It Won’t Look Good on Park’s Resume

The Dodgers privately expressed frustration Saturday about Chan Ho Park’s closing outing that also might have been his final start for the club.

Although staked to two early five-run leads, Park was chased after four innings and failed to get a decision in an 11-10 victory Friday night against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park.

Barry Bonds hit home runs Nos. 71 and 72 against Park to establish a season mark in the longest nine-inning game in big-league history at 4 hours 27 minutes. Jeff Shaw pitched 11/3 scoreless innings to become the Dodgers’ all-time leader with 128 saves, and San Francisco was eliminated from postseason contention.

Some in the clubhouse questioned Park’s focus. Team trainer Stan Johnston went to the mound in the first when it appeared Park was in pain, but Manager Jim Tracy said Park told him he wanted to continue despite a spasm in his buttock.

Park gave up eight runs (seven earned) and threw only 48 strikes in 82 pitches. He finished the season at 15-11 and was among the majors’ leaders with 26 quality starts (35 overall), 234 innings, 218 strikeouts and a 3.50 earned-run average.

While limiting opponents to a .216 batting average, Park walked 33 fewer batters (91) than last season.

But many baseball executives believe the Dodgers will not sign Park, who can become a free agent after the season, because he still might receive the highest salary for a pitcher.

“I don’t know if he’s going to be back here,” said catcher Chad Kreuter, Kreuter’s personal catcher. “The Dodgers are obviously going to posture, whether they want to bring him back or not, that they’re not [going to sign him] as a negotiating tool. He’ll probably do the same.

“Earlier in the year, he said that he wanted to come back, but I would think that his feelings have probably changed a little bit. Not because he doesn’t like it here, just because he feels that he might want to take a look elsewhere.”

Agent Scott Boras, who represents Park and Kreuter, has been critical of how Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn have handled Park.

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Gary Sheffield said the Dodgers need an attitude adjustment.

“People talk about our injuries, but I don’t even look at it like that,” he said. “The [Arizona] Diamondbacks didn’t have all their pitching staff and they still got it done. It’s just a matter of knowing how to get it done, and having the will to get it done.”