Article: Byung-Ho Park Signs With KBO’s Nexen Heroes

[Platoon]

The Twins 'outbid' the entire MLB and paid backup level money for Park. At that price point it was a chance worth taking.

I didn't mean that the chance wasn't worth taking per se. I meant that when the Twins win a bidding war it's time to look under the hood. There has to be something wrong. I don't intend that observation to be snarky at all, it's based on a long and easily verified history of their being well out of the running when making a run at quality talent.

[kab21]

 

I didn't mean that the chance wasn't worth taking per se. I meant that when the Twins win a bidding war it's time to look under the hood. There has to be something wrong. I don't intend that observation to be snarky at all, it's based on a long and easily verified history of their being well out of the running when making a run at quality talent.

But is it really a bidding war when the amount is low? You talk about being suspicious based on winning a bidding war but every free agent is a bidding war. The reason to have had modest expectations for Park was that they paid backup level money for Park. They essentially got what they paid for.

[Doomtints]

If only some people would have spoken up that teeing off on 86 MPH pitches wasn't going to translate to success in the MLB.

 

I wish Park all the best. He was a good sport and his work ethic was never in question.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Doomtints

[Doomtints]

Also, he didn't block anybody as he wasn't on the 40 man roster last year.

[drjim]

Even when the move proves to have been awful ... Capps for Ramos, Hicks for Murphy, Span for Meyer......... homers will hold on to the "it was worth the risk" ... "even if it didn't turn out it was the right move...". Homers have a hard time seeing reality sometimes. Park was one of the very wrong moves, and a waste of time, and money. Period. Nice guy, good sport. Who cares. Hopefully, this FO makes decisions early, uses prospects for value, and gets MLB players that perform, and not feed on the bottom like a crustacean.

Another example of how the previous front office was behind the times in where the game was headed. Guys who can't play a position don't stay on a roster unless they have a hall of fame level bat.

[Doomtints]

 

Even when the move proves to have been awful ... Capps for Ramos, Hicks for Murphy, Span for Meyer......... homers will hold on to the "it was worth the risk" ... "even if it didn't turn out it was the right move...". Homers have a hard time seeing reality sometimes. Park was one of the very wrong moves, and a waste of time, and money. Period. Nice guy, good sport. Who cares. Hopefully, this FO makes decisions early, uses prospects for value, and gets MLB players that perform, and not feed on the bottom like a crustacean.

 

True, but this is the nature of the beast.  Many if not most people will always try to view things in a positive light when it comes to their favorite sports teams. To some of us, Capps, Meyer, and Park were all obviously not going to work out (and May, I should add). But I don't think it's fair to say this to people who believe otherwise. Sometimes ya just gotta let it go.

 

And anyway, none of us are right all the time. I thought Plouffe was better than he is. I thought Gibson could be a #3.  Etc.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Doomtints

[kab21]

 

Even when the move proves to have been awful ... Capps for Ramos, Hicks for Murphy, Span for Meyer......... homers will hold on to the "it was worth the risk" ... "even if it didn't turn out it was the right move...". Homers have a hard time seeing reality sometimes. Park was one of the very wrong moves, and a waste of time, and money. Period. Nice guy, good sport. Who cares. Hopefully, this FO makes decisions early, uses prospects for value, and gets MLB players that perform, and not feed on the bottom like a crustacean.

I think literally nobody defends the Capps for Ramos trade. That one was considered very questionable at the time.

Span for Meyer fits your description since the Twins picked up a high upside starter and the move is defensible. It was really only a bad move because the Twins traded away their other CF later in the offseason and had nobody (Hicks) left to play the position.

Park was picked up for minimal money so it is hard to consider it very wrong. The issue that was mentioned at the time was the lack of positional flexibility since the Twins had a few DH/1B options and people did say that it was a tough fit.

[KirbyDome89]

 

Park was picked up for minimal money so it is hard to consider it very wrong. The issue that was mentioned at the time was the lack of positional flexibility since the Twins had a few DH/1B options and people did say that it was a tough fit.

Even then Vargas was coming off a poor 15' and Mauer was far from what he showed this season. 

[Riverbrian]

It's too bad because we could use a player who can play like... Park was supposed to play. 

 

I was happy that the Twins took a shot and I hope they keep taking shots but I sure do wish they were better at it.  

