Yankees sign Park to one-year deal
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 22, 2010 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Not exactly the news I was expecting when I woke up this morning. It seems the Yankees have signed Chan-Ho Park to a one-year deal to work out of the bullpen. A news agency in Korea broke the news early this morning. Looks like this is what the morning will be about at Steinbrenner Field.
Meanwhile, already in camp, another veteran is waiting to prove the Yankees were right to believe in him this winter. Damaso Marte is the only proven left-hander in the Yankees bullpen, and he’s hoping a healthy left shoulder will lead to results more like last year’s postseason than regular season.
The Yankees biggest pitching addition of the winter, Javier Vazquez, got on the mound on Sunday, a few days earlier than planned. The notebook also has items on Johnny Damon going to Detroit, Andrew Brackman making a good impression and a young lefty sitting out yesterday’s bullpen sessions.
I like dis deal
deal~~!! Chanho Park is perfect fit for yankees
Solid numbers as a reliever in an offensive park in Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park
38 Games 2-2, 2.52 ERA, 50 IP, 43 H, 14 ER, 0 HR, 16 BB, 52 K’s, .231 AVG
I would take that this season, in a bullpen of
Gaudin – R – Spot Starter or Long Relief
Aceves R – Long or Short Relief (can pitch multiple innings or 1 batter as he showed last season)
Park – R – Short Relief
Robertson – R – 7th inning power arm to bridge to setup man, terrific versus lefties with a .189 BAA
Marte – Primary lefty specialist
Hughes or Joba – Setup man
Rivera – Closer
As last season showed with the hot garbage to start the season that was
Albaladejo
Veras
Ramirez
Bruney hurt and then wild with control when he came back
You can never have enough arms.
I promise you! Park will not be on our team by August! He will be released/traded/waved!
WOW the bull pen looks so much better this year.
DaSaint where ever you are, you were right about one more pitching addition.
“I promise you! Park will not be on our team by August! He will be released/traded/waved”
Well guess that would be longer than
Joanathan Albaladejo
Edwar Ramirez
Jose Veras
made it last season
Its not like they are asking Park to be the closer.
He is a middle reliever and pitched pretty well in that role last season in a hitters park in Philadelphia at that.
It wasn’t like he was in Seattle or some other pitchers park.
The guy didn’t give up a single Homerun in 50 innings, had a strikeout per inning and a greater than 2-1 strikeout to walk ratio, with a low batting average against.
Jeez, what do some folks want from a middle reliever spot.
Depth is good!
Great to have lots of 5th starter options in case of injuries, too.
I am wondering to myself about this move. Does signing Park mean that the Loser of the Joba/Hughes battle wil start the year in the minors as a starter? The Yankees can be thinking long term here wanting both Joba and Hughes as starters in 2011(CC,AJ,JOBA,HUGHES,?) Because Andy and Javier are free agents after this year.
Chad could you ask that question today?
Macfan
lets not forget Tomko
“WOW the bull pen looks so much better this year.
DaSaint where ever you are, you were right about one more pitching addition.”
You got that right last season time like this it was
Albaladejo
Ramirez
Veras
Bruney
Marte
Rivera
“Macfan
lets not forget Tomko”
Oh yeah him too. I did forget about him, literally LOL
“I am wondering to myself about this move. Does signing Park mean that the Loser of the Joba/Hughes battle wil start the year in the minors as a starter? The Yankees can be thinking long term here wanting both Joba and Hughes as starters in 2011(CC,AJ,JOBA,HUGHES,?) Because Andy and Javier are free agents after this year.
Chad could you ask that question today?”
Mike I’m guessing that leaves off the roster a
Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre, along with Melancon and Logan starting the season in the minors as well.
Gaudin or Mitre
Aceves
Park
Robertson
Marte
Hughes or Joba
Rivera
That would be a 12 man staff, 4 bench players.
Guys are going to have to earn their roster spots in Spring Training, always a nice thing.
This pretty much seals the deal for Mitre or Gaudin going elsewhere. It also looks for Mark Melancon having a challenge to make his case to stay.
Lots of good arms in spring training.
