Boras Questions Use of Park

A day after Chan Ho Park was used in relief and roughed up by the San Diego Padres in a disastrous outing, Scott Boras, Park’s agent, expressed concern his client is not being used properly by the Dodgers.

“He has an ERA of about 2.80 when he has his ... rest and his pattern,” Boras said of Park Tuesday. “So that’s his normal pattern that he’s proven to be very, very successful with. Most organizations, their 1-2-3 starters, they have their five-day rotations. And the Dodgers made the decision to make those adjustments [and go with a four-man rotation] and I think it’s something that’s not been beneficial to Chan Ho.”

The Dodgers went to a four-man rotation during their last trip--in St. Louis, before baseball was halted for nearly a week in the wake of the terrorist attacks. In his first start as part of a four-man rotation, Park struggled against the Cardinals, giving up seven earned runs in 32/3 innings, pitching before and after a rain delay that lasted 2 hours 4 minutes.

Park said he initially approached the Dodgers about getting in some work Monday night to get some rust out and prepare him for his next scheduled start Thursday. But he was surprised at being used to start the seventh inning of a 1-1 game with the Dodgers in a pennant race.

“It wasn’t easy,” Park said. “There was much [more] pressure there than starting a game.

“I’m just glad that they want to use me for that kind of situation, which means they really respect me. But I wasn’t ready for the situation mentally. I have to know, in my mind, what it’s going to be. But it happened and I just have to worry about the next game.”

Park did not retire a batter and was charged with four earned runs while giving up two hits and walking three. In his last two outings, Park’s earned-run average has jumped from 2.99 to 3.41, his highest since May 4, when it was 3.55.

Boras was asked if the Dodgers’ recent handling of Park would make it more difficult to re-sign the right-hander, who will be a free agent and in high demand in a pitching-thin market this winter. There were reports earlier this summer that Park would be looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $20 million a year.

“We’re not talking about that,” Boras said. “We’re talking about how to optimize Chan Ho’s performance. Last year, when he pitched on the fifth day all year long, he had a great year. This year, he was having an all-star year, a premium year, pitching every fifth day.”

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy defended his decision to use Park in relief Monday night and said he harbored no concern about Park’s mental makeup.

“I just obviously felt like that was the best guy at that particular time,” Tracy said.

“I would think that when you follow Kevin Brown up with the next best guy on your staff, that at this point of time in the season, that that’s more than likely what you would do.”

So does Park (13-11) merely need to get back on a five-day schedule to right himself?

“Chan Ho’s 27 years old,” Boras said. “He’s not 32, 33, 34, and when we talk about innings ... this guy, when you throw him every five days, he’s a 220-inning [per season] guy and one of the top ERA guys in the league.

“Asking him to make adjustments like that is something that maybe in time he can do as he becomes more familiar with the territory. I just think that we know at this point, though, that it is something that was disruptive to him.”