Much to his dismay, Rodney "Bruddah" Choy Foo was part of a last-minute switch a couple days before the start of Hawaii Winter Baseball.

He was originally tabbed to play for the Honolulu Sharks. It was a good fit for Choy Foo, drafted out of Kailua High by the Cleveland Indians in the 26th round in 2000. Another Hawai'i player, Kala Ka'aihue (Iolani 2003), a first baseman in the Atlanta Braves organization, was to be his teammate. Another Indians farmhand, pitcher Scott Roehl, as well as Indians minor league pitching coach Tony Arnold were also on the team. Choy Foo also played against some of his new teammates in the Carolina League while at Kinston, N.C.

Instead, he was moved to the North Shore Honu because the Sharks had an abundance of infielders.

"I was kind of unhappy because I knew a lot of guys (with the Sharks)," Choy Foo said. "I played with these guys the whole year and I had fun playing with those guys and against them."

Considering the options, playing sure beats the alternative.

"I probably would've been working with my brother in construction," he said of his off-season job to supplement his minor league income.

For Choy Foo, it's a minor issue. He's just happy to able to play as a professional on his native soil. He has been assigned to Burlington, N.C., Columbus, Ga., Kinston, and Akron, Ohio, during his seven-year minor league career.

"My family has never seen me play in minor league ball, so it's good for them to come out," he said.

Choy Foo has certainly made it worth his family's while to attend the games. He is tied for the league lead with Honolulu's Keiyo Aomatsu in home runs (2) and tied with Waikiki's Dexter Fowler in RBIs (9). HIs .257 batting average ranks eighth in what has started out as a pitching-dominated league.

Choy Foo wasn't sure of his status in HWB until about a week before the opener. He said his manager at Kinston told him he would be assigned to the league during the season, but had not received confirmation. In fact, his former Kinston teammate, pitcher Reid Santos (Castle 2000), also hoped to be assigned here. Instead, Santos went to the Arizona Fall League, which has seasoned minor leaguers and those ready to make the jump to the majors.

The switch-hitting Choy Foo enjoyed his best season yet as a pro over the summer. He batted .294 with a career-high 12 home runs. He also had 77 RBIs and stole 14 bases, getting caught only once. He is hoping to keep his skills sharp in HWB in preparation for spring training.

"You have to improve everyday," he said. "I just want to improve on everything. You're never going to be perfect, so you just have to keep working."

Choy Foo was drafted as a shortstop, but has played third and second base during his career. He has been primarily a second baseman with the Honu.

"As long as I'm playing I'm happy," Choy Foo said. "Maybe it will help me when I get to higher levels. If somebody gets hurt, I can get in."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.