 

They were two separate players and two separate circumstances from two different leagues but they missed horribly on both Nishioka and Park. 

 

One may have been signed under Smith and one may have been signed under Ryan but I don't believe Smith or Ryan went to Asia personally. They both probably relied on the opinion of the recently let go Howard Norsetter and Howard missed horribly. 

 

Job One for Falvey and Lavine has always been assess and clean up the advisers and they did so by letting Norsetter go and returning Park home. 

 

Norsetter gets credit for Kepler, Thorpe and some other Australians no longer with the organization but MAN... did he ever miss with Nishioka and Park. 

 

With those two... he missed the target like he's never shot a gun before. 

[kab21]

 

Even then Vargas was coming off a poor 15' and Mauer was far from what he showed this season. 

And they had Plouffe and Sano which led to the failed experiment in RF. 

[andy4butler]

I agreed with the Park signing at the time.  With that being said, I can't imagine the "Japenese Babe Ruth" signing with this club that can't seem to figure out how to integrate players into a MLB roster without going through the traditional development process.  It would certainly be in the back of my mind ... let alone the lack of marketing opportunities.  

 

[kab21]

 

I agreed with the Park signing at the time.  With that being said, I can't imagine the "Japenese Babe Ruth" signing with this club that can't seem to figure out how to integrate players into a MLB roster without going through the traditional development process.  It would certainly be in the back of my mind ... let alone the lack of marketing opportunities.  

How much do Darvish or Tanaka make in endorsements? Marketing really isn't a factor especially since he is probably just as big of a star back home regardless of where he plays.

[DaveW]

Park wasn't a bad signing, it just didn't work out. Nothing was really messed up long term since the Twins didn't do anything while he was on the roster anyways.

I wish him the best of luck, but I am glad he is out of the organization. No need for him to be taking at bats from someone that can contribute in the future.

[KirbyDome89]

 

And they had Plouffe and Sano which led to the failed experiment in RF. 

Certainly a crowd at 3B but I don't think the Park signing was the reason for Sano in RF.

[h2oface]

Favoring over the hill veteran placeholders to unproven young talent isn't uncommon, but the Twins are notorious for their stubbornness to move on from said vets, even when the necessity for such a move is painfully obvious. To me, continuing to give innings to those players even after it's clear they aren't a better option is in essence "blocking." I think the term is often used in reference to those types of situations and not the talent level on the field actually keeping young players in the minors.

 

The silver lining is that this FO seems more willing to move on quickly from those types of players.

The confirmation of this silver lining will be no more Perkins or Hughes. Sentimentality may still raise its misguided folly.

[kab21]

 

Certainly a crowd at 3B but I don't think the Park signing was the reason for Sano in RF.

The Twins opening day/month lineup was Plouffe at 3B and Park at DH. Combined those moves required Sano to be in RF. No ifs, ands or buts. 

 

Sano played 69/80 games in 2015 as DH or PH. The same would have happened the following year.

[KirbyDome89]

 

The Twins opening day/month lineup was Plouffe at 3B and Park at DH. Combined those moves required Sano to be in RF. No ifs, ands or buts. 

 

Sano played 69/80 games in 2015 as DH or PH. The same would have happened the following year.

Torii Hunter was in RF in 15'.....

Sano isn't cracking a Hicks, Hunter, Rosario OF. He played more games at 3B than any other position in 16' so I'm not sure why you're convinced it would've been a repeat of 15' if not for Park. 

 

Plouffe at 3B obviously necessitated the move to RF but the Twins certainly didn't view Sano as only a DH. They didn't in 16' or 17', and they still don't (I'm on board with that.) Park shouldn't be the scapegoat for their inability to move on from Plouffe.

[KirbyDome89]

 

The confirmation of this silver lining will be no more Perkins or Hughes. Sentimentality may still raise its misguided folly.

They aren't picking up the option on Perkins so consider that wish granted.

 

Who knows if Hughes will be physically capable of pitching next season. The money is a sunk cost for the next two seasons so whether he's here or not they're paying. The best they can hope for is retirement or a recoup via insurance.  

[Steve Lein]

I'm sad that Park didn't work out.

 

I never really understood the signing at the time, but I liked the possibilities.

 

Even got his jersey for my birthday (in May) after he came out hot with a bunch of #ParkBangs.

