Choo-se wisely your path

For those of us like me who missed the days of the military draft, it's interesting to see what other countries are doing militarily.

Take South Korea for instance.

According to this story on MLB.com, every able-bodied South Korean male is required to serve between 24 and 28 months in the country's military prior to turning 30.

Why bring this up and what does it have to do with baseball? Easy.

Ask Shin Soo-Choo of the Cleveland Indians, who may have his professional career interrupted by military service.

There is, obviously, precedent for this in America. Heck, a good number of major leaguers in the 1940s missed time to serve in our armed forces.

In this day and age, however, it is a rarity. In Choo's case, here's hoping whatever happens to him does so for the best -- as a ballplayer and as a person.