Park not eager for relief role
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Park not eager for relief role
Paul Hagen
The modern professional athlete is well schooled in limiting his remarks to platitudes. So Chan Ho Park’s answer to a question on whether he’d be willing to accept a relief role if the Phillies decide to use him out of the bullpen and award the final spot in the rotation to lefthander J.A. Happ was the most interesting thing that happened around the Phillies yesterday.
“Uh, I don’t know,” he said somberly. “Let’s see. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Sometimes I’m crazy.”
That got a laugh and Park wouldn’t elaborate. But it’s apparent that he’s going top be unhappy if he doesn’t win the competition.
Making what is expected to be his last exhibition start of the spring in yesterday’s 13-3 win over the Houston Astros, Park gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. He also struck out seven, lowering his Grapefruit League earned run average to 2.53.
His walk-strikeout ratio is an amazing 2-to-25 in 21 1/3 innings.
Happ has a 3.15 ERA with six walks and 14 strikeouts in 20 innings. He’s expected top pitch at least once more.
When the Phillies signed Park to a 1-year, $2.5 million contract this winter, they envisioned him as a reliever who could give them multiple innings. But they also promised him an opportunity to start, a promise that Park has clearly taken seriously.
For our previous entry with Phillies odds and Cole Hamels' day, click here.
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Park absolutely deserves to be the fifth starter. He hasn't just pitched well during ST, he's pitched better than EVERYONE on the roster. The guy earned it. Give it to him.— johnfire- Can you say John Lieber?— jman
- Use Happ as JC Romaro setup roll and let Park start and see what happens— Nick4102
- i agree with john fire! I'd feel more comfortable with park then happ right now as our 5th— PHILLYPHAN0627
- Park as a starter. Why is this even an issue.— md55
- Park deserves to be the 5th starter. He has earned it by how exceptioal he has pitched this spring. Who is to say this guy that we just signed will work out? His stats certainly didn't impress me....Park deserves the job, hands down..— phigglesfan75
- As a spring training "season" ticket holder---Park absolutely has out-pitched Happ, Kendrick, Carrasco, and almost everyone else. If the Phillies don't give it to him, Park would be justified in thinking he was lied to by the team. He has won the job in a fair competition.— MJSI
- I agree, give it to Park. Send Happ to AAA so he can continue to log innings as a starting pitcher. Happ is more valuable to the Phils as a starter and is too good to end up in the bullpen. Good starting pitching is hard to come by, and to have 6 capable starters is a huge asset. Even if Happ goes to AAA he'll get his chance again this year; there will likely be some injuries or someone will struggle. Last year we were really lucky that our starting 5 remained so healthy. If he goes to the pen it will take awhile for him to adjust back to a starting role, not to mention it's tough to be shuttled back and forth like that.— matt21819
- Happ as the starter. He's been in the minor leagues long enough, and Park can be traded for some righty at bats, as someone else indicated.— cnova000
- don't trade Park. You always need other people to step in and start during the year, so having either Park or Happ available to do so makes sense. Right now I say start Happ in AAA...— DCExpat
- If the Phils don't put Park in the rotation they'll lose all their credibility with future free agents, and possibly with their own players. They promised the guy he'd have an opportunity to win the fifth starter's spot and, in reliance on this promise, he skipped the WBC (to the point that he didn't even watch his country play in the championship game because it was on late at night and he had a start the next day). Park's done everything they asked and been absolutely dominant in ST. If you put him in the bullpen now you're basically telling the whole league you lied to the guy to get him to sign a contract...not to mention the fact that, as many have pointed out before me, he's throwing better than just about everyone on the roster, and he makes the team better as a starter.— Burrito_77
- I totally agree with Burrito - the team needs to reward dedication, hard work, and results. The guy decided against the WBC (which they might have won if he had played) just for the Phillies. What kind of message does it send to everyone if they don't reward him?— Trocar
- Chan Ho Park should be the team's 5th starter. He has had a great spring training and he deserves the 5th spot. He skipped the WBC and Korea could have won it had he been there. Let Happ develop more in the mionrs.— TheBigT12345
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