Park Hopes to Take His Cue From Brown

Part of the theory in giving Kevin Brown that $105-million contract is that the other members of the Dodger rotation and pitching staff will prosper as well. Management believes that his focus, competitiveness and work ethic will rub off, that by willingly shouldering the responsibility of staff ace, he lessens the pressure on the four other starters. It happened in San Diego last year, where the Padres won the National League title with Andy Ashby and Sterling Hitchcock having their best years as Brown led the way.

“[The contract] might not equate to 30 wins [a year],” General Manager Kevin Malone said of Brown’s own performance, “but it’s been proven that he elevates his teammates.”

Chan Ho Park, among others, does not have to be convinced.

The 25-year-old right-hander with the improving record and improving English has spent hours studying videotapes of three pitchers, dissecting their mechanics, pitch selection and strategical approach in different count and game situations.

Brown is one. Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens are the others.

Now Park shares a clubhouse with Brown and is “very happy” about it. A movie has come to life.

“It is great for me and great for the young pitchers,” Park said. “I want to do well, and it is easier to follow and learn.

“I think he likes to talk, which makes it easy to communicate. Maybe I make him tired because I have so many questions.”

Park, of course, has been supplying some pretty impressive answers himself. He has gone 14-8 and 15-9 in his two full seasons as a starter. He had career highs in wins, starts (34), strikeouts (191) and innings pitched (220 2/3) last year, when he went 10-4 with a 2.60 earned-run average over his last 18 starts. In several categories, his combined statistics over the last three years rank among the game’s best. Only Pedro Martinez and Clemens, for instance, have restricted opposing batters to a lower batting average.

Park is slated to be the No. 2 starter behind Brown. Back-to-back heat and wicked breaking stuff.

“He won 15 games for a team that, realistically, was inconsistent behind him,” pitching coach Charlie Hough said of Park’s performance last season. “He has a chance to win a lot of games if this team is as good as we think it will be.

“He’s a pretty accomplished young pitcher who still may not be sure of how good he is, but we think he’s almost ready to blossom. With Kevin here, he doesn’t have to be the No. 1 and doesn’t always have to pitch against the other team’s No. 1. Everything points to an outstanding season.”

Particularly, Hough added, if Park develops more confidence this spring in his changeup, a key to his ability to close out games in the late innings when batters begin to catch up with the fastball and breaking ball.

“Sometimes it’s hard to convince a pitcher who has been successful with two pitches to go to his third pitch in tough situations,” Hough said. “He has the changeup. We’ve just got to get him to throw it.”

Hideo Nomo is gone and Ramon Martinez is unsigned and rehabilitating, but the Dodger rotation continues to fly international flags.

In addition to Park, a South Korean, there’s Carlos Perez of the Dominican Republic and Ismael Valdes of Mexico, along with Brown and Darren Dreifort, the two domestics.

Park, whose engaging and emerging personality is a sharp contrast to the dour Nomo, represents the club’s remaining link to the Pacific Rim.

Agent Steve Kim said his client is bigger in Korea than Michael Jordan, a measure of his popularity being four endorsement contracts--with Nike, Hyundai insurance, Gatorade and Sambo computers--that each pay him between $600,000 and $1 million.

“The whole country expects him to do well, so there’s always some pressure on him,” Kim said, “but he doesn’t want to be known only as a good Asian pitcher. He wants to be known as a good pitcher, period.”

Park has donated more than $500,000 to Korean charities, Kim said, and recently pitched his country to the Asian Games title.

The gold medal was secondary to another reward--his release from a three-year military obligation, although he will have to spend four weeks in basic training at the end of the season.

“It’s a big thing for me,” Park said, referring to the complimentary discharge. “Three years would have been tough. Now I can concentrate on pitching.”

Park has focused well enough and come along fast enough that he is making $2.3 million in the second year of a two-year contract.

The Dodgers hope to extend it with a multiyear offer during the first half of the season.

“It’s a priority,” Malone said. “I consider Chan Ho one of our untouchables. We’re going to give him the opportunity to secure his future.”

Park has slightly more than three years of major league service. He will be eligible for arbitration at the end of the season, at which point he still will be two years away from free agency. Malone suggested, however, that the club’s proposal will put Park among the pitching elite.

“I have a contract for this year and I don’t know if I want to sign another right now,” Park said. “I don’t have to hurry, there’s no pressure to sign.

“I expect to have a good season and I want to experience many things--maybe even arbitration.”

Arbitration is an experience not many savor, but many believe there will be other, more pleasant ones ahead for Park.

“I didn’t have the chance to see him a lot last year because I was [rehabilitating from elbow surgery], but I know he has great stuff and I think this could be a breakout season for him,” new catcher Todd Hundley said.

“That’s what I’m planning. I want to help get him over the top, put him in the All-Star game, get him that recognition. I know he has the talent and the intelligence.”

Brown, the new ace and de facto mentor, concurred.

“Great fastball and outstanding breaking ball,” Brown said of Park. “His stamina as a starter has really picked up. He has the potential to be one of the best.”

Particularly now that Brown has stepped out of the videos to provide a firsthand tutorial.

“I don’t know about that,” the $105-million man said.

“With Chan Ho’s movement and stuff, there may be more I can learn from him than he can from me.”