Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/designated hitter Ji-Man Choi said he was “devastated” by the club making a medical objection that will keep him from playing for Korea in the World Baseball Classic.
As reported by Yonhap News, Choi said he was “deeply hurt” by the Pirates’ decision, made out of health concerns after he underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow in November.
The Pirates acquired Choi from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Jack Hartman and are expected to have an arbitration hearing to determine his salary this season. Choi requested $5.4 million while the Pirates countered at $4.65 million.
“I was healthy enough to take live batting practice recently,” Choi said in the statement released by his Seoul-based agency, Sports Vibe. “I am extremely disappointed and deeply hurt, because I was building up nicely for the national team training camp in the middle of this month and the first round of the WBC.”
The Korean Baseball Organization announced Monday that Choi was removed from Korea’s 30-man WBC roster. Korea plays in Pool B with Australia, China, Czech Republic and Japan from March 9-13, in Tokyo.
Choi, 31, has hit .239/.345/.429 with 61 home runs and 225 RBIs in seven major league seasons. He played the past four-plus seasons with the Rays, batting .233/.341/.388 with 22 doubles, 11 homers and 52 RBIs in 113 games last season.
“Regardless of sports, I think every athlete dreams of wearing the national team flag on their chest and representing the country,” Choi said. “Maybe it’s because I had such expectations. I was so devastated by this decision. Even though my dream of playing for the country was spoiled by situations against my intention, I absolutely want to realize this dream if I have an opportunity in the future. I believe I will have a chance to contribute to the country if I can stay healthy in the majors.”
