Chan-Ho Park
From BR Bullpen
Chan-Ho Park
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.
- School Hanyang University (Seoul)
- Debut April 8, 1994
- Born June 30, 1973 in Kongju, South Korea
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[edit] Biographical Information
Pitcher Chan-Ho Park was the first South Korean in the major leagues.
[edit] Los Angeles Dodgers
Park was a sophomore at Hanyang University (Seoul) in 1994 when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent. A fastball pitcher, he enjoyed success with the team, playing at the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. He had his best season with the Dodgers in 2000, when he went 18-10 with a 3.27 ERA and 217 strikeouts. Following a 15-11 season with the Dodgers in 2001, Park became free agent.
[edit] Texas Rangers
He was signed by the Texas Rangers in December 2001 to a five-year, $65 million contract, which was at the time one of the highest contracts ever offered to a pitcher. However, during his time with the Rangers, Park was hampered by injuries and a home stadium that notoriously favors hitters - Ameriquest Field in Arlington. In his first season with the Rangers in 2002, Park only went 9-8 in 25 starts, with a 5.75 ERA. The following season, 2003, he only started seven times due to injuries, going 1-3 with a 7.58 ERA.
Park proved to be largely unpopular with the local crowds and Dallas-area media (referred to by some media members as "Heave Ho Park" and "Oh No Park"), who considered the underperforming pitcher and his large contract to be a waste of money that hampered the team. However, they did not necessarily consider Park to be a player who could no longer succeed anywhere, but rather a player who did not fit the Rangers' organization, which traditionally focused on offense and power pitchers. Under this theory, it was Park's pitching style, which tended to induce fly balls (which at hitter-friendly Ameriquest often end up as home runs), which led to his troubles with the Rangers - and which was less of a problem when he pitched for the Dodgers, with their pitcher-friendly home park. This theory appears to be supported by evidence: From 2002 to 2004, Park had a 6.75 ERA at home, much higher than his 4.92 ERA on the road.
On June 4, 2005, Park became the first South Korean to ever reach 100 career wins in the majors. He was 26 days short of his 32nd birthday when he reached the milestone.
[edit] San Diego Padres
On July 29, 2005, Chan-Ho Park was traded by the Rangers to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Phil Nevin. He was shelled in his first outing as a Padre, giving up 7 runs and 5 earned runs in 4.1 innings with 8 hits and 3 walks. However, Park had a successful home debut as a Padre, including striking out a season-high eight in 5 2/3 innings of work. Padres fans hoped that Park could repeat his success with the Dodgers playing in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park.
In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Park pitched extremely well, earning 3 saves. The WBC rules for pitching forced him to be excluded from Korea's final game against Japan. With his strong performance (no runs allowed in 10 innings pitched), he was selected to the All-WBC team.
[edit] New York Mets
Park signed a one-year, $600,000 deal with the New York Mets in February 2007. He only pitched one game for the 2007 Mets, allowing 7 runs in 4 IP. He then went to the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs, where he was 4-4 with a 5.57 ERA. New York let him go. While several South Koreans had moved from Organized Baseball to the Korea Baseball Organization in 2007, KBO managers were skeptical of Park coming over to their league even though Park remained a highly popular player in his native South Korea, where many people follow games whenever Park pitches. He wound up signing a minor league deal with the Houston Astros.
In the 2007 Asian Championship, Park threw three scoreless innings, allowing four hits, striking out four and walking one as South Korea finished second.
[edit] Los Angeles Dodgers (take 2)
On April 4, 2008 the Dodgers purchased Park's contract from the AAA Las Vegas 51s. The team had promised Park an early-season callup after he surprised them with an outstanding 2008 spring training performance.
[edit] Miscellaneous
[edit] Barry Bonds
Park gave up Barry Bonds' record-breaking 71st home run in 2001. Later that game, Park gave up the 72nd as well. Park remains the only pitcher ever to give up a player's 71st or 72nd home run in a season. (His teammate Dennis Springer gave up the 73rd, two days later.)
[edit] Two Grand Slams in One Inning
On April 23, 1999, he surrendered two grand slams to Fernando Tatis in the same inning. Tatis is the only player ever to have accomplished this feat.
[edit] Intestinal bleeding
Park was placed on a 15-day disabled list on July 31, 2006 because of intestinal bleeding that required a blood transfusion. He returned and pitched in two games before the bleeding recurred. The mysterious condition was finally diagnosed as a Meckel's diverticulum in his small intestine, which was surgically removed on August 23, 2006. [1]
[edit] Brawl with Tim Belcher
When with the Dodgers, Park was the instigator of a celebrated brawl with Anaheim Angels pitcher Tim Belcher. On June 5, 1999, Park triggered an altercation after Belcher forcefully tagged him out on a sacrifice bunt up the first base line. Park shoved him with both hands, then forearmed him in the face and giving him a side kick - leaving Belcher with a spike wound on his left thigh and a bruised left forearm.[2]
[edit] Family
Chan-ho Park and Ri-hye Park were married on November 29, 2005. Their daughter, Elynne, was born on August 30, 2006.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (2001)
- 15 Wins Seasons: 3 (1998, 2000 & 2001)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1998, 2000 & 2001)
- 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 2 (2000 & 2001)
[edit] Related Sites
Some or all content from this article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chan-ho Park".
