As a former major league All-Star, Choo Shin-soo knows a player ready for big league success when he sees one. Choo said Wednesday he believes Lee Jung-hoo, a former South Korean league most valuable player (MVP) who recently signed with the San Francisco Giants, will have a smooth transition to the majors. "I think Lee Jung-hoo will likely do better than any other player that went before him. I can say that with confidence," Choo said at a press conference at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul. The 41-year-old announced in December he will retire after the 2024 season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and made his first media appearance Wednesday to offer details on his plans. Choo, an American League All-Star with the Texas Rangers in 2018, perked up when asked about Lee's prospects. Lee, 25, signed a six-year, US$113 million contract with the Giants in December after seven years in the KBO with the Kiwoom Heroes. It is the largest contract signed by a Korean player via posting. Lee was a runaway winner for the 2022 regular season MVP after leading the league in batting average, hits, RBIs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. "Even though he is still young, I've been impressed with his poise at the plate and his character off the field. He has all the qualities of a star athlete," Choo said. "But I won't sit here and guarantee success for him, because there are some incredible players in the majors." Choo is regarded as the greatest South Korean position player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. He holds the record for most home runs by an Asian-born player with 218. He enjoyed three "20-20" seasons with at least 20 homers and 20 steals, and became the first South Korean hitter to be named an All-Star in 2018. He signed with the Landers in February 2021 and will hang up his spikes after the upcoming season. Choo said his wife told him she wanted to see him in a major league uniform one last time before retiring, though Choo himself had already made up his mind by the n and he wanted to honor his word with the club. "I looked through MLB rosters, and there was basically no one left my age. And even Nelson Cruz retired recently (at age 43)," Choo said. "I don't necessarily think I will lose the battle against younger players, but I don't think I want to put myself in that situation at this point in my career." Source: Yonhap News Agency