Park Chan-ho’s obstacles to pitch in Korea

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Sports

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Park Chan-ho’s obstacles to pitch in Korea

Posted : 2011-10-25 20:39

Updated : 2011-10-25 20:39

Park Chan-ho, the first Korean Major Leaguer, became unemployed Monday when the Japanese club Orix Buffaloes let him go.

The 38-year-old pitcher has now expressed his wish to pitch in the Korean professional baseball league.

Park Chan-ho, seen in this file photo, who was ousted from Japanese club, the Orix Buffaloes, Monday, wants to play in the Korea professional league but there are a few obstacles.

/ Korea Times file

By Yoon Chul

Park Chan-ho, the first Korean Major Leaguer, became unemployed Monday when the Japanese club Orix Buffaloes let him go.

The 38-year-old pitcher has now expressed his wish to pitch in the Korean professional baseball league.

The question is if he can clear all the hurdles to pitch here.

The first obstacle is the Korea Baseball Organization’s (KBO) rules.

According to the Article 105, Clause 3, baseball players who moved to an overseas league before 1999 can only join the KBO through the draft system.

Park moved to the Major League in 1994. At that time, the hurler was a sophomore at Hanyang University.

The Korean draft opens in August every year.

In short the veteran needs to wait until the next draft in 2012, meaning he would have to spend a year without playing in the league to start pitching in the 2013 season, when he turns 40.

LG Twins’ starter Bong Joong-keun followed the same procedure to head to the KBO from the Cincinnati Reds in 2006.

Also, just how well Park will fare in the Korean league is of concern for the Hanwha Eagles, which has the first right to sign Park.

If the Eagles sign the veteran, the team has to give up its first round draft pick.

The Eagles, led by Han Dae-wha, were the bottom dogs in the two previous seasons as well as sharing sixth place for the 2011 season. For them it would be tough to give up the first draft pick in exchange for the former major leaguer.

Park, who had 124 wins — the highest number among Asians — in the Major League, only marked 1-5 record with 4.29 ERA in Japan.

The Eagles are likely to ask for an exemption for Park from the overseas player clause in November.

However, so far half the team’s board are negative about this.

The KBO is in its heyday with more than 6 million spectators. Insiders predict that Park joining the league may further boost the games popularity.

yc@koreatimes.co.kr