Park is Well Prepared

Recovered Park Chan-ho is a big hope coming into the 2004 season.

Park Chan-ho (31 years old, Texas Rangers) gladly started his team’s 2004 spring camp. After his first training session, the Texas Rangers’ home page (http://texas.rangers.mlb.com) announced a positive view on Park.

Park adjusted his condition with 50’s bullpen pitching while manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Orel Hershiser stared at him on the first official training day in Surprise, Arizona on February 21.

Park’s dynamic left-foot high kick was noticeable, a reminder of his high kick pitching in his Los Angeles Dodgers days.

“My physical condition is very good. I don’t care about the past. That I can do my best is important. I expect for myself that I will prepare for regular season in 100 percent physical state in the spring camp,” said Park in an interview with the press after training.

Showalter expressed his expectations of Park, saying, “I think he has prepared well even before entering camp. His attitude is totally different.” This came amidst reports that Showalter had treated Park coldly.

Posting the worst number of his career, one win and three losses with a 7.58 ERA due to his back injury and its sequels last year, Park has prepared for spring training, doing bullpen pitching with his former catcher Chad Kreuter at USC University near Los Angeles beginning in January. The Texas home page predicted his comeback, saying, “Park couldn’t make his pitching work for two years since coming to Texas due to the injury. This is why his ball speed decreased. However he is a remarkable pitcher who recorded 80 wins, 54 losses with 3.80’s ERA and 1080’s strike outs during his Los Angeles Dodger’s days.”

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com