Chan-ho Park
Encyclopedia
Chan Ho Park is a South Korea
n professional baseball
pitcher
for the Hanwha Eagles of Korea Baseball Organization
. He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers
, Texas Rangers
, San Diego Padres
, New York Mets
, Philadelphia Phillies
, New York Yankees
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
of Major League Baseball
. He was the first South Korean-born player in major league history. He is 6'2" (188 cm) tall and weighs 210 lbs (95 kg).
honors three consecutive seasons at Kongju High School in Kongju, South Korea
. He also was named the MVP at four national prep tournaments. He has a younger brother named Bill Ho Park, who plays minor league baseball.
Park was a member of the 1992 and 1993 South Korea national baseball team. He posted a 2.76 ERA in helping South Korea earn the silver medal at the Asian Baseball Championship
in 1993. He also competed in Summer Universiade
in July 1993, and led his team to the silver medal.
Park was a sophomore at Hanyang University
, Seoul
in 1994 when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur
free agent
.
as a reliever, working one inning (a game in which the Dodgers were no-hit
by the Braves' Kent Mercker
).
Park played in one additional game for the Dodgers that season and then spent the bulk of the season with the Class AA San Antonio Missions
, finishing with a 5–7 record and a 3.55 ERA for the Missions in 20 starts with 100 strikeouts.
With the Albuquerque Dukes
in 1995 he was fourth in the Pacific Coast League
in strikeouts with 101, and averaged 8.26 strikeouts per 9 innings, the top mark among all Class AAA pitchers. He was selected by Baseball America
as the 2nd best Dodgers prospect after the season with the best fastball in the PCL. He recorded his first Major League start on October 1 against the San Diego Padres
after receiving a September call-up.
In 1996, his first full season with the Dodgers, he went 5–5 with a 3.64 ERA in 48 games (10 starts). He recorded his first win on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs
.
Park had a breakout season in 1997 as he became a fulltime starter. He tied for the team lead in victories, while posting a 14–8 record and a 3.38 ERA in 32 appearances, 29 of them starts.
In 1998, he was 15–9 with a 3.71 ERA in 34 starts and struck out 191 batters in 220.2 innings. After the season, he led the South Korean national team to the gold medal in the Asian Games
.
In 1999, he struggled on rotation with 13–11 with a 5.23 ERA. On April 23, 1999 he became the only pitcher in the history of baseball to allow two grand slams in the same inning and to the same player, Fernando Tatis
of the St. Louis Cardinals. There are two more pitchers in the history of baseball who allowed two grand slams in the same game - Jack Morris
, and more recently, Brandon Backe
- but to different hitters in different innings. He also walked 100 batters in only 194 innings.
In 2000, he ranked second in strikeouts with 217, second in opposing batting average (.214), and lowest in allowed hits per nine innings. despite second in allowing bases on balls (124) in the National League
. He finished the season 18–10 with a 3.27 ERA, the best totals of his entire career. He also tossed his first career complete game
shutout
on September 29, against the San Diego Padres
. Park was also named the Dodgers opening day starter for the 2001 season and tossed the Dodgers first season opening shutout since 1981. He was 15–11 with a 3.50 ERA during the season and was selected to appear in the 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
, where he pitched one inning, allowed a home run to Cal Ripken, Jr.
and was charged with the loss. Park gave up Barry Bonds'
record-breaking 71st and 72nd homers on October 5 against the San Francisco Giants
.
in December of that year to a five year, $65 million contract, which was one of the largest contracts for a pitcher at that time. However, during his time with the Rangers, he was hampered by injuries and a home stadium that favors hitters at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. In his first season with the Rangers, Park went 9–8 in 25 starts, with a 5.75 ERA. The following season, he only started seven times due to injuries, going 1–3 with a 7.58 ERA.
