Red Sox Claim Choi

VERO BEACH, Fla. â€”  There is no Choi in Dodgertown.

The South Korean first baseman -- whose name, Hee-Seop Choi, was chanted by fans whenever he stepped into the batter’s box -- was claimed on waivers Friday by the Boston Red Sox. But for practical purposes, his last day as a Dodger came Oct. 30 when Paul DePodesta was fired as general manager.

More than any other player, Choi symbolized DePodesta’s statistics-driven evaluations. The left-hander hit with power and walked frequently. He also was below average defensively and lacked baseball instincts that are difficult to quantify.

Last year’s manager, Jim Tracy, never warmed to Choi, and this year’s manager, Grady Little, was unimpressed since Choi’s return from the World Baseball Classic.

General Manager Ned Colletti signed Nomar Garciaparra to play first, and with veteran Olmedo Saenz entrenched as the backup, there was no room for Choi. Top prospect James Loney will be the first baseman at triple-A Las Vegas.

“The way our ballclub is made up, it would be real tough for him to make the club,� Little said. “This gives him an opportunity to go to a club that wants him right now.�

The philosophies of Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein closely mirror those of DePodesta, and renowned sabermatrician Bill James is a Red Sox advisor.

“We see this as an opportunity to acquire [Choi] when his value is down a bit,� Epstein said. “We like his power, his patience, and his hands at first base.�

Epstein said Choi probably would start the season in the minors, saying, “We do want him to get every at-bat he can and find his swing at triple A.�

Choi hit 15 home runs and drove in 42 runs while batting .242 in 320 at-bats last season. In 2004 he hit 15 homers for the Florida Marlins before being traded to the Dodgers with Brad Penny and Bill Murphy for Paul Lo Duca, Guillermo Mota and Juan Encarnacion.

“I’m sad because I liked this team and my teammates,� Choi said. “This is good for me because I want to play a lot. But I’m shocked. I’ll have good memories of the Dodgers.�

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Dodger minor league pitcher Orlando Rodriguez was involved in an auto accident in the rain Thursday night that killed the driver of the other car, Bruce S. Hermesch, 51, of North Palm Beach. Rodriguez suffered minor injuries and was released from Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart.

The Dodgers said Rodriguez, 25, was driving to Miami to fly to Arizona, where his wife had gone into labor.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Rodriguez lost control of his 2001 pickup truck, slid across the median and struck Hermesch’s 1994 sedan. No charges have been filed and the accident is under investigation.

Rodriguez, a left-hander from the Dominican Republic, pitched for four Dodger minor league teams last season, including triple-A Las Vegas.

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Two days after saying Dioner Navarro was a longshot to start the season on the active roster because of a strained hamstring, Little said the catcher ran full speed Friday and will play in a minor league game Monday, a major league game Wednesday and could be in the lineup opening day. ... The Dodgers lost, 9-2, to the Florida Marlins in a Friday night exhibition game. ... Former Dodger pitcher Jerry Reuss has been hired as radio color analyst for 37 games broadcast on 980.