BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : No One Hesitates to Speak on Park’s Style

Whether the hesitation in Chan Ho Park’s pitching motion is permissible has yet to be decided, but veteran umpire Bruce Froemming said if it is not determined soon, “when we get to the regular season, it will be war.”

The Dodger pitcher hesitated rarely during his delivery Sunday against the Montreal Expos, but the few times he did, it was noticed. Afterward, Expo Manager Felipe Alou told Froemming that during the season he would not let Park pitch that way.

“Anytime you stop during your motion, it is an interruption or an alteration, and that is not allowed,” Froemming said. “If a batter calls time out, I will give it to him, because that is how I interpret the rule. If he doesn’t call time out, then the game goes on.”

Park has a series of unorthodox deliveries that are more unique to an Asian style of pitching, but it is when he hesitates shortly after he begins his windup, either when he goes back or pivots to a flamingo-style position, that has Froemming asking for a rule interpretation.

Ed Vargo, the league’s director of umpires, attended Sunday’s game to see Park, but left without comment. Reached later by telephone, he said the issue would probably go to the rules committee and get straightened out. “There’s nothing in the rules that prevents it,” Vargo said. “That was the first time I have seen him pitch and, personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but I don’t know everything. We will see what happens.”

Froemming, who worked first base, is concerned that the rules committee will delay a decision, causing even more confusion.

Froemming said Alou did not have his batters call time out Sunday because Vargo had spoken to Alou before the game. “He told him the rule had not been interpreted yet, and that the game was going to be on television, so we don’t want to make a fuss.”

The batter Park used the move on most was Larry Walker, and it certainly didn’t distract him--he walked and homered.

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Pedro Martinez started for the first time against the Dodgers and gave up one run and three hits in three rocky innings. “They have me working on something in my mechanics, but I can’t tell you what it is, because then the competition will know,” Martinez said. “It felt good coming to Dodgertown today. Here’s where I grew up in baseball, so it’s like coming back home.