Padres Ask Park Chan-ho to Pinch Hit

Park Chan-ho, 33, pitcher for the San Diego Padres, received an order to take part in the game while sitting at the dugout. He was scheduled to pitch as a starter in the next day’s game, but today he was ordered to play not as a relief or closer, but as a pinch-hitter.

The audience today had a curious sight of Park Chan-ho as a pinch-hitter for the first time since his debut in the major leagues.

On June 30, in San Diego’s inter-league game with Oakland at the home ground, Park was ordered to replace pitcher Alan Embree at the 13th inning with the score 5-5. With two outs and no runner, Park passed the first ball thrown by pitcher Ron Flores and attempted to hit the second ball with no success. He hit the third ball, which was caught by the right fielder. He was replaced by pitcher Scott Cassidy, and Padres was beat 5-6 in the 14th inning.

Park’s “surprise pinch-hitting” seems to be put on stage because the coaching staff recognized his hitting skill is as good as hitters. Few pinch-hitters were left in the 13th inning, but infielder Geoff Blum was waiting in the dugout.

In San Diego’s game with Arizona with Park as a starter on May 16, Park collected three hits and two runs to raise his batting average to .360. After the June 30 game, it was lowered to .346. Park has scored four runs.

Seung-Kun Lee why@donga.com