Chan-ho Park holds a special place in my baseball fandom. Of course, it has a lot to do with him being the first MLB Korean pitcher. That he pitched for the team I grew up loving, the Dodgers, helped. I felt for him when he struggled mightily for the Texas Rangers. Like a lot of Koreans in Dallas, I tried going to the ballpark as often as possible when Park pitched, which was not often. A local rumor was that he hated being in Texas and never really connected with the local Korean community.
And it looks like his career as a starter may be coming to its end. He's competing with six pitchers for the fifth spot in the NY Mets' starting rotation. He hasn't looked good.
Also, after 12 years in the U.S., how is it that he still has problems straightening out his work visa? It prevented him from pitching for a while during spring training, which probably didn't endear him to his manager. I hope he revives his career. During the World Baseball Classic last year, he showed that he can still pitch well when inspired.
- Roger in DC
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