I hope it’s Mitre going somewhere…ugh, he’s brutal whereas Gaudin could be quite valuable
CHP is a great addition.
These 1 year deals are key.
You can never have too much pitching.
“It wasn’t like he was in Seattle or some other pitchers park.”
Well, he was in a pitcher’s league where his career ERA (3.99) is nearly two full runs lower than his AL ERA (5.79). I know he pitched better as a reliever, but it wasn’t the 1st time he’s been used in that capacity and the previous times were not especially successful.
Low risk proposition that’s definitely worth taking a shot on, but I agree with the guy who suggests Park won’t be around come the dog days of August.
“I hope it’s Mitre going somewhere…ugh, he’s brutal whereas Gaudin could be quite valuable”
++++++++++++++
Join the club I have no love for Mitre at all. I remember last season when he started the Yankees would give him a lead and he would promptly give it right back the next inning and then some.
He is going to wind up on waivers and then Scranton, I don’t see any major league team picking him up, maybe the Pirates.
Mitre was brutal – and coming off major surgery.
I doubt he’ll ever be more than a 4th or 5th starter, if that….
but cut the guy the same break you would any other pitcher coming off surgery.
Mitre threw a decent sinker that might play well in YS. Who knows?
That said, I’d take Gaudin over him.
Breaking News: Chan Ho Park is Good
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs.....rk-is-good
“Does signing Park mean that the Loser of the Joba/Hughes battle wil start the year in the minors as a starter?”
Both guys are among the Yankees 8 best pitchers, so I’d think the answer is a big NO. More likely it spells the end for Mitre. I think he’s either released or traded for some minor league roster filler.
The Yankees love players who play well against them.
Park looked really good in the WS and at 1.2-1.5M, it’s not a bad risk to take.
Nice to have a lot of options going into the season.
As for Mitre, where some of you see brutal, I saw glimpses of very good, especially for guy still rehabbing after a surgery. He did himself in more with his fielding than his pitching, and just when he seemed to be getting into a groove, he got hit by a comebacker.
So, he may or may not have a future with the Yankees, simply because there really may be no room for him, but he is definitely a good insurance arm, and might get something decent back in trade.
“Mitre was brutal – and coming off major surgery.”
Fair point, but he was also brutal before major surgery. Not a lot of appeal to a guy who does nothing but hit bats.
Doreen, I disagree- no team is going to give up anything of any value for Mitre.
“It wasn’t like he was in Seattle or some other pitchers park.”
Well, he was in a pitcher’s league where his career ERA (3.99) is nearly two full runs lower than his AL ERA (5.79). I know he pitched better as a reliever, but it wasn’t the 1st time he’s been used in that capacity and the previous times were not especially successful.
Low risk proposition that’s definitely worth taking a shot on, but I agree with the guy who suggests Park won’t be around come the dog days of August.
++++++++++++++++++++
I checked it up and you are talking about 2008 when as a reliever with the Dodgers he had a
3.84 ERA, 70.1 IP, 75 H, 30 ER, 10 HR, 28 BB, 49 K, .274 BAA
As long as he has fully embraced the role and realizes he is a reliever and not a starter, he had issues in the past with still thinking he is a starter.
He isn’t starting here, that’s for sure.
Betsy -
It could depend on how he pitches this spring. Chances are the Yankees keep him, if he has options that allow them to hold him in SWB.
letsgoyankees -
Interesting information in that link to fangraphs. Sounds like Park is exactly the type of pitcher they’re looking for – low HR rate, good FB velocity, good SOs and ground balls. I think Coke’s propensity for giving up a HR every now and then is what made him expendable.
Not so brazen prediction: he’s their LaTroy Hawkins of 2010. Traded by June after he flops.
“Boston Dave – XXVII February 22nd, 2010 at 8:27 am
That said, I’d take Gaudin over him.”
LOL, that has been my sentiment all along Dave. With roster spots limited seeing Mitre hanging around and being given every opportunity is scary that he might actually be on the 25 man roster come Opening Day.
I just don’t think he is a good pitcher.
He has a sicker but often can’t locate it and leaves it up, plus I don’t care much for sinkerballers, they are too finicky.