On July 29, 2005, he was traded by the Rangers to the San Diego Padres
in exchange for Phil Nevin
. Padres fans had hoped that Park could repeat his previous success by playing in pitcher-friendly Petco Park
.
teammate and friend Chris Young, who was traded to the Padres in exchange for Akinori Otsuka
. Park started the season as a reliever but soon he became a starter. On July 31, he suffered from mysterious intestinal bleeding and was placed on the disabled list. Several of his teammates, including Jake Peavy
, Woody Williams
, Chris Young, and Alan Embree
, offered to donate their blood, but Park graciously refused their offer, as they were vital members of the team. Park accepted blood transfusions, that came, in part, from Jake Peavy's wife Katie and Kelly Calabrese, Padres' team massage therapist. However, Park's recovery did not last long as he suffered from another episode of intestinal bleeding on August 21. He was hospitalized again, this time along with his wife Rie, who was about to deliver their first child. A very thorough medical examination revealed that Park was suffering from a congenital defect called Meckel's diverticulum
. Park had a successful surgery and only six days later his wife delivered a healthy baby daughter at the same hospital.
The San Diego Padres advanced to the post-season and Park joined the post-season roster. On October 3, 2006, Park made his first career post-season appearance in Game 1 of the National League Division Series
against the St. Louis Cardinals
as a reliever. He also had career-high season batting average of .268 from 41 at bats.
reported that Park had signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the New York Mets and would report to the Mets' spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida to compete for a starting rotation spot. The Mets sent him down to Triple-A New Orleans
following his poor spring performance. On April 30, 2007, Park was called up from Triple-A New Orleans to start for the injured Orlando Hernández
. In that sole game, he gave up 7 earned runs in 4 innings. On May 3, 2007, Park was sent back down to Triple-A New Orleans. He was designated for assignment on June 4, 2007.
On June 12, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros
. Astros Manager Phil Garner
said "Park will have a few starts at Triple-A Round Rock before the Astros decide whether to call him up." Park compiled a 2–10 record over 15 starts with Round Rock, failing to earn a spot on the Astros' 40-man roster.
On November 8, 2007, Park accepted an offer from his original team, the Los Angeles Dodgers
, to attend spring training as a non-roster invitee. On November 28, 2007, Park asked to be let go by the Dodgers to play for the Korean team. After pitching with no health issues for the Korean National team, the contract was finalized on December 6, 2007. Despite being considered a long shot for the fifth starter's role, Park pitched very well, but was ultimately passed over for right-hander Esteban Loaiza
. He was eventually reassigned to the minor leagues on March 30, 2008. Faced with the problem of a fatigued and depleted pitching staff three games later, the Dodgers purchased Park's minor league contract on April 2, 2008.
On May 17, 2008, Park made his first start as a Dodger since 2001 against Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. He allowed two runs (one earned run) in four innings with no decision. This game turned out to be a historic one as for the first time in MLB history, all three Dodgers pitchers who pitched in this game (Park, Hong-Chih Kuo
, and Takashi Saito
) were of Asian origin. The Dodgers won it 6–3.
On June 21, 2008, Park started against the Cleveland Indians
at the Dodger Stadium and joined Kevin Brown, Al Leiter
, Javier Vazquez
, and Jamie Moyer
as the only pitchers to start a game against all 30 Major League teams. In addition to making history, he had a decent outing, with 9 strikeouts in 5 innings pitched, although this was overshadowed when he gave up a solo home run to Cleveland Indians
pitcher CC Sabathia.
After Takashi Saito
's elbow injury, Park was moved back to the bullpen by manager Joe Torre
. Jonathan Broxton
was promoted to the closer role and Park and Hong-Chih Kuo
to the setup man platoon.
.
On March 31, Phillies GM Rubén Amaro, Jr.
announced that Chan Ho Park had won the fifth starter job. However, with several poor starts (7 starts with a 7.29 ERA), Park was moved to the bullpen and was replaced in the rotation by J. A. Happ
. The problem with Park as a starter was that he was sacrificing velocity and movement for the energy to go deeper in games. After moving to the pen, his four-seam fastball velocity returned to normal (94-96 MPH range), with movement on his two-seam fastball
and slider
. Park played a vital role in the Phillies' bullpen with a 2.52 ERA. After missing time with a hamstring injury, Park made his return to the Phillies in the playoffs. With the Phillies, he advanced to his first World Series
, in which he pitched well, giving up no runs in Philadelphia's loss to the New York Yankees
. He became a free agent after the season.
In December 2009 it was announced that Chan Ho Park was suing his former Dodger teammate Chad Kreuter
in Los Angeles Superior Court, in which he claimed Kreuter breached repayment of a $460,000 promissory note issued in October 2005.
