CLEVELAND — One positive in this otherwise disappointing Indians season has been the emergence of outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.

In his first full season as a big league starter, the South Korean has excelled in nearly every area, entering Friday with a .292 batting average, 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and eight outfield assists in 78 games.

Choo’s homer and RBI counts ranked second to Victor Martinez through Thursday, while his stolen base total was tops on the team and his assist total was tied for the American League-lead. His 48 walks and .401 on-base percentage are fifth in the league.

“He’s continued to work to get better, in the outfield, on the bases and at home plate,” said manager Eric Wedge, who has penciled Choo into the lineup more regularly than any other Tribe outfielder.

It’s easy to see why. With three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder Grady Sizemore lacking arm strength, Choo, who has a cannon in right field, is the closest thing the Indians have to a five-tool player.

“He has all the attributes to be a very good player for a long time,” Wedge said.

Choo and Toronto’s Vernon Wells (12) entered the day as the only players in the majors to amass 10 or more stolen bases without being caught.

New arrival

Right-hander Winston Abreu, who was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay for right-hander John Meloan on Thursday, is expected to be activated today to join the Indians bullpen.

Abreu, 32, was promoted from Triple-A Durham to make two appearances for the Rays before being designated for assignment and dealt to Cleveland. He spent last season pitching in the Japanese Pacific League.

The Indians still have to clear a spot for Abreu on the 25-man roster.

Rehab roundup

Aaron Laffey (right oblique strain) made another disappointing rehab start Friday, allowing seven runs (six in the first) on 10 hits over just four innings for Triple-A Columbus at Toledo. Wedge said that if Laffey pitched adequately the left-hander would join the starting staff, likely replacing Tomo Ohka, who has already moved to the bullpen. But Laffey’s second straight sub par outing may change those plans.

• Rafael Betancourt (right groin strain) joined Laffey in Columbus on Friday to make his first rehab appearance, pitching a scoreless inning, while striking out one and walking one. Betancourt has been sidelined since June 1.

• Fausto Carmona is scheduled to make his third rehab start, this time at Columbus on Sunday. Wedge still wouldn’t commit on a date for the right-hander’s return to the rotation, saying “We’re just going to evaluate Sunday and work from there.”

Running wild

Despite employing cannon-armed Kelly Shoppach and an improved Martinez behind the plate, the Indians have had trouble controlling the opposition’s running game. According to Wedge, Cleveland’s pitchers have joined the catchers to play a part in the problem area.

“I think it’s been a little bit of both,” he said. “Usually, it’s a group effort. That’s something we’ve struggled with. I think we’ve put more people on (with walks), that’s part of the issue.”

The Indians entered Friday with a major league-high 144 walks in 2622/3 innings.

Shoppach threw out 21.3 percent (10-of-47) of the runners attempting to steal off him last year, but entered Friday at 19.5 percent (8-of-41), while Martinez was at 10.8 percent (4-of-37) after gunning down 31 percent (10-of-32) in limited time last season.

Minor details

Prized prospect Matt LaPorta had a big day for Columbus on Thursday, going 3-for-5 with a grand slam, two doubles, three runs and five RBIs to lead the Clippers’ 16-3 rout of Toledo.

• Double-A Akron’s Steven Wright hadn’t allowed a run in his last eight appearances (15 innings) through Thursday. The second-round draft pick out of the University of Hawaii (2006) entered Friday with a 6-0 record and 2.78 ERA in 18 games (four starts) for the Aeros.

Roundin’ third

Left-hander Juan Lara made his first appearance since Sept. 6, 2007, allowing two runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings for Cleveland’s Arizona Rookie League in Goodyear. Lara had not pitched since sustaining critical injuries in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic in December of ‘07.

• Cleveland signed its 28th-round draft pick, Nick Sarianides, a right-hander out of Chattahoochee Valley Community College (Phenix City, Ala.).

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

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