Chan Ho Park came into the Yankees/Mets game in relief of Yankee starter Javier Vazquez on Friday night. It was the 8th inning and the Yankees were behind 1-0. He promptly walked the ninth hitter, followed by two straight doubles. He left the game with the Yankees in a 3-0 deficit after getting only one out. This is just another in a long line of games in which he has struggled. Park's stats for this year are as follows: 1-1, 6.16 ERA, 25 hits, 5 walks, 5 home runs, and 16 strikeouts in 19 innings. Opponents are hitting .313 off of him, with a slugging percentage of .563. (Teammate outfielder Nick Swisher, who has hit 11 home runs this year, has a slugging percentage of only .511.)
The curious thing about Park's numbers this year is that he has given up so many home runs. He gave up only 5 home runs in 83.1 innings last year - in Citizens Bank Ballpark, one of the most hitter-friendly stadiums in the majors. This year's home runs off of Park aren't cheap ones that sneak over the right field short porch in Yankee Stadium, either. They're moonshots.
The answer to Park's struggles could be very simple: He's in the American League now. His only scoreless appearances this year were against Toronto, Cleveland, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Houston, and Boston. Only four of those teams are AL teams, and out of those AL teams, only two (Toronto and Boston) are legitimate contenders. The appearance against Boston was very good: 1 hit over 3 innings. However, his other two appearances against the Sox were horrific as he pitched to the tune of a combined 26.95 ERA.
Yankee fans can only hope he'll turn into another Damaso Marte. Marte hasn't done well in his regular-season Yankee career, but was key to the Yankees' 2009 postseason wins.
At least Park is getting better. He had five straight scoreless appearances in June (albeit against less than stellar teams) before he got crushed by the Mets. Oh, and instead of giving up home runs, he's graduated to mere doubles.
Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!
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