Park signs $9.9 mil. yearly contract

When Park, Chan-Ho joined the U.S. minor league in 1994, he received just $15,000 (about 19 million won) as his yearly allowance.

Seven years later, the 28-year-old Korean pitcher of the Los Angeles Dodgers has grown to be a top class player receiving $9.9 million a year (about 12.7 billion won).

His ``golden¡¯¡¯ right arm increased his yearly pay by as much as 660 times in just seven years. If he becomes the MVP of the league and receives awards including the most-coveted Cy Young Award, he will receive $1.2 million in special bonuses to bring his earnings up to $110 million (about 14 billion won).

His new contract with the Dodgers on Friday compares well with those of top players in the major leagues. First of all, no player has ever received $9.9 million for a single one-year contract. Kevin Brown of the L.A. Dodgers receives the biggest amount among pitchers at $15.75 million a year, but he is on a seven-year contract.

Park¡¯s yearly allowance of $9.9 million this year is nothing but a prelude. If he becomes a free agent after this season, his earnings are expected to skyrocket owing to strong competition with each club desperate to sign him. This is why Park signed a one-year contract this time.

Kim Sang-Soo ssoo@donga.com