Park to Philly

by
December 15, 2008

Reason number 137 why, even a couple of months later, it doesn’t feel like the Phillies are the World Champions:

South Korean pitcher Park Chan Ho has signed a Major League Baseball contract with the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, the club announced Monday on its website.

The one-year deal, reportedly worth 2.5 million dollars with up to that much again available in performance bonuses, helps secure the Phillies’ rotation by adding the 35-year-old right-hander who has spent 15 years in US baseball.

Park pitched moderately well in middle relief for the Dodgers last year, but did he do anything that would suggest to you that he could (or should) be counted on as a member of the starting rotation for the defending World Series champs?


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matt
15 years ago

I really hope Amaro enticed Park to Philadelphia with lies and half-truths, because if Park is a regular starter for the Phillies I’m willing to echo K-Rod’s statement from a couple days ago.  $2.5m is not cheap for a middle-of-the-bullpen guy, but if Park can replicate his performance with the Dodgers last year, this isn’t a horrible signing.  Park’s 1.395 WHIP from last season, however, does not leave me feeling reassured.  This seems to be a classic case buying high on a reliever coming off a good season, when the ideal way to build a bullpen is buy low and find guys on the rebound.

That is of course, assuming Park’s going to end up in the bullpen.  If he’s actually starting, I’m afraid Amaro will be a clone of his former boss—the one before Gillick.

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MooseinOhio
15 years ago

The Yankees have great marketing icons in Asia with Wang in and Matsui Japan and the Red Sox have Dice-K, Okajima et al in Japan to increase merchandise sales and the expansion of RSN.  Apparently the Phillies are seeing Korea as their land of opportunity because the deal does not make the greatest sense when viewed purely as a baseball move.

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Ron
15 years ago

They’ve also signed Moyer to a 2-year deal.

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TC
15 years ago

It’s like the Phillies are trying to operate on the SF Giants Plan For Good Happy Success.  Moyer, Ibanez, Park…  Jesus Christ, I hate this team.

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Doc | ballssticksstuff.com
15 years ago

I highly doubt the Phillies will use him in the rotation.  The front office has talked a lot about getting a guy for the pen that can pitch more than one inning and my guess is, this is how they view him.

This isn’t to say I like the signing, far from it, I just don’t think he will start more than a game or two in a pinch.

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Richard Dansky
15 years ago

Speaking as a Phillies fan, my first reaction, quite literally, was “KHAAAAAAAAN!”

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