Park Returns to Dodgers

Park Chan-ho

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

With his Major League Baseball (MLB) career hanging by a thread, Park Chan-ho is heading back to where the magic all started.

The 33-year-old South Korean said Thursday he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he started his Major League career in 1994, and expected to join the team in spring camp.

Team 61, Park's domestic management agency, declined to reveal the terms of the deal, including whether it's a minor league contract or a split contract, which would provide Park a higher rate of pay if added to the Major League roster.

Park, in an entry in his Weblog, said his salary would be similar to a ``rookie on the start.''

``Dodgers Town is the spring camp venue where I first started my Major League dreams,'' Park said. ``The terms of the contract are similar to a rookie on the start, but the important thing is that I will be able to play for a team that I always missed.''

It bears further watching whether Park, who always pitched better in the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium, can convince new manager Joe Torre that he is worthy of a spot on the Major League roster.

At best, Park could be an insurance player for the Dodgers should starters Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf fail to return strong from injuries.

Park, who posted 113 wins in the majors, is now at the tail end of his playing career. He just pitched one game for the New York Mets this year and gave up seven runs in four innings. He ended the season with the Houston Astros' Triple-A affiliate Round Rock Express and went 6-14 with a 5.97 ERA.