. Chan Ho Park decided to play for the Yankees after denying an offer around $3 millions per year from the Philadelphia Phillies.
After struggling with a 5.60 ERA., Park was designated for assignment on July 31, 2010. On August 4, 2010, Park was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
On October 1, Park became the winningest Asian pitcher in MLB history. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2011 season.
. In the Asia Round games against Taiwan and Japan, Park made appearances as a closing pitcher, shutting out the opposing lineups. He made another appearance as a closer in the semifinal game against Mexico, in which he again shut out his opposing hitters. His performance made San Diego Padres' manager Bruce Bochy
believe that Park can be used as an effective reliever as well as a starter. Park later said that Padres' closer Trevor Hoffman
taught him how to focus in a relief situation. With his shutout performance in 10 innings and three saves, Korea finished the World Baseball Classic in third place and Park was selected to the WBC All-Star team along with his teammate Seung Yeop Lee and Team Korea's captain Lee Jong-beom.
, his biggest weapon being a four-seam fastball
in 95-98 mph range. Mixed with a two-seam fastball
, a slider
, a curveball
, and a changeup
, he had five consecutive seasons of 10+ wins with the Dodgers. Being a power pitcher, however, he constantly revealed control problems, especially early in the game. He got many strikeouts, yet also allowed many bases on balls and hit batsmen that contributed to his lower than average strikeout-walk ratio of less than 2. This hindered him from achieving low ERA (He never had league top 10 season ERA except his career best season 2000 of 3.27 that was just 7th in NL by playing in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.) He was also a flyball-pitcher that benefited a lot from the huge Dodger Stadium outfield; however his style all added up and later backfired when he played in other teams. After unsuccessful seasons with Rangers, Padres, and Mets, he added a two-seam fastball
learned from Orel Hershiser
. Fox
play by play announcer Matt Vasgersian
once said about Park's two-seam fastball, "You can only see a two-seamer like that in Playstation 2
". In his career in Philadelphia he also used a cutter
and a sinker
, learned from Kevin Brown. Park's 2008 comeback season was marked with a return to complete health for the first time in years, allowing him to combine his crafty veteran style with a renewed ability to pitch effective fastballs in mid-90 mph.
. In Spring 2009, Ri-hye released a best-selling cookbook in Korea from which the proceeds went to various children charities on behalf of the Chan Ho Park Dream Foundation. Park has two daughters (born 2006 and 2008).
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Hanwha Eagles of Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
. He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He was the first South Korean-born player in major league history. He is 6'2" (188 cm) tall and weighs 210 lbs (95 kg).
Early career in Korea
As a high school player in South Korea, he won team Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
honors three consecutive seasons at Kongju High School in Kongju, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He also was named the MVP at four national prep tournaments. He has a younger brother named Bill Ho Park, who plays minor league baseball.
Park was a member of the 1992 and 1993 South Korea national baseball team. He posted a 2.76 ERA in helping South Korea earn the silver medal at the Asian Baseball Championship
Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...
in 1993. He also competed in Summer Universiade
Baseball at the Universiade
Baseball is not currently played at the Summer Universiade. However, in 1993, the baseball tournament was held at the XVII Summer Universiade in Buffalo, USA, and it was staged two years after at the XVIII Summer Universiade in Fukuoka, Japan....
in July 1993, and led his team to the silver medal.
Park was a sophomore at Hanyang University
Hanyang University
Hanyang University is one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. In particular, Hanyang's School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering schools in Korea. The main campus is Hanyang University at Seoul, located in the Seoul, with its branch campus, the ERICA campus , located...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in 1994 when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
1994–2001: Los Angeles Dodgers
Park made his professional debut for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994 against the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
as a reliever, working one inning (a game in which the Dodgers were no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
by the Braves' Kent Mercker
Kent Mercker
Kent Franklin Mercker is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his seventeen-year career....
).
Park played in one additional game for the Dodgers that season and then spent the bulk of the season with the Class AA San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
, finishing with a 5–7 record and a 3.55 ERA for the Missions in 20 starts with 100 strikeouts.
