At Season’s End, Chan-ho’s Pitching Returning to Form

He looked just as reliable as he was in the past.

His performance was good enough to be recognized as the true ace pitcher he once was. Luck just didn’t follow him this time.

The “Korean Express,” Park Chan-ho, 31, of the Texas Rangers, showed us by pitching excellently in two games that he is still strong.

In an away game against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday in the Metrodome, Minneapolis, Park Chan-ho threw five strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings while giving up eight hits and two runs before he descended the mound, but his team failed to get him another victory because the relief pitcher couldn’t hold the lead.

Although he did not win the game, he showed various curveballs as well as fastballs that reached 150 kilometers per hour that were as dazzling as the ones he showed in his prime. He controlled his pitches well and allowed only two hit batters and no walks until he left the mound after the eighth inning. He took the no decision, keeping his record at three wins and four losses, while bringing his earned run average to 5.14.

Continuing his comeback, he has had two quality starts (six innings or more giving up three runs or less) in his last two games. The Texas local press, which used to criticize him almost up to the point of personal insults, said that he has now recovered his condition, both physically and mentally, and praised his performance as deserving of $65 million, the money he received when he joined the team three years ago, saying that whether the team will advance to the playoffs depends on his shoulders.

Texas catcher Rod Barajas praised him, saying, “Park Chan-ho is filled with self-confidence and has been a totally different pitcher.”

Against the Twins, his performance was a little unstable in the beginning when he gave up a home run to Shannon Stewart at the end of the first inning with his team up 1-0. Yet, he kept his team’s lead until the end of the seventh inning by throwing a variety of pitches.

He continued pitching into the eighth inning and struck out Minnesota’s leadoff hitter Tori Hunter. But he allowed a double to Minnesota’s rookie first baseman Justin Morneau with the count at two strikes and one ball and that was the beginning of his misfortune. When Buck Showalter, the Texas manager, approached the mound to replace him, Park Chan-ho with an unsatisfied face expressed his will to continue, but he had to retire to the dugout in the end. Park Chan-ho, who was watching the game in his jumper suit nervously, dropped his head when the relief pitcher Francisco Cordero allowed three hits in a row to make the score 2-4.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com