 

You all can blame me.

[h2oface]

 

They aren't picking up the option on Perkins so consider that wish granted.

 

Who knows if Hughes will be physically capable of pitching next season. The money is a sunk cost for the next two seasons so whether he's here or not they're paying. The best they can hope for is retirement or a recoup via insurance.  

 

Well...... I will consider it not happening when it doesn't happen. Minor league contract..... call up......... just because the option isn't picked up, doesn't mean Perkins will retire, and not be around in some fashion, yet.

[kab21]

 

Torii Hunter was in RF in 15'.....

Sano isn't cracking a Hicks, Hunter, Rosario OF. He played more games at 3B than any other position in 16' so I'm not sure why you're convinced it would've been a repeat of 15' if not for Park. 

 

Plouffe at 3B obviously necessitated the move to RF but the Twins certainly didn't view Sano as only a DH. They didn't in 16' or 17', and they still don't (I'm on board with that.) Park shouldn't be the scapegoat for their inability to move on from Plouffe.

So you think that Sano would have played RF in 2015 if Hunter wasn't on the team?

He would have DH'd if the spot was open both of the seasons. In 2015 DH was open. In 2016 it wasn't.

[KirbyDome89]

 

So you think that Sano would have played RF in 2015 if Hunter wasn't on the team?

He would have DH'd if the spot was open both of the seasons. In 2015 DH was open. In 2016 it wasn't.

I think he was used primarily as a DH because he was a midseason call up and they had a steady if unspectacular option already at 3B. 

 

The DH spot was open. Park didn't last 2 months with the Twins in 16' and Sano still played twice as many games in the field as he did at DH. They clearly aren't interested in relegating him to DH this early in his career, and they shouldn't be. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Park wasn't a bad signing, it just didn't work out. Nothing was really messed up long term since the Twins didn't do anything while he was on the roster anyways.

I wish him the best of luck, but I am glad he is out of the organization. No need for him to be taking at bats from someone that can contribute in the future.

 

Definitely agree on the first part. Always good to add talent, no matter where it is. Not quite sure on the second, but that's fine. I'm certainly not losing sleep on this.

 

The thing that I think we are all forgetting is that Park was essentially run out of the org because of the resurgence of Mauer. With Mauer hitting a lot more like the old Joe and Vargas essentially being a league average hitter, Park became very redundant.

[diehardtwinsfan]

By the way, did anyone figure out if he was released or if his rights were sold back to Korea?

[Danchat]

LaVelle E. Neal wrote a little bit on the Park situation here: http://www.startribune.com/twins-add-ex-phillies-red-sox-and-royals-pitching-coach-bob-mcclure/461082683/

 

 

 

Once it becomes official, Byung Ho Park will rejoin the Nexen Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization, and the Twins will not have to pay the final two years of Park’s four year, $12 million deal.

The sides are working toward an agreement to release Park from his deal.

 

[Doomtints]

 

He would have DH'd if the spot was open both of the seasons. In 2015 DH was open. In 2016 it wasn't.

 

Molitor said on the record that he didn't like a young person like Sano sitting around while the rest of the team did fielding drills. This is why they square-pegged him to the outfield. 

[drjim]

The obvious answer is that Sano should have been better in RF.

[kab21]

 

Molitor said on the record that he didn't like a young person like Sano sitting around while the rest of the team did fielding drills. This is why they square-pegged him to the outfield. 

Managers say a lot of things and then things change. They might not have liked Sano DH'ing but after the RF experiment failed they DH'd him plenty except for when Plouffe was injured.

 

A summary of where Sano played defensively in 2016

Park on the roster = RF

Plouffe injured = 3B

Plouffe not injured = mostly DH with 1-2 G/week at 3B

 

[EddieMatthews]

This thread asked for Park memories.  Park hit a dinger to CF that must have carried 450 feet and from my seat in the first base section, it looked like the ball never was higher than 30 feet.  It was smoked.  

 

I was encouraged by some of his early at-bats.  Too bad he couldn't make the adjustment.  And as many have also stated, he didn't have a place to play.  Too many infielders, not enough (quality) outfielders that year.  

[Walter's Whites]

I bet the Pohlads aren't gung-ho about the dough they wasted on Byung-Ho to see if he could hit in the show.