With the Albuquerque Dukes
Albuquerque Dukes
The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.-History:The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class-D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Frank Huelman was the league leader in home runs,...
in 1995 he was fourth in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in strikeouts with 101, and averaged 8.26 strikeouts per 9 innings, the top mark among all Class AAA pitchers. He was selected by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the 2nd best Dodgers prospect after the season with the best fastball in the PCL. He recorded his first Major League start on October 1 against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
after receiving a September call-up.
In 1996, his first full season with the Dodgers, he went 5–5 with a 3.64 ERA in 48 games (10 starts). He recorded his first win on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
Park had a breakout season in 1997 as he became a fulltime starter. He tied for the team lead in victories, while posting a 14–8 record and a 3.38 ERA in 32 appearances, 29 of them starts.
In 1998, he was 15–9 with a 3.71 ERA in 34 starts and struck out 191 batters in 220.2 innings. After the season, he led the South Korean national team to the gold medal in the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
.
In 1999, he struggled on rotation with 13–11 with a 5.23 ERA. On April 23, 1999 he became the only pitcher in the history of baseball to allow two grand slams in the same inning and to the same player, Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatís, Jr. is a Major League Baseball utility player, who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Texas Rangers , St. Louis Cardinals , Montreal Expos , Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets...
of the St. Louis Cardinals. There are two more pitchers in the history of baseball who allowed two grand slams in the same game - Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
, and more recently, Brandon Backe
Brandon Backe
Brandon Allen Backe is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He joined the Houston Astros in , after two seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays....
- but to different hitters in different innings. He also walked 100 batters in only 194 innings.
In 2000, he ranked second in strikeouts with 217, second in opposing batting average (.214), and lowest in allowed hits per nine innings. despite second in allowing bases on balls (124) in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. He finished the season 18–10 with a 3.27 ERA, the best totals of his entire career. He also tossed his first career complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
on September 29, against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. Park was also named the Dodgers opening day starter for the 2001 season and tossed the Dodgers first season opening shutout since 1981. He was 15–11 with a 3.50 ERA during the season and was selected to appear in the 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 72nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the...
, where he pitched one inning, allowed a home run to Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
and was charged with the loss. Park gave up Barry Bonds'
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
record-breaking 71st and 72nd homers on October 5 against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
2002–2005: Texas Rangers
Park was granted free agency after the season and was signed by the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in December of that year to a five year, $65 million contract, which was one of the largest contracts for a pitcher at that time. However, during his time with the Rangers, he was hampered by injuries and a home stadium that favors hitters at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. In his first season with the Rangers, Park went 9–8 in 25 starts, with a 5.75 ERA. The following season, he only started seven times due to injuries, going 1–3 with a 7.58 ERA.
On July 29, 2005, he was traded by the Rangers to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in exchange for Phil Nevin
Phil Nevin
Phillip Joseph Nevin is a retired American professional baseball player who spent twelve seasons in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros , Detroit Tigers , Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins...
. Padres fans had hoped that Park could repeat his previous success by playing in pitcher-friendly Petco Park
PETCO Park
Petco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
.
2005–2006: San Diego Padres
In the 2005 season, his combined record was 12-8, despite a 5.74 ERA. In the 2006 season, Park was reunited with his former Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
teammate and friend Chris Young, who was traded to the Padres in exchange for Akinori Otsuka
Akinori Otsuka
is a currently inactive Japanese Major League Baseball player. He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers...
. Park started the season as a reliever but soon he became a starter. On July 31, he suffered from mysterious intestinal bleeding and was placed on the disabled list. Several of his teammates, including Jake Peavy
Jake Peavy
Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...
, Woody Williams
Woody Williams
Gregory Scott "Woody" Williams is a former right-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He made his major league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays on May 14, 1993.-Baseball career:...
, Chris Young, and Alan Embree
Alan Embree
Alan Duane Embree is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. Previously, Embree played with the Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves , Arizona Diamondbacks , San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , San Diego Padres , Boston Red Sox , New York...
, offered to donate their blood, but Park graciously refused their offer, as they were vital members of the team. Park accepted blood transfusions, that came, in part, from Jake Peavy's wife Katie and Kelly Calabrese, Padres' team massage therapist. However, Park's recovery did not last long as he suffered from another episode of intestinal bleeding on August 21. He was hospitalized again, this time along with his wife Rie, who was about to deliver their first child. A very thorough medical examination revealed that Park was suffering from a congenital defect called Meckel's diverticulum
Meckel's diverticulum
A Meckel's diverticulum, a true congenital diverticulum, is a small bulge in the small intestine present at birth. It is a vestigial remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct , and is the most frequent malformation of the gastrointestinal tract...
