By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter

This time last year, Park Chan-ho was battling for the No. 5 spot in the Philadelphia Phillies' rotation in spring training.

And this year, after moving further north to the New York Yankees, the 36-year-old right-hander has joined another competition in the preseason to become the setup man for closer Mariano Rivera.

Yankees manager Joe Giradi announced Friday (KST) that Phil Hughes would become the fifth starter for the reigning World Series champion.

With Hughes defeating another candidate Joba Chamberlain for the No. 5 spot, the 27-time champion can now focus on organizing its bullpen.

With the rotation set with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Javier Vasquez and Hughes, Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson, Chamberlain and Park will duke it out for the right to set up Rivera.

Among the contenders, Park seemingly has the inside track.

Park appealed to his new boss, continuing his sharp showing with the Yankees on the same day.

In his second spring training appearance against the Baltimore Orioles, he took the mound in the sixth and delivered two scoreless innings, striking out two.

The South Korean also pitched a perfect inning in his debut as a Yankee against the Tampa Bay Rays last week and he pitched to eight batters and fanned five, allowing just one hit in an intra-squad game Tuesday.

Robertson threw 4 2/3 innings and yielded two runs to post a 3.86 ERA along with five strikeouts, while Marte labored just one inning and sits at a 27.00 ERA.

Chamberlain, who started his career as a reliever in the Bronx in 2007 before moving into the rotation the next year, has surrendered 12 runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings on his way to a 16.20 ERA.

ksw@koreatimes.co.kr



박찬호 셋업맨 4파전

지난해 이맘 때 필라델피아 필리스의 제5 선발 자리를 놓고 치열한 경쟁을 벌였던 `코리안 특급’ 박찬호가 올해에는 뉴욕 양키즈에서 마무리 마리아노 리베라로 연결되는 셋업맨이 되기 위한 경쟁을 치르고 있다.

양키즈는 금요일 필 휴즈를 제5 선발로 결정하면서 불펜 정비 작업에 들어갔다. 셋업맨 후보는 현재 다마소 마트, 데이브 로벗슨, 요바 챔벌레인, 그리고 박찬호 4명이다. 이들 중 박찬호는 가장 앞서 있는 것으로 보인다.

박찬호는 금요일 볼티모어 오리올스를 상대로 열린 두번째 봄시즌 연습경기에서 6회 마운드에 올라 2명을 삼진으로 잡으면서 2이닝을 무실점으로 막았다.

이에 앞서 박찬호는 지난 주 탐파베이 레이스와의 양키즈 데뷔 경기에서도 완벽한 피칭을 선보였고, 팀내 경기에서는 8명의 타자를 상대해 5명을 삼진으로 잡고 1안타 만을 내줬다.