the post All-Star portion of the season.
Choo is on a 12-game hitting streak and has had two or more hits in five straight games. His on-base percentage is at .425, almost 40 points higher than his career mark. Choo sparked a three-run ninth inning for the Reds by going from first to third on a sacrifice bunt.
He’s doing the job in getting on base and scoring, and the Reds need to keep taking advantage of it.