. Park had a successful surgery and only six days later his wife delivered a healthy baby daughter at the same hospital.
The San Diego Padres advanced to the post-season and Park joined the post-season roster. On October 3, 2006, Park made his first career post-season appearance in Game 1 of the National League Division Series
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
as a reliever. He also had career-high season batting average of .268 from 41 at bats.
2007: New York Mets & Houston Astros
On February 8, 2007, the Yonhap News and New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
reported that Park had signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the New York Mets and would report to the Mets' spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida to compete for a starting rotation spot. The Mets sent him down to Triple-A New Orleans
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
following his poor spring performance. On April 30, 2007, Park was called up from Triple-A New Orleans to start for the injured Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
. In that sole game, he gave up 7 earned runs in 4 innings. On May 3, 2007, Park was sent back down to Triple-A New Orleans. He was designated for assignment on June 4, 2007.
On June 12, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Astros Manager Phil Garner
Phil Garner
Philip Mason Garner is a former infielder in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988...
said "Park will have a few starts at Triple-A Round Rock before the Astros decide whether to call him up." Park compiled a 2–10 record over 15 starts with Round Rock, failing to earn a spot on the Astros' 40-man roster.
2008: Return to the Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, to attend spring training as a non-roster invitee. On November 28, 2007, Park asked to be let go by the Dodgers to play for the Korean team. After pitching with no health issues for the Korean National team, the contract was finalized on December 6, 2007. Despite being considered a long shot for the fifth starter's role, Park pitched very well, but was ultimately passed over for right-hander Esteban Loaiza
Esteban Loaiza
Esteban Antonio Loaiza Veyna [lo-EYE-sa] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...
. He was eventually reassigned to the minor leagues on March 30, 2008. Faced with the problem of a fatigued and depleted pitching staff three games later, the Dodgers purchased Park's minor league contract on April 2, 2008.
On May 17, 2008, Park made his first start as a Dodger since 2001 against Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He allowed two runs (one earned run) in four innings with no decision. This game turned out to be a historic one as for the first time in MLB history, all three Dodgers pitchers who pitched in this game (Park, Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Kuo made his debut in , he became the fourth MLB player from Taiwan ....
, and Takashi Saito
Takashi Saito
is a Japanese professional baseball player.Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons...
) were of Asian origin. The Dodgers won it 6–3.
On June 21, 2008, Park started against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
at the Dodger Stadium and joined Kevin Brown, Al Leiter
Al Leiter
Alois Terry "Al" Leiter is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is now a studio analyst for MLB Network, and a color commentator for the YES Network.-Early career :Leiter attended Central Regional High School....
, Javier Vazquez
Javier Vázquez
Javier Carlos Vázquez is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins , Atlanta Braves , Chicago White Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , New York Yankees and Montreal Expos . Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico...
, and Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
as the only pitchers to start a game against all 30 Major League teams. In addition to making history, he had a decent outing, with 9 strikeouts in 5 innings pitched, although this was overshadowed when he gave up a solo home run to Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
pitcher CC Sabathia.
After Takashi Saito
Takashi Saito
is a Japanese professional baseball player.Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons...
's elbow injury, Park was moved back to the bullpen by manager Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
. Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball...
was promoted to the closer role and Park and Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Kuo made his debut in , he became the fourth MLB player from Taiwan ....
to the setup man platoon.
2009: Philadelphia Phillies
On January 6, Park signed a one-year, incentive-laden, $2.5 million contract with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
On March 31, Phillies GM Rubén Amaro, Jr.
Rubén Amaro, Jr.
Rubén Amaro, Jr. is the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.He is also a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from to . He is the son of former infielder Rubén Amaro, Sr....
announced that Chan Ho Park had won the fifth starter job. However, with several poor starts (7 starts with a 7.29 ERA), Park was moved to the bullpen and was replaced in the rotation by J. A. Happ
J. A. Happ
James Anthony "J. A." Happ is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Houston Astros. He is a six-foot-six left-hander. Though his name is James Anthony and his initials are "J...
