Chan Ho Park to the rescue

By Bob Smizik
http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bobsmizik/default.aspx
Thursday, Aug 05 2010
12:30 a.m.


As if to drive home his point that the Pirates are no longer in the "prospect accumulation’’ mode, general manager Neal Huntington today claimed Chan Ho Park, 37, on waiver. He also added Chris Resop, 27.

At the same time, Huntington showed the Pirates also are not in the low-ERA accumulation mode.

In moves of utter desperation that are certain to draw ridicule, the Pirates added Park (pictured above), the one time South Korean phenom, whose ERA with the New York Yankees this season was 5.60, and Resop, whose MLB ERA this season in one appearance with Atlanta is 22.50.

There's nothing wrong with a little desperation because these truly are desperate times for the Pirates. They‘ve lost 10 of their past 13, and as bad as the season has been, it is threatening to get worse.

That was clear yesterday when the Pirates got a decent start from Jeff Karstens, who left after five innings trailing, 3-1, only to see the team's new-look bullpen allow the Cincinnati Reds a six-run seventh inning and lead to a 9-4 loss

When it was over, Sean Gallagher had an ERA of 4.98, Wil Ledezma 18.00 and Stephen Jackson 11.57. Justin Thomas and Daniel McCutchen both pitched a scoreless inning, dropping their ERAs to 6.75 and 7.71, respectively. None of those five pitchers was in the majors a month ago.

By his moves at the trade deadline, when he dealt D.J. Carrasco, Octovio Dotel and Javier Lopez, Huntington has done the impossible. He made the bullpen, the team’s only strength, as weak as the starting rotation and offense. In the five games since the trades, the five relievers mentioned above have given up 24 hits in 12 1/3 innings and have an ERA of 11.68.

Which means there can be no harm in trying some different pitchers and Park has pitched a touch better of late for the Yankees. He no doubt will be thrilled with moving from the Yankees and a pennant race to the Pirates and the race to 100 losses. Resop, who has a 6.14 ERA in 58 MLB games, had been pitching well as a starter for the Braves Class AAA affiliate.

Jackson was designated for assignment after the game and another pitcher will follow. It won’t be a tough decision.

The performance of the bullpen again calls to question at least one of the trades Huntington made Saturday. His decision to deal Lopez, who had the second lowest ERA on the team (2.79) and against whom left-handed batters are hitting .197 this season, is beyond puzzling. And that’s particularly so because the players obtained for him were two 27-year-old minor leaguers.

With seven games coming up against contenders, four with Colorado beginning tonight and three with San Diego, it looks like more of the same in the days ahead for the Pirates.