BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Rookie Pitchers Are Off to Good Starts

South Korean Park Chan Ho, the Dodgers’ new $1.2-million right-hander, impressed club officials Saturday when he threw for the first time in the batting cages at Vero Beach, Fla.

“He was throwing about 98 miles per hour, and I was somewhere up there above that,” Orel Hershiser joked.

Park, 20, threw for about 15 minutes inside the cages after the workout at Holman Stadium was rained out for the second consecutive day. He said afterward that he was unhappy with his performance, but he was alone in that regard.

“He has outstanding velocity and great body balance,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “He was throwing hard, and he threw some other pitches--a forkball, a breaking ball and his changeup was good. I am very, very impressed.”

Also getting good reviews was rookie Darren Dreifort.

“For the first day of the spring, he threw very well,” Mike Piazza said. “His release is very smooth and he showed good movement.”

Dreifort and Park are two of 26 pitchers in camp, but talk of them making the club this early is premature. “Do they have the ability to pitch at this level? Yes they do,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president. “When does it happen? We’ll see.”

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There are six left-handed pitchers in camp: journeymen Gary Wayne, John Barfield, Drew Hall and Mike Milchin, and returnees Steve Wilson and Omar Daal.