Ji-Man Choi Signs with Brewers

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So, how does making the OD roster impact the opt out? I assume it's still in play? It would be a pretty crappy move to have a guy on opening day, and then immediately option him to remove his opt out.

 

Well, he'd be on the 40-man and technically optioned, so I think that makes the opt-out void.

 

I hadn't thought about that, but I'm not sure what the wording was. Can a player exercise an opt-out if they are on the 40 man roster?

 

I would assume not, but I honestly don't know for sure. This is probably a question that one of the team's beat guys would need to ask a front office person.

[Point Beer Is Best]

From the article at the time of his signing:

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/01/15/report-brewers-sign-south-korean-first-baseman-ji-man-choi-minor-league-deal/1033638001/

 

No other details were provided by the club but a report Sunday night out of South Korea indicated Choi, 26, would receive a $850,000 salary if he made the Brewers' roster. That report said the deal included an additional $650,000 in incentives for various levels of at-bats.

 

That report also indicated Choi could opt out of the deal at the end of spring camp if he didn't make the Brewers' roster. If he accepts a minor-league assignment, there is another opt-out date of June 15 if not summoned to the majors.

 

So I would interpret this that if he's on the roster for one game, he would received the $850k salary. He couldn't opt out of the contract at this point. The subsequent wording says if he accepts a minor league assignment, he would have another opt out date. However, he would be optioned since he would be on the 40 man roster. It feels like any opt-outs are gone, now that he's on a major league salary on the 40 man roster.

[djoctagone]

the term optional assignment is pretty misleading. it's from the team's perspective, not the player's.

 

had choi not been added to the 40-man roster, he could've opted out on two different dates. he'd still have a minor league option remaining, which as we saw in the case of keon broxton, can end up working against you.

 

thus, any team that signed him to a minor league deal could keep him off the 40-man roster, and upon adding him, could keep his minor league option preserved if they did not option him, or kept him optioned for 20 days or fewer in 2018. this is obviously easier to do as the season wears on (especially in august, right before rosters expand in september).

 

if choi ends up being optioned, i'm certain he'll be celebrating when 20 days have passed, because then he'll enter 2019 spring training without any options, which typically forces a team's hand to keep him. so, slight advantage to choi in that he gets a higher salary as a 40-man roster player in his third option year, and in that all indications are that he will burn his final option in 2018.

[djoctagone]

because choi opened the season on the 40-man and 25-man roster, his opt-out clauses have been voided. the brewers can keep choi optioned all of 2018 if they so desire.

[JohnBriggs12]

I suspect that if Ji-Man were tearing the cover off the ball in AAA, he'd have been called up to replace Thames. I think they'd like see him get it going. If he does, I'm sure he'll be up soon.

[djoctagone]

the term optional assignment is pretty misleading. it's from the team's perspective, not the player's.

 

if choi ends up being optioned, i'm certain he'll be celebrating when 20 days have passed, because then he'll enter 2019 spring training without any options, which typically forces a team's hand to keep him. so, slight advantage to choi in that he gets a higher salary as a 40-man roster player in his third option year, and in that all indications are that he will burn his final option in 2018.

well beyond 20 days have passed. choi has burned his final option. he still can be recalled and optioned back and forth in 2018, but he must stay optioned for at least 10 days unless replacing an injured player.

[djoctagone]

it's not ji-man choi's place to demand a trade to another club to get more playing time at the major league level. he just turned 27, and prior to spring training, had burned only two of his options. he hardly has any major league service time.

 

he has burned his final option, and come 2019, if he's on a 40-man roster in spring training, he'll have to make that club's 25-man roster or be exposed to waivers. he was 18 when signed by seattle, so it's not like he's "earned" service time by playing professionally in south korea like eric thames has.

 

he should be grateful to be on a club's 40-man roster, and that he's been optioned long enough this year to burn his final option.

[adambr2]

For what it's worth, McCalvy refuted the report of a trade request or any grumbling from Choi. Said he may indeed be coming up though.

[JohnBriggs12]

For what it's worth, McCalvy refuted the report of a trade request or any grumbling from Choi. Said he may indeed be coming up though.

 

It's not been 10 days since he was optioned after the game on May 23rd so don't think he's eligible for recall until Saturday or Sunday.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

For what it's worth, McCalvy refuted the report of a trade request or any grumbling from Choi. Said he may indeed be coming up though.

 

It's not been 10 days since he was optioned after the game on May 23rd so don't think he's eligible for recall until Saturday or Sunday.

 

Unless a player is going on the DL, which very well may happen with Davies.

[adambr2]

I like the idea of Davies going to the DL. They have a lot of days off coming up and a 5th starter is actually not needed until the Cubs series June 12th.

[pacopete4]

I mentioned it yesterday in the game thread because it should’ve happened for yesterday’s game. It’s a no brainer.

[MoreTrife]

I like the idea of Davies going to the DL. They have a lot of days off coming up and a 5th starter is actually not needed until the Cubs series June 12th.

 

What is Davies issue? Just general effectiveness or "arm fatigue" or did something happen?

[SomewhereInTime]

I like the idea of Davies going to the DL. They have a lot of days off coming up and a 5th starter is actually not needed until the Cubs series June 12th.

 

What is Davies issue? Just general effectiveness or "arm fatigue" or did something happen?

 

He was complaining of shoulder soreness after the game.

[markedman5]

 

Ji-Man Choi wanted to make clear that the Twitter report yesterday stating he wanted to be traded was wholly inaccurate. “That’s 100% false,” he said. “I’m happy to be here and I was shocked when it came out. It made me angry. I’ve spoken with my agent about it as well.”

[adambr2]

 

Ji-Man Choi wanted to make clear that the Twitter report yesterday stating he wanted to be traded was wholly inaccurate. “That’s 100% false,” he said. “I’m happy to be here and I was shocked when it came out. It made me angry. I’ve spoken with my agent about it as well.”

 

I'm glad to hear that. It didn't really bother me the way it bothered some, but he seems like a likeable guy and good clubhouse presence and I'm glad he wants to be here even knowing he's just going to flip flop between MLB and AAA.

 

At least he seems to be the preferred extra DH guy.

[djoctagone]

ji-man choi optioned to make room for brandon woodruff. a fifth starter won't be needed again until 19 june, so woodruff's stay could be brief.