Chan Ho Park signs with Yankees
Park announced at a press conference in South Korea early this morning that he has signed a one-year deal with the Yankees worth $1.2 million, plus $300,000 worth of incentives.
Chan Ho Park signs with Yankees
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Former Phillies righthander Chan Ho Park has signed with the team who beat them in the World Series. Park announced at a press conference in South Korea early this morning that he has signed a one-year deal with the Yankees worth $1.2 million, plus $300,000 worth of incentives. Park, according to a report by the Yonhap News Agency, said he had considered signing with the Cubs, who had offered him a chance to be a starter, "But I have chosen the Yankees, a prestigious team that can advance to the World Series again."
Of course, Park could have signed with another team that has a chance to advance to the World Series again, and for nearly twice the money he says he landed with the Yankees. The Phillies made no secret of their desire to re-sign Park, who posted a 2.52 ERA and struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings in 50 innings as a reliever last season. They made him an offer in the neighborhood of $3 million per year, but eventually moved on and signed righthanders Danys Baez and Jose Contreras.
Contreras, a former starter with the Yankees and White Sox, is expected to fill the void Park left.
Contreras is actually guaranteed more money by the Phillies -- $1.5 million -- than Park is guaranteed by the Yankees.
Park initially signed with the Phillies last offseason expecting to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation, even though manager Charlie Manuel has said he viewed Park as a reliever. Park did compete, and eventually won the spot, but struggled early on and eventually was replaced by J.A. Happ in the rotation.
Despite success as a reliever, Park was quoted by South Korean reporters this offseason as saying that he wanted to find a team that would give him another chance to start, although the Phillies said they were under the understanding that Park was open to returning to the team as a reliever.
Park doesn't appear to have any shot at starting with the Yankees, who feature C.C. Sabathia, Javier Vazquez, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, with well-regarded young players Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes competing for the final spot in the rotation.
road515-Hossa— Old German- koreans don't use the yen.. that is japanese currency but park turned down more money from phillies to play for the yankees for less is not a good move he will not start in phila. or n.y. as stated in this article he pitched well last year and contreras did also out of the pen.— only 9
- Another slap in the face for met fans. That team needs pitching much more than the yanks, but no one wants to sign with them, unless they get a mega deal like Bay. Chan Ho would probably start for the mets.— P Even
- If he was playing Black Jack this would be like splitting 10s and busting. Either he was negotiating in fantasy land or he just wanted to be a Yankee all along, though I'm starting to lean toward the latter. He couldn't beat the Phils as a Dodger, so he joined 'em. Now he couldn't beat the Yanks as a Phil, so he joined 'em.
- Quit trying to blame this one on the Phils. They offered Park $3 million per year to come out of the pen. He had a good season last year out the pen but his agents miscalculated the market and Park, of course, wanted to see if someone would give him another shot to start despite failing miserably as a starter last year. The Phillies couldn't sit around and wait any longer for him while he waited for offers to start. They had to go sign some middle relievers - Baez and Contreras - so that they weren't left empty-handed. Park is full of it if he claims he would rather pitch with a World Series-caliber team out of the pen then start for the Cubs. If that were really the case, he would have re-signed with the Phils. As it stands, he really screwed himself...or, more accurately, his agents screwed him.— JimG
Comment removed.- Chan Ho will be missed in Philly. MidSummer during batting practice Chan Ho took the time to autograph my son's Phillies Cap and talk to him for five minutes. It was really nice, he is a good pitcher and this dad is pleased to have watched the guy shmooze my 13 year old. Good luck Chan Ho!— vc bear
- Remember Channo signed with the Phils from the Dodgers after we beat them in the 08 NLCS. He sees a team he likes, he goes after it. He'll be missed - would be great to have 4 solid middle-inning relievers, but contreras, baez, and durbin will have to do.— Lando_M
- mainstreet- you're an idiot. Yen is Japanese currency. Chan Ho is Korean, their currency is the "won". Not every asian you see is from Japan.— awl
DARN AND HE PLAYED GOLF PRETTY GOOD TOO.— PHAZED- CHP and his agent have their eyes on his off-the-field earnings in the Republic of Korea. The Yankees are the only global brand in baseball and he will more than be able to make up for the $1.5 million less he gets in baseball salary. I don't like it, but it's so.— jtj06
- I hope he realizes what a jerk he looks like along with his agent.
- Hahaha He's the Marion Hossa of baseball. Let's go Phillies!!!— Kanayd
- He dude(Bartleby), I'm not stereotyping nor making this up...It's been widely reported that Chan Ho told the Korean Times that he wanted to start and that it was less honorable to come out of the pen...that he wanted to be the one to start the game and finish it...I'm not the guy who's going to push stereotypes around.— hope55
- Per LA Times, when he pitched for the Dodgers his endorsement money was $2.9MM, with $1.2MM of that expiring when he left LA - just in case anyone was curious. The Phillies offer would still have netted him more cash— udswim1983