Gaudin is younger has more strikeout ability and more useful to the roster.
At any rate either one will have to earn their roster spot this Spring.
“Not so brazen prediction: he’s their LaTroy Hawkins of 2010. Traded by June after he flops.”
Brrr, don’t remind us.
Difference is Hawkins had a bigger role on that 2008 bullpen than Park has on this team.
Jake February 22nd, 2010 at 8:40 am
Not so brazen prediction: he’s their LaTroy Hawkins of 2010. Traded by June after he flops
Positive Yankee fan
“Interesting information in that link to fangraphs. Sounds like Park is exactly the type of pitcher they’re looking for – low HR rate, good FB velocity, good SOs and ground balls.”
I’ll have to see it twice to believe it. Last season was the exception rather than the rule, IMO. Tougher league to pitch in. Fangraphs conveniently ignores Park’s walk rate too. It was a little better as a reliever, but 4.2 walks per nine is pretty weak.
Again, worth the shot, but I don’t expect much. That said, I also don’t expect him to have a very important role as I think Robertson, Marte, Joba and Rivera will be largely responsible for getting outs 19 thru 27.
Carl
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:46 am
Jake February 22nd, 2010 at 8:40 am
Not so brazen prediction: he’s their LaTroy Hawkins of 2010. Traded by June after he flops
Positive Yankee fan
************************
That’s what I was going to say! lol
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.....id=2738363
lets go yankees
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:29 am
Breaking News: Chan Ho Park is Good
__________________________________
I was just looking at the same link, glad you posted it. It seems like Park’s failures as a starter have given him a bad reputation doesn’t it?
The biggest problem with the Yankees pitching staff the past couple of years seems to have been the number of innings pitched by their worst pitchers. The offseason additions of Vasquez and Park have really helped bolster what already looked to be a respectable staff. I think this signing removes a lot of risk from the Yankees bullpen. I like Robertson as much as the next guy, but there has to be some concern about his ability to both stay healthy and maintain the velocity he showed last year. Without him, the pen would have been a bit short–with both Robertson and Park, the (short) bridge to Hughes/Joba & Mo should be pretty safe.
Nice move to add a veteran to the pen. He pitched well last year and I think he still has enough to be a contributor.The bullpen is where you normally see the most volatile changes for a team, so I applaud the Yanks for adding depth.
I kinda smell a trade coming on, & have felt that way since the Gaudin/Mitre signings. Mr. Cashman is not done yet.
If we DFA Mitre, Mets will steal em.
“If we DFA Mitre, Mets will steal em.”
Steal?
This would be akin to picking up a $20 somebody dropped on the sidewalk.
“That said, I also don’t expect him to have a very important role as I think Robertson, Marte, Joba and Rivera will be largely responsible for getting outs 19 thru 27.”
++++++++++++++++++++
And therein lies the key Frank, a veteran signing that can give some quality innings out of the bullpen to go along with Gaudin, Aceves at the back of the bullpen order. Nothing much expected more than that.
If the Yankees hadn’t picked him up they would have either gone with Melancon or Logan or Mitre.
Melancon needs to take that next step and translate his minor league success to the major league level when he gets his shot again at 25.
BloggingBombers Aceves has minor-league options; Neither Mire nor Gaudin do. 42 minutes ago
Ledger_Yankees Park held out hoping to catch on as a starter somewhere though I’m told Yankees see him strictly as a reliever. 48 minutes ago
Frank February 22nd, 2010 at 8:58 am
“If we DFA Mitre, Mets will steal em.”
Steal?
This would be akin to picking up a $20 somebody dropped on the sidewalk.
It’s a joke
Got it Carl. My sarcaso-meter works better after a couple cups of coffee. I’m working on that now.
Frank February 22nd, 2010 at 9:02 am
Got it Carl. My sarcaso-meter works better after a couple cups of coffee. I’m working on that now.
lol I hear you
“Steal?
This would be akin to picking up a $20 somebody dropped on the sidewalk.
It’s a joke”
It’s more like putting an old couch on the curb, hoping that some college kids will pick it up so you won’t have to pay the extra disposal fee.
