Park’s Woes Baffle Colborn

Chan Ho Park is tied for second in the majors with 24 quality starts, but is only 5-5 with a 3.97 earned-run average since the All-Star break.

The right-hander, who returned to the mound after a 2-hour, 4-minute rain delay, was chased in the fourth inning in Sunday’s 8-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I thought he tried his best,” pitching coach Jim Colborn said. “It looked like he was.... It wasn’t one of the cases of prior, where it didn’t look like he was competing. It looked like he tried to compete, but didn’t do so effectively.”

Colborn believes Park and James Baldwin, also pounded on only three days’ rest, can be effective in a four-man rotation.

But Colborn is perplexed when asked to explain Park’s recent problems.

“It seems like there isn’t a pattern. It seems like it’s one thing or another,” Colborn said. “That’s sort of the process of pitchers that are learning how to compete consistently.

“He’ll get it and then ... he’s a curious pitcher. It’s hard to understand him exactly. I think we’ve made strides.”