By Kang Seung-woo
Park Chan-ho sobbingly turned down an invitation from the South Korean national team for the second World Baseball Classic (WBC) to focus on his bid for a starting job with the Philadelphia Phillies.
And it has finally paid off as team general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Wednesday (Seoul Time) that the 15-year veteran has beaten J.A. Happ, 26, to the No. 5 starter position in the rotation.
"I think our entire staff thought Park pitched better this spring,'' Amaro told The MorningCall.com.
"We're a better club with him in the rotation at this time."
According to the Phillies' Web site, Park is expected to start on April 12 against the Colorado Rockies on the road.
Park expressed his delight on the Web site.
"I feel very happy,'' he said. "First, because I had a good spring. Second, I made a deal to make the rotation instead of playing for the national team. It worked out pretty well. I'm sorry about not playing for the country, but I think they're happy and excited about it.''
The South Korean right-hander agreed to a $2.5-million contract with the Phillies in December after the team had promised him a chance to compete for the No. 5 starter position in spring training.
Park, who made his U.S. Major League debut in 1994 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has accumulated solid numbers in exhibitions, going 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings.
What stands out more is he walked just two ― an 8.3 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Amid talk that he merited reliever consideration because of his success in that position last season with the Dodgers ― appearing in 54 games, including five starts, and posting a 3.40 ERA ― Park entered spring training in a four-way battle with Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco and Happ, which was narrowed to a Park-Happ race.
As the left-hander Happ has performed as well as Park with a 3.15 ERA, 14 strikeouts and six walks over 20 innings, the Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee had not decided their fifth starter until Tuesday, when Park delivered 5 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run with seven strikeouts against the Houston Astros.
Now, Happ is expected to compete with three other hurlers for two bullpen jobs.
Although Park has returned to a starting role, there is lingering concern over having him in the rotation.
The native of Gongju City, South Chungcheong Province, who is 117-92 in Major League Baseball (MLB), has not pitched well since his departure for a lucrative free agent deal worth $65 million with the Texas Rangers in 2002.
Since then, he has been 34-34 with a 5.48 ERA in 104 starts with four teams ― the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, the Rangers and the Dodgers. And it was in 2006 that he last worked as a full-time starter in San Diego.
The silver lining is that Park was effective in five spot starts, going 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 2008.
And it has finally paid off as team general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Wednesday (Seoul Time) that the 15-year veteran has beaten J.A. Happ, 26, to the No. 5 starter position in the rotation.
"I think our entire staff thought Park pitched better this spring,'' Amaro told The MorningCall.com.
"We're a better club with him in the rotation at this time."
According to the Phillies' Web site, Park is expected to start on April 12 against the Colorado Rockies on the road.
Park expressed his delight on the Web site.
"I feel very happy,'' he said. "First, because I had a good spring. Second, I made a deal to make the rotation instead of playing for the national team. It worked out pretty well. I'm sorry about not playing for the country, but I think they're happy and excited about it.''
The South Korean right-hander agreed to a $2.5-million contract with the Phillies in December after the team had promised him a chance to compete for the No. 5 starter position in spring training.
Park, who made his U.S. Major League debut in 1994 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has accumulated solid numbers in exhibitions, going 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings.
What stands out more is he walked just two ― an 8.3 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Amid talk that he merited reliever consideration because of his success in that position last season with the Dodgers ― appearing in 54 games, including five starts, and posting a 3.40 ERA ― Park entered spring training in a four-way battle with Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco and Happ, which was narrowed to a Park-Happ race.
As the left-hander Happ has performed as well as Park with a 3.15 ERA, 14 strikeouts and six walks over 20 innings, the Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee had not decided their fifth starter until Tuesday, when Park delivered 5 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run with seven strikeouts against the Houston Astros.
Now, Happ is expected to compete with three other hurlers for two bullpen jobs.
Although Park has returned to a starting role, there is lingering concern over having him in the rotation.
The native of Gongju City, South Chungcheong Province, who is 117-92 in Major League Baseball (MLB), has not pitched well since his departure for a lucrative free agent deal worth $65 million with the Texas Rangers in 2002.
Since then, he has been 34-34 with a 5.48 ERA in 104 starts with four teams ― the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, the Rangers and the Dodgers. And it was in 2006 that he last worked as a full-time starter in San Diego.
The silver lining is that Park was effective in five spot starts, going 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 2008.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr
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