. The problem with Park as a starter was that he was sacrificing velocity and movement for the energy to go deeper in games. After moving to the pen, his four-seam fastball velocity returned to normal (94-96 MPH range), with movement on his two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
and slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
. Park played a vital role in the Phillies' bullpen with a 2.52 ERA. After missing time with a hamstring injury, Park made his return to the Phillies in the playoffs. With the Phillies, he advanced to his first World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, in which he pitched well, giving up no runs in Philadelphia's loss to the New York Yankees
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
. He became a free agent after the season.
In December 2009 it was announced that Chan Ho Park was suing his former Dodger teammate Chad Kreuter
Chad Kreuter
Chadden Michael "Chad" Kreuter is a former catcher in Major League Baseball and the former head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team....
in Los Angeles Superior Court, in which he claimed Kreuter breached repayment of a $460,000 promissory note issued in October 2005.
2010: New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates
On February 28, 2010, Park signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million with $300,000 incentives with the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Chan Ho Park decided to play for the Yankees after denying an offer around $3 millions per year from the Philadelphia Phillies.
After struggling with a 5.60 ERA., Park was designated for assignment on July 31, 2010. On August 4, 2010, Park was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
On October 1, Park became the winningest Asian pitcher in MLB history. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
2011: Orix Buffaloes
Park has signed with the Orix BuffaloesOrix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2011 season.
World Baseball Classic
Between the 2005 season and the season, Park represented South Korea in the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
. In the Asia Round games against Taiwan and Japan, Park made appearances as a closing pitcher, shutting out the opposing lineups. He made another appearance as a closer in the semifinal game against Mexico, in which he again shut out his opposing hitters. His performance made San Diego Padres' manager Bruce Bochy
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy had been the manager of the San Diego Padres for twelve seasons. Bochy is the only former Padres player to serve as the team's manager. He has participated in all five postseason appearances in...
believe that Park can be used as an effective reliever as well as a starter. Park later said that Padres' closer Trevor Hoffman
Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major...
taught him how to focus in a relief situation. With his shutout performance in 10 innings and three saves, Korea finished the World Baseball Classic in third place and Park was selected to the WBC All-Star team along with his teammate Seung Yeop Lee and Team Korea's captain Lee Jong-beom.
Pitching Style
In his prime, Chan Ho was essentially a power pitcherPower pitcher
In baseball, a power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power...
, his biggest weapon being a four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
in 95-98 mph range. Mixed with a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
, a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
, a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, he had five consecutive seasons of 10+ wins with the Dodgers. Being a power pitcher, however, he constantly revealed control problems, especially early in the game. He got many strikeouts, yet also allowed many bases on balls and hit batsmen that contributed to his lower than average strikeout-walk ratio of less than 2. This hindered him from achieving low ERA (He never had league top 10 season ERA except his career best season 2000 of 3.27 that was just 7th in NL by playing in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.) He was also a flyball-pitcher that benefited a lot from the huge Dodger Stadium outfield; however his style all added up and later backfired when he played in other teams. After unsuccessful seasons with Rangers, Padres, and Mets, he added a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
learned from Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
. Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
play by play announcer Matt Vasgersian
Matt Vasgersian
Matt Vasgersian is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a host for the MLB Network and has served as an announcer for NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympics, and on Fox Sports' MLB coverage...
once said about Park's two-seam fastball, "You can only see a two-seamer like that in Playstation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
". In his career in Philadelphia he also used a cutter
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
and a sinker
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
, learned from Kevin Brown. Park's 2008 comeback season was marked with a return to complete health for the first time in years, allowing him to combine his crafty veteran style with a renewed ability to pitch effective fastballs in mid-90 mph.
Family
Park married socialite Ri-hye Park on November 29, 2005. Although her heritage is Korean, she grew up in Japan, went to culinary school in New York. She is publicly known as a semi-professional cook, writer and an only daughter of Japan's 76th richest man according to The Philadelphia InquirerThe Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
. In Spring 2009, Ri-hye released a best-selling cookbook in Korea from which the proceeds went to various children charities on behalf of the Chan Ho Park Dream Foundation. Park has two daughters (born 2006 and 2008).
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Texas Rangers Opening Day starting pitchers
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListMLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListThis is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
- List of baseball players who went directly to the major leagues