Choo Freeman
Full Name: Raphael D. Freeman
Born: October 20,1979 Place: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Position: CF
Height: 6-2 Weight: 200
Bats: R Throws: R
High School: Dallas Christian (Mesquite,TX)
College:
Drafted: Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 1st round (36th overall) of the 1998 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)
Choo Freeman had another chance to make an impression in the big leagues in 2006 and failed yet again. It appears as though Mr Freeman's development has peaked out at the AAA level. As mentioned many times before, he has all the athletic tools but hasn't been able to translate those gifts into a big league career.
Look for the Rockies to offer him in trades this winter. If there are no takers, then he'll be given another chance in the spring, however, he'll most likely be waived at some point because he will not make the 25-man roster as a back up outfielder for lack of acceptable pinch hitting skills.
YEAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
2004 45 90 15 17 3 2 1 11 27 14 21 1 1 .298 .300 .189
2005 18 22 6 6 1 1 0 0 9 0 5 0 0 .273 .409 .273
2006 88 173 24 41 6 3 2 18 59 14 42 5 6 .298 .341 .237
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Career 151 285 45 64 10 6 3 29 95 28 68 6 7 .296 .333 .225
2006 salary $329,000. One-year contract. Incentives: None.
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2006
Choo Freeman is one of those players that are incredibly athletic but are missing that one ingredient that keeps them from staying at the big league level. Freeman peaked in his development at the AA level and hasn't been able to find that next necessary thing that puts him in Denver. If you watch him play, then you can see he just doesn't have that baseball sense that allows an athlete to let the game come to him. The flow in his reactions are missing and come out as jerky stops and starts as he plays the game at the major league level. Until he finds that comfort zone within himself, then he will always be just a AAA player.
The Rockies front office still see's potential and they believe it could emerge late, much like his cousin Torii Hunter's arrival in the big leagues with Minnesota after a six-year apprenticeship in the minors. However, Freeman, a supplemental first-round choice in 1998, is out of options, meaning he must either make the club in 2006 or be exposed to other teams via waivers.
"We have invested a lot of time in Choo and we need to see if he is going to be able to take the next step," manager Clint Hurdle said. "This is a golden opportunity for him." Rocky
Born: October 20,1979 Place: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Position: CF
Height: 6-2 Weight: 200
Bats: R Throws: R
High School: Dallas Christian (Mesquite,TX)
College:
Drafted: Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 1st round (36th overall) of the 1998 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)
Choo Freeman had another chance to make an impression in the big leagues in 2006 and failed yet again. It appears as though Mr Freeman's development has peaked out at the AAA level. As mentioned many times before, he has all the athletic tools but hasn't been able to translate those gifts into a big league career.
Look for the Rockies to offer him in trades this winter. If there are no takers, then he'll be given another chance in the spring, however, he'll most likely be waived at some point because he will not make the 25-man roster as a back up outfielder for lack of acceptable pinch hitting skills.
YEAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
2004 45 90 15 17 3 2 1 11 27 14 21 1 1 .298 .300 .189
2005 18 22 6 6 1 1 0 0 9 0 5 0 0 .273 .409 .273
2006 88 173 24 41 6 3 2 18 59 14 42 5 6 .298 .341 .237
----------------------------------------------------------------
Career 151 285 45 64 10 6 3 29 95 28 68 6 7 .296 .333 .225
2006 salary $329,000. One-year contract. Incentives: None.
---------
2006
Choo Freeman is one of those players that are incredibly athletic but are missing that one ingredient that keeps them from staying at the big league level. Freeman peaked in his development at the AA level and hasn't been able to find that next necessary thing that puts him in Denver. If you watch him play, then you can see he just doesn't have that baseball sense that allows an athlete to let the game come to him. The flow in his reactions are missing and come out as jerky stops and starts as he plays the game at the major league level. Until he finds that comfort zone within himself, then he will always be just a AAA player.
The Rockies front office still see's potential and they believe it could emerge late, much like his cousin Torii Hunter's arrival in the big leagues with Minnesota after a six-year apprenticeship in the minors. However, Freeman, a supplemental first-round choice in 1998, is out of options, meaning he must either make the club in 2006 or be exposed to other teams via waivers.
"We have invested a lot of time in Choo and we need to see if he is going to be able to take the next step," manager Clint Hurdle said. "This is a golden opportunity for him." Rocky
Choo Freeman Bio:
More Bio's:
In the News
6/25/06.. addition.. Post
"He's (Freeman) got pop, and speed never hurts," Helton said. "And his swing is a million times better than it's been before."
6/22/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Manager Clint Hurdle indicated that Freeman, hitting .260 overall, will receive a better look.
"We're going to find him some more at-bats, and we're going to stretch his role out a little bit," Hurdle said. "Sully's had his opportunities. He's had [225] at-bats. We'll just see what's ahead for him, how far he can take it."
4/16/06.. addition.. MLB.com
"He's hit some balls up here at this level that he didn't sniff in the past," Hurdle said of the improvement he's seen in the promising outfielder. "Anything down, hard and away, anything down spinning away, he's really worked hard to make some adjustments, and it's really nice to see a guy that's worked that hard."
4/3/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Freeman seemed to be one step forward and one step back throughout his climb to the Majors. But this offseason, he talked with coaches and Major League players about their mental approaches, and he read the book "Mind Gym" by sports psychologist Gary Mack (with a foreword by Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez).
3/1/06... addition.. MLB.com
Already playing on a team that carries one position player fewer than most clubs because of the wear that Coors Field puts on a pitching staff, Freeman faces a potential obstacle in the structure of the club. The Rockies signed veteran Eli Marrero, a catcher early in his career and a corner outfielder now, and plan to test whether he can handle limited engagements in center field.
Seeing how Freeman fits is a priority. Freeman can play the corner positions but has an advantage over Marrero because center is his primary position. Hurdle said he will play Freeman in center during the early portion of the spring schedule before having him play the corners.
"He's (Freeman) got pop, and speed never hurts," Helton said. "And his swing is a million times better than it's been before."
6/22/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Manager Clint Hurdle indicated that Freeman, hitting .260 overall, will receive a better look.
"We're going to find him some more at-bats, and we're going to stretch his role out a little bit," Hurdle said. "Sully's had his opportunities. He's had [225] at-bats. We'll just see what's ahead for him, how far he can take it."
4/16/06.. addition.. MLB.com
"He's hit some balls up here at this level that he didn't sniff in the past," Hurdle said of the improvement he's seen in the promising outfielder. "Anything down, hard and away, anything down spinning away, he's really worked hard to make some adjustments, and it's really nice to see a guy that's worked that hard."
4/3/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Freeman seemed to be one step forward and one step back throughout his climb to the Majors. But this offseason, he talked with coaches and Major League players about their mental approaches, and he read the book "Mind Gym" by sports psychologist Gary Mack (with a foreword by Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez).
3/1/06... addition.. MLB.com
Already playing on a team that carries one position player fewer than most clubs because of the wear that Coors Field puts on a pitching staff, Freeman faces a potential obstacle in the structure of the club. The Rockies signed veteran Eli Marrero, a catcher early in his career and a corner outfielder now, and plan to test whether he can handle limited engagements in center field.
Seeing how Freeman fits is a priority. Freeman can play the corner positions but has an advantage over Marrero because center is his primary position. Hurdle said he will play Freeman in center during the early portion of the spring schedule before having him play the corners.
