Last February 28, South Korean pitcher Chan Ho Park, who broke into Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he pitched for eight seasons before moving to Texas, San Diego, the Mets, then back to the Dodgers for another year before hooking up with the Philadelphia Phillies last season. Though already 36 years of age, he's still got zip in his pitches receiving a vote of confidence from the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez who said: He had great movement in his pitches and his velocity was up in the 90s."
Thus far the starting pitching staff for New York has CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Javier Vazquez, and probably Phil Hughes. Park will join Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte (a World Series hero for New York), Alfredo Aceves, and some others to set the table for Mo Rivera.
Said Park, "I've got to do what I've got to do. But I'm trying to get a ring and that is the most important thing." The South Korean finished with a 3-3 record for the Phillies and a 4.43 ERA in 45 games for the National League champs last season. In the World Series against New York, he pitched 3 and 1/3 scoreless innings drawing raves from the Yankees brass who hopes his breaking ball and fastball will also baffle foes en route to a possible title #28.
Supplemental reading: The Yankees start spring training with a trip to the arcade. Great report by Tyler Kepner.
photo is by Kathy Willens/River Avenue Blues
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