Low & Outside: AL Notes

Here's something you don't often hear from big-leaguers: Maybe I shouldn't have been drinking. Cleveland slugger Shin-Soo Choo has said as much, conceding his May 2 arrest in Ohio on a DUI charge has affected his game.

Although he stopped short of saying something like "my shame is so great," Choo said he worries about how he is perceived in America and in his native South Korea.

"I wanted to play good in the field, show better play, and then try to make people forget," he said Sunday.

Hate to break it to him, but in this country opinions are more likely to be formed on his hitting than his arrest.

And the hitting has been weak: With nearly a third of the season in the books, he's batting .239, with five homers, and 22 RBIs.

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon is facing suspension or a fine for losing his cool after blowing a four-run lead Saturday against Oakland, a game the Red Sox won in extra innings.

It all started after the A's Cliff Pennington drove in two runs to make it 7-5 with one out in the top of the ninth.

Catcher Jason Varitek said something and was tossed by umpire Tony Randazzo. Then Papelbon said something and was tossed, at which point he stormed toward Randazzo and may have made slight contact with the ump. That usually gets you in trouble with the commissioner's office.