By Yi Whan-woo
Korea Times intern

Choo Shin-soo of the Cleveland Indians was put on a 15-day disabled list Sunday with a right thumb injury, raising concerns for both the Tribe and the Korean national team prior to this year's Asian Games.

While the absence of the sole Korean Major Leaguer, who may undergo surgery, is a critical blow to the Indians, the injury might also affect Choo's future career in a different way as it could deprive the outfielder of a chance to be exempted from army service back in Korea.

Choo sustained the injury in Friday's 3-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, where he sprained his thumb in the eighth inning while diving in an attempt to catch Athletics Jack Cust's one-out double.

"We don't know if it's season-ending yet, but surgery is possible," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

The 27-year-old is the top Indians hitter, leading the Tribe with a .286 batting average, 43 RBIs and 13 home runs. There is a growing dependence on him from the club amid its struggling offense.

Choo, who is regarded as a cheap buy with a $461,100 annual salary this year, is in his final pre-arbitration season, and certainly has a high chance for a huge raise in the coming years.

The injury, however, could prevent him from a possible big deal that matches his pivotal performances.

It is not only the Indians who are worried about Choo. Across the ocean, the Korean national baseball team, which is hoping for gold in the Asian Games in November, is keeping an eye on the situation.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) previously included the slugger on the preliminary 60-man roster in May. Choo is expected to recover before mid-September, when the final 22-man roster will be confirmed.

"The foremost concern is to make sure what Choo's condition is like, and then we will report to technical chief Kim In-sik and squad manager Cho Bum-hyun," a KBO official said.

For Choo, playing at the Asian Games is critically important as it is the only chance for him to get an exemption from the 2-year military service.

According to related regulations, members of a national baseball team can complete their military service with only a 4-week basic training if the team wins a gold medal at the Asian Games, or any medal at the Olympics.

Choo missed his chance previously, when the MLB refused to allow him to play at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He was not included in the roster for the 2006 Asian Games, but South Korea ended with a bronze medal with consecutive losses to Taiwan and Japan.