Park Chan-Ho Expect All-Star

``The first `all-star` is within the reach.``

Park Chan-Ho (28, LA Dodgers) is coming closer and closer to the all-star game, `the long waited dreamed stage`. Since Park’s fabulous performances, Park is placed within top-5 in the major pitching stats. It is for sure that he will be selected as an all-star member if things go well.

First of all, Park is the team`s ace, ranked third in `wins`, fourth in `strikeouts`, seventh place in `ERA`. And he took the mound as a starter 15 times, tied first place with Randy Johnson, and he was placed in the third in allowed hit rate (0.203), and in the innings pitched (IP, 102 and 1/3).

More impressively, Park has been recognized for quality pitching. He has allowed under three runs while pitching consecutively as a starter over 6 innings during 11 games from the game with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 25.

Manager Jim Tracy praised him, `` he is the ace we`ve been missing.`` And Gary Sheffield also expressed his admiration that ``everyone wants the unhittable Park to take the mound``.

Park earned his eighth victory with the good pitching on 16th, in game with the Anaheim Angels at the Edison International Field. He pitched 7 and 1/3 innings with 9 strikeouts, allowing 2 runs, six hits and 3 base-on-balls. LA Dodgers, supported by the stable mound, won the 6-2 victory with 17 hits in total including Sheffield`s two-run homer.

In this game, Park recorded the fourth consecutive win, 200 starting in his career, and 100 strikeouts for six years in a row. If he earns 10 wins before the all-star game, by earning two wins from the remaining four games, he can meet the necessary and sufficient condition for the all-star game which will be held in the Safeco Field in Seattle next month.

He will step up the mound in home-game with Arizona Diamondbacks at 11: 10 am on 21st.

Meanwhile, the LA Times reported yesterday that Park Chan-Ho grew into a $100 million player, and there is a possibility of moving to another team in case that the LA Dodgers decides not to renew his contract due to his exorbitant worth as a player.

Kim Sang-Soo ssoo@donga.com