Chan Ho Park

This is a Korean name; the family name is Park.

Chan Ho Park 박찬호
Park during his tenure with the New York Yankees.
Orix Buffaloes — No. 61
Pitcher
Born: June 30, 1973 (1973-06-30) (age 38) Gongju, Republic of Korea
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Professional debut
April 8, 1994 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics (through 2010 season)
Win–loss record	124–98
Earned run average	4.36
Strikeouts	1,715
Complete games	10
Shutouts	3
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (1994–2001) Texas Rangers (2002–2005) San Diego Padres (2005–2006) New York Mets (2007) Los Angeles Dodgers (2008) Philadelphia Phillies (2009) New York Yankees (2010) Pittsburgh Pirates (2010) Orix Buffaloes (2011–present) (NPB)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2001)

Korean name
Hangul	박찬호
Hanja	朴贊浩
Revised Romanization	Bak Chan Ho
McCune–Reischauer	Pak Ch'an-ho

Chan Ho Park (Korean: 박찬호, born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. 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).^[1]

Early career in Korea

As a high school player in South Korea, he won team Most Valuable Player 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.

Professional career

1994–2001: Los Angeles Dodgers

Park made his professional debut for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994 against the Atlanta Braves 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.^[2] 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.

2002–2005: Texas Rangers

Park was granted free agency after the season and was signed by the Texas Rangers 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.

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 Rangers 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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.

2007: New York Mets & Houston Astros

On February 8, 2007, the Yonhap News and New York Daily News 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.^[5][6][7] 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.^[8] On May 3, 2007, Park was sent back down to Triple-A New Orleans. He was designated for assignment on June 4, 2007.^{[citation needed]}

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.

2008: Return to the Dodgers

Park with the Dodgers in 2008.

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.^[9]

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.^[10]

On June 21, 2008, Park started against the Cleveland Indians at the Dodger Stadium^[11] 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.^[12] 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.

2009: Philadelphia Phillies

On January 6, Park signed a one-year, incentive-laden, $2.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.^[13] On March 31, Phillies GM Rubén Amaro, Jr. announced that Chan Ho Park had won the fifth starter job.^[14] 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.^[15]

2010: New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates

On the cover of KoreAm, January 2010

On February 28, 2010, Park signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million with $300,000 incentives with the New York Yankees.^[16][17] Chan Ho Park decided to play for the Yankees after denying an offer around $3 millions per year from the Philadelphia Phillies. ^[18]

After struggling with a 5.60 ERA.,^[19] Park was designated for assignment on July 31, 2010. On August 4, 2010, Park was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.^[20] On October 1, Park became the winningest Asian pitcher in MLB history. He became a free agent at the end of the season.^[21]

2011: Orix Buffaloes

Park has signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2011 season.^[22]

World Baseball Classic

Between the 2005 season and the 2006 season, Park represented South Korea in the World Baseball Classic. 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.

Pitching Style

In his prime, Chan Ho was essentially a power pitcher, 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".^[23] 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.

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 Inquirer. 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 List
• List of baseball players who went directly to the major leagues

References

1. ^ Players Born in South Korea - Baseball-Reference.com
2. ^ 2000 NL H/9 Leaders
3. ^ http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060822&content_id=1622945&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060822&content_id=1623911&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd
4. ^ The Official Site of The San Diego Padres: News: San Diego Padres News
5. ^ English.YonhapNews.co.kr
6. ^ NYDailyNews.com
7. ^ Sports.Yahoo.com
8. ^ "Ultimate Mets Database - Chan Ho Park". Ultimatemets.com. http://www.ultimatemets.com/profile.php?PlayerCode=0807. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
9. ^ Inside the Dodgers
10. ^ Mike Scarr, Dodgers Even Series MLB.com May 18, 2008.
11. ^ Ken Gurnick, No Win for Park MLB.com June 21, 2008.
12. ^ 박찬호, 드디어 30개 전구단 상대 선발 등판 조이뉴스, June 20, 2008] (Korean)
13. ^ Phillies sign Park
14. ^ Zolecki, Todd (2009-03-31). "Park overjoyed to be Phils' No. 5 starter". Phillies.MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090331&content_id=4096232&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
15. ^ Ho-park-sues-chad-kr_n_403422.html "Chan Ho Park Sues Chad Kreuter" The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
16. ^ Yankees sign right-handed pitcher Chan Ho Park
17. ^ "Chan Ho Park says he has agreed with New York Yankees on one-year, $1.2 million contract - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2010-02-22. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4935400. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
18. ^ Murphy, David (February 22, 2010). "Chan Ho Park signs with Yankees". philly.com. http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies/Chan_Ho_Park_signs_with_Yankees.html. Retrieved 2011-07-31. 
19. ^ "Chan Ho Park Stats, News, Photos - Pittsburgh Pirates - ESPN". Espn.go.com. 1973-06-30. http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3029. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
20. ^ "Pirates claim Resop, Park off waivers". Seattlepi.com. 2010-08-04. http://www.seattlepi.com/scorecard/mlbnews.asp?articleID=285118. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
21. ^ "Pirates Shuffle Roster on Busy Day". mlb.com. 2010-11-03. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101103&content_id=15985650&vkey=news_pit&c_id=pit&partnerId=rss_pit. Retrieved 2010-11-03. 
22. ^ Ho-park.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter Orix Buffaloes Sign Chan Ho Park
23. ^ 2007 Bullpen Preview: Chan Ho Park (Mike's Mets)

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Ho-Park The Baseball Cube
• Chan Ho Park official Korean web site

Preceded by Kevin Brown	Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day Starting pitcher 2001	Succeeded by Kevin Brown
Preceded by Kevin Millwood	NL hits per nine innings 2000	Succeeded by Randy Johnson

Persondata
Name	Park, Chan Ho
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 30, 1973
Place of birth	Gongju, South Korea
Date of death
Place of death