Park Looking for Long-Term Contract

The agent for pitcher Chan Ho Park said Wednesday that discussions have begun about a multiyear contract extension for his client.

Steve Kim spoke with General Manager Kevin Malone about signing Park, who won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2001 season, to a long-term deal during his two-day visit to Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

Kim declined to disclose details, but industry sources said Kim is likely seeking a four- or five-year deal that would pay Park an average of more than $10 million annually, setting a new standard for players with less than five years of major league service time. Kim said if an agreement is not reached during the season, Park probably will sign one-year deals until he is eligible for free agency and then test the market.

Malone said the Dodgers want Park in their future, but they have more pressing concerns at the moment.

“We discussed our desire to keep him long term, but it’s all about timing right now,” Malone said. “Our focus is on the season right now and getting ready for opening day. We’ll start [negotiating] at some point.”

Players are eligible for salary arbitration after three years and free agency after six. Under his current contract, Park forfeited one year of salary arbitration eligibility.

Park will have four-plus years of service time after this season. Joey Hamilton of the Toronto Blue Jays is currently the game’s highest-paid pitcher with less than five years of service time, signing a three-year, $17-million deal in December.

Park, who turns 26 in June, will make $2.3 million this season in the final year of a two-year, $3-million deal.

Park went 15-9 with a 3.71 earned-run average in 34 starts last season, leading the club in victories, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts in only his second full season in the rotation. That followed Park’s breakthrough season in 1997: 14-8, 3.38 ERA.

Park started and pitched well Wednesday in a 7-4 victory over the Montreal Expos, giving up five hits and one run in five innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked three.

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The Raul Mondesi experiment has been scrapped again.

Manager Davey Johnson said left fielder Gary Sheffield, once his sore throwing shoulder heals, probably will bat third instead of Mondesi.

Johnson, as did his predecessors, hoped Mondesi would be successful in the No. 3 spot because of his speed. But, as in his previous auditions, the right fielder has not been disciplined enough at the plate to bat third.

Mondesi, who might bat cleanup, has a .269 on-base percentage in Grapefruit League play, and that just won’t get it done. Moreover, Sheffield prefers to bat third, and team officials want to give him as few reasons as possible to be unhappy.