I like the Park addition. Now with both Mitre & Gaudin not having any minor league options it appears that one of them is going to be traded or released unless there is an injury. I like Gaudin, but I didn’t dislike Mitre. He was coming off surgery as most of you have stated, but he was getting better before he got hurt again. My guess is Mitre goes somewhere like LAD when ST nears an end after being DFA’d perhaps in a minor trade.
Park is another example of the rough winter for Scott Boras.
The Phillies offered him 3 million to sign in December. Scott turned it down, convinced he would get more in the marketplace.
He signed for less than half that amount. It will be exactly half the amount if he hits his incentives.
One could say, Park was “Damon-ized” by Boras.
Since Mitre has no options left, I would tend to agree that someone’s going to be gone by the end of spring.
His most important stat last year was 52 k’s in 50 innings.
“One could say, Park was “Damon-ized” by Boras.”
LOL, I definitely could see that phrase catching on.
“damon-ized”, I like it, what a great description.
SJ- would you be willing to share more of your nephew’s adventures?
Boras will never get it. He probably honestly thought he could pull another 13 million per season for multiple years from the Yankees for Damon.
Boras is pure sleaze. If I walked into a room with him as a GM I would have to be restrained from reaching across the table and lunging at his neck.
“Doreen February 22nd, 2010 at 9:07 am
Since Mitre has no options left, I would tend to agree that someone’s going to be gone by the end of spring.
”
++++++++++++++++++++++
Isn’t competition a wonderful thing, either bring your A Game or pack your bags and go home.
Sounds like it was about job description more than money if Park was holding out hope to get a starting job.
CountryClub
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:08 am
His most important stat last year was 52 k’s in 50 innings.
________________________________
He had better results with his control too, posting a 3.25 K/BB ratio (2.88 BB/9 and 9.4 SO/9). His .555 OPS against in the second half is also impressive (SSS). Another really solid move by Cashman–it has to be pretty scary for other teams to watch the 103-win World Series champions have such a successful offseason.
Pat,
I think that may be spin.
I don’t know of any team that saw him as a starter at this point in his career.
Boras may have tried to sell him as a starter but, there were clearly no takers.
He seemed to have found a niche working out of the bullpen.
Kate,
Really not that much more to share right now. He’s kind of settled into the mundane work that pitchers and catchers do until the entire squad reports thos week.
Catch some bullpens, take BP, workout, get his tutorials from the veteran catchers and coaching staff.
Its a crash course in, “What It Takes To Be A Major League Catcher”, before they send him off to A Ball in a few weeks.
I think Park is who they essentially traded Bruney for when you look at the cost. Prob a good move seeing that Park seems to give up less long balls and is more consistent and healthy.
Macfan -
It’s all about having options!
(Years ago, my husband and I used to play “Password” with some friends, and our friend used to absolutely LOVE when he had the “option.” I always remember him when I see the word.
)
SJ, how did Boras get the Tigers to vastly outbid the braves and white sox? why would a good baseball person like Dombrowski through money out the window and to boras of all people? does boras have compromising photos of Dombo?
SJ
It may be spin but maybe Park saw himself as a starter whether teams did or not.
It’s not like he was going to get himself oodles more than $3M even as a starter.
Ledger_Yankees And Jorge Posada will catch AJ Burnett. about 1 minute ago
Ledger_Yankees Today’s bullpens: AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia, Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin, Jonathan Albaladejo, Sergio Mitre, David Robertson. 2 minutes ago
“The Rays’ chances of re-signing Carl Crawford took a major hit last week, when owner Stuart Sternberg told WDAE-AM in Tampa Bay that the team’s payroll would be under $60 million next year.”
RiverAveBlues The Yanks should consider waiving their ‘No Facial Hair’ Policy for CHOP. Look at that beard: http://bit.ly/bI7arA about 1 minute ago
RiverAveBlues It’s time for 40-man roster Russian Roulette. Who goes in favor of Chan Ho? I say Christian Garcia. http://bit.ly/bfl8rg 31 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Cashman says Park is an attractive bullpen option. Yanks’ 40-man is full. They will have to open a spot. about 1 minute ago
I would think that Mitre or Gaudin is going.
