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.
Wally, isn't that a question you'd like answered?— tjc- tjc ... You seem to have a vested interest in this topic I wonder why that is? Yes it is obvious I would like that question answered and I'm betting I'm not the only one!!!!— Wally 24
- Wally, I want the Phillies to repeat as WFC. I think Park in the pen gives them the best chance to do so, since our strong bullpen was one of the biggest reasons why we won it all last season. Oh, and it was Murph who asked the "dastardly" question.— tjc
- tjc, I see how you roll. You cite Park's stats from years where he was injured to show that he can't start-- check out his starts from last year. But you excuse Happ's pedestrian AAA career because he was hurt?!?!!? Sorry I took you seriously...never mind.— jtj06
- Tjc… Thank you for your honesty it is appreciated. I won’t fault your opinion about Park because you know what they say about opinions. I will share this with you. Last year the goal was to limit the number of times we had to use the Pen encouraging pitchers to go 7 or more innings. Now you would have me believe that the opposite is true and pitchers will only go 5.2 innings and therefore an consistent need for Park in the Pen. I realize the roles of starting pitching have changed somewhat over the years but this is a bit far fetched. I hope you take this is the spirit in which it was intended and not offensive.— Wally 24
