ML All Star Game, Showdown Between Park Chan-Ho Vs. Ichiro Expected

The excitement over the chance to see the `Korean Express`, Park Chan-Ho (LA Dodgers), and the `Hitting Prodigy`, Suzuki Ichiro (Seattle Mariners), a head-on showdown, is increasing. At the 2001 Major League All-Star Game, held at the Seattle’s Safeco Field at 9 am on 11th (Korean time), Park Chan-Ho will be pitching during the first part of the game.

According to sources, Bobby Valentine (New York Mets), th,e manager of the National League plans to send Park Chan-Ho as his third pitcher following the starter Curt Shilling and Randy Johnson around the 4th inning.

Accordingly, it is expected that Park Chan-Ho will face the starting hitters of the American League including Ichiro, the leadoff hitter and the centerfielder.

Since Park Chan-Ho won only 8 games (5 losses) due to bad luck in winnings, he seems to shine less comparing to Ichiro who has been ranked at 2nd place in hitting (0.347) and 1st place in steal (28 stolen bases) generating a Japanese whirlwind.

However, Park Chan-Ho, who has been pitching 15 consecutive quality games approaching the record held by Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves) by 1 game, is outrivaling Ichiro in terms of quality. Park has taken 1st place in the rate to hold opposing batters (0.191) and 4th place in ERA (2.80).

Besides Ichiro, Park Chan-Ho will face the best hitters of the game including the 2nd hitter and shortstop Alex Rodriguez (Texas Rangers), who signed a 10 year, 0.252 billion dollar contract early this year, the third hitter and leftfielder Manny Ramirez (Boston Red-Sox), and the 4th hitter and second baseman Brett Boone (Seattle) and so on.

Since Joe Torre, the manager of the New York Yankees, selected Yankees’ Roger Clemens as the starting pitcher of the American League, both starting pitchers representing two leagues have been decided as the two most-game winners in the both leagues.

In the meantime, at the homerun derby held as a eve celebration festivity, Arizona’s Louise Gonzalez, who hit 6 homeruns at the final round, won the championship outdoing Sammy Sosa who hit only 2 long-balls.

Zang Hwan-Soo zangpabo@donga.com