I don’t want to lose Garcia. He still has too much upside.
IMO Unless the Yanks can get someone worthwhile for Mitre I would rather they DFA Edwar Ramirez and keep Mitre.
Mitre may still have some upside.
Cash wasn’t lying when he said he about 4 Mill to spend.
Props to DaSaint.
Ledger_Yankees Also, it sounds like Derek Jeter will be giving his “State of the Captain” address on Wed. Likely will be only time he’ll talk contract. about 1 minute ago
Well, good morning!
SJ44 – I didn’t know that Park is represented by Boras. If that story about the Philly offer (for $3M) is true, Boras is indeed having a rough winter.
I’m pleasantly surprised by the Yanks grabbing him. I guess it’s all about having options and assets. If he pitches well, then they that makes someone else expendable – Mitre? – for AAA or a deal.
I’m not surprised that Mitre didn’t pitch well last year. He was still recovering from his elbow surgery. This year should be a different story, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a lot of work early on, to showcase him for a potential deal. If the budget is real, an equivalent contract might be going somewhere.
This also puts everyone else in the pen on notice, the Yanks are not standing still (as if they hadn’t figured that out already).
There is no upside if you can’t stay healthy. That’s why he is on the bubble.
I think Gaudin stays unless they have a trade partner for him. He gives them more options than Mitre, Garcia and a few of the other guys taking up space on the 40.
I cannot imagine they let Garcia go. They would have to at least try him in the bullpen and see if he can maintain his health there first. There are some other redundant bullpen arms now with the addition of Park. I think they are through with losing prospects this offseason.
I would have rather Cashman had invested the Park $$ on the offensive side of the ledger. I’m not sure what Parke adds to the mix. I guess it means that one of Gaudin or Mitre is not destined to wear pinstripes this year.
I like the move. I think it could allow Hughes to start the season at AAA, which would add excellent depth to our rotation
Why trade Mitre when you can simply make the “thin man” disappear ?
Does anyone believe that Edwar is worth keeping over Mitre ?
What we don’t know is if they still consider Garcia a prospect. They may not.
We are about to find out though.
If he survives this cut, then its safe to say they still consider him a prospect.
If they feel differently, he’s the most likely guy to get cut.
Is Garcia even healthy right now?
If they placed him on waivers would a team pick him up and use a 40 man roster spot on him, or would he slip through?
this also gives them flexibility, since Park and Mitre both become tradeable commodities as cheap “starters” who can probably provide some quality innings out of the ‘pen, which could allow the yankees to keep Hoffmann if he doesn’t make the team out of ST.
I don’t want to move Garcia off the 40 roster when Mitre is still on it.
Disappear Edwar. Keep Garcia.
MTU: wow totally forgot about Edwar. Yeah he’s one of a few likely 40-man gonners, I’d say.
Isn’t the need to make a spot on the 40 man is more pressing than the payroll issue? If that’s the case, then it’s an easy decision to cut whomever they feel has no future with them – be it Edwar, Garcia, or whomever.
The need to bring the payroll down could be dealt with later, no? If that’s the case, they have time to let guys showcase.
So the yankees have multiple quality relief options, as well as multiple quality LF/CF 9th hitter options, all for less than what it would have cost to get Damon. Another excellent offseason for Ca$h
Edwar’s last official act before leaving the Yanks should be to teach Phil Hughes his “bugs bunny” changeup.
SJ – You are right. I imagine we won’t have to wait too long. We can also afford to give up a utility infielder off the 40 man.
Pete – I happen to think you are right. I have advocated that the loser of the Joba/Hughes battle go to AAA for a few reasons. 1) It is best for the long term development as a started (especially with Pettite and Vazquez potentially gone after this season), 2) they would be fully stretched out when a starting pitcher goes down, 3) relievers are just not nearly as valuable as starters, 4) you would still potentially trade one of them if another club believes they are a starting pitcher – while their values are still at a peak.
I understand that both Phil and Joba are among the best pitchers on the team, but enough with the starter/reliever nonsense. Make up your mind and think long term. The Park signing helps them think long term.
Gaudin & Mitre have more value on the 40 man than Igawa or Miranda. Neither of those guys gets to MLB with the Yanks.
By the time teams break camp there will be a couple of injured starters throughout MLB & Cashman has the trade chips.
Does Park need to be added to the roster now or can they wait until camp breaks?
I don’t think Igawa is on the 40 man.
Or, to be perfectly cynical, they could showcase Park, both now and as the season goes on, and see what kind of deal they could get for him now that he’s signed to what seems to be a reasonable deal. I would think the take could be in young, prospect types, but what do I know.
MTU,
I can’t see the Yanks keeping $5MM invested in Gaudin, Park and Mitre. Seems like they’d lighten the load by trading one and since they just signed Park you’d thin it would be one of the other two who’d get moved.
That’s true Rich. There is some dead weight on the 40 man right now in Mitre, Albaladejo, and Ramirez.
Bring me the head of Christian Garcia.
I think they have enough offense. I like having another veteran arm in the bullpen.
He and Robertson make for a nice tandem in front of Marte, and the loser of the Chamberlain/Hughes 5th starter battle.
It gives them 5 quality arms in front of Mo and keeps any one guy from being overworked.
Happy Trails Edwar…
No need to rush a 40-man roster move yet.
(Rich you are right Igawa not on the 40 this year)
Hoffman will likely be removed & returned to the Dodgers too.
Bring me the head of JohnC and keep Garcia (if he’s deemed healthy).
Igawa isn’t on the 40 man roster.
I don’t think Park has anything to do with Chamberlain/Hughes since he isn’t being brought in to be the frontline setup guy to Mo.
cashman said in december that edwar ramirez was on life support, looks he being put to rest
Just put a postage stamp on Edwar and drop him in the nearest mailslot.
You don’t cut Garcia. Cut Edwar or Mitre. Garcia still has big upside.
MTU
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:25 am
Just put a postage stamp on Edwar and drop him in the nearest mailslot.
***********************
LOL
I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from Chan Ho Park out of the bull pen.
I know his career was all but over as a starter and I know it was the national league… But Park has been effective out of the pen.
I was very surprised to see how good he looked for the dodgers when they shifted him to the pen the season before last. I’m sure Pat M. could give us more details on that.
He was hopeless in the phillies rotation last year but when they moved him back to the pen he became effective again.
Part of this is expectations I suppose. I thought Park was washed up before he went to the dodgers in 2008 so to see him do anything positive was surprising.
It very well may be the case that at his age and with all of his injuries he just can’t get through a line up more than once anymore.
His numbers from last year with the phillies are very deceptive.
They tried him out in the rotation for the first part of the season – 7 games and he had an ERA of 7.08 during that time. I believe He threw 31 innings as a starter during that stretch. Overall for the season he only threw 83 innings. So 37% of his innings came as a starter, a role he likely can’t be effective in anymore. That’s why his ERA was so high last year (4.43).
Out of the pen he was good to very good for the phillies. And that was throwing in a very small park.
It’s a very nice pick up for the yanks – especially at that price.
They have a very deep pen now. Hopefully they can trade Mitre to a team that needs a starter due to injury in spring training (mitre has no more options).
1.2M. See – the team doesn’t have a budget!
Phil-
And Mitre has more upside than Edwar IMO.
New Post- Cashman: “You can never have enough”
Edwar is the most likely candidates from the Pitchers, but you also have Miranda and 4 utility type infielders on the 40 man.
Towards the end of camp Girardi/Cashman will figure out who is gone. I still think there will be a trade with our glut of potential starters.
New post with Cashman’s comments.
Yanks just gave Mitre a contract, they’re not going to just CUT him unless he absolutely stinks it up in ST.
Good pick up. As they say – you can never have too much pitching & with the way injuries are – we may need him somewhere down the line to rely on as a 4th or 5th starter.
The addition of innings-eater Vazquez suggested to me that the Yanks might need only 6 relievers. However, the Yanks have so many relief pitchers worth protecting that they’ll probably carry 7 relievers. In the long run, I still think they need only 6. The problem is, at this moment nobody knows which 6 are the most reliable ones.
What about Mark Melancon?? he was not bad at all
park!!! he is beast1