After Kennys Vargas’ latest — and briefest — stay with the Twins, a one-day visit to Miller Park in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Paul Molitor was asked how the switch-hitting slugger was handling all the back-and-forth between Triple-A Rochester and the majors.
“As well as can be expected,” the Twins manager said. “I don’t think anyone enjoys the shuttle, and he’s been on it more than anybody.”
Just imagine how ByungHo Park feels. At least Vargas has been summoned four separate times this season, thanks in part to his presence on the 40-man roster.
Park, taken off the roster before spring training and never put back on, took his last at-bat in the majors 13 1/2 months ago, on June 28, 2016 in Chicago. Injured closer Glen Perkins, who had major shoulder surgery five days earlier, appears likely to make it back to the majors before Park.
What’s worse, Park doesn’t even get mentioned, prominently or otherwise, when the Twins’ have these short-term openings for an impact bat. Speedy outfielder Zack Granite was the stated backup plan this week for the interleague series in Milwaukee.
Catcher Mitch Garver, whose park-adjusted production ranks third in the International League, 54 percent above average, continues to add position flexibility with stints in left field and first base (Park’s position).
Also receiving consideration was slugging corner outfielder Daniel Palka, who missed two months after being hit on the hand with a pitch. All three of those aforementioned players — Granite, Garver and Palka — were added to the 40-man roster last November.
Park? His weighted production has been just 5 percent above league average.
He turned 31 on July 10. After missing a month with a strained hamstring, he has just nine home runs through 89 games and 334 at-bats this season.
That’s quite a drop-off from his 22 combined homers in 331 at-bats last season in the majors and Triple-A.
Oh, but he was recently named Batavia Downs Red Wings Player of the Week. So, he’s got that going for him.
SIMILAR WAITS
Shin-Soo Choo can relate to what Park is going through — in a way.
Choo, now a star outfielder with the Texas Rangers, will gladly remind you he spent 7 1/2 seasons in the minor leagues before finally breaking through. It took long stints in the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians organizations, however, before he showed what he could do with the Cincinnati Reds in 2013.
“The first couple of years are really hard,” Choo said. “You have to learn about this culture, learn about your teammates, learn about the leagues. Pretty much his situation is very similar mine.”
The difference, of course, is Choo signed in North America at age 18. He was still a prospect at that point, not a two-time former Most Valuable Player in the Korea Baseball Organization.
The 35-year-old Choo, four years older than Park, tries to keep tabs on his countryman and do what he can to bolster his spirits as a friend and mentor.
“I talked to him a couple weeks ago,” Choo said during a recent visit to Target Field. “He texted me first. He’s hitting better, that’s what he told me. He told me he’s ready to play here but he didn’t have much opportunity.”
While Choo has a seven-year, $130 million contract that runs through 2020, Park must deal with the uncertainty of his status, both contractual and otherwise. The modest four-year, $12 million deal he signed with the Twins two winters ago runs through 2019.
The question now is how long Park will be willing to remain patient. With two guaranteed years left on his contract at $6.5 million, including a $500,000 buyout on a $6.5 million option for 2020, at least one rival scout believes Park might struggle to match that sort of outlay in the KBO after two underwhelming seasons in North America.
Perhaps a buyout could be worked out after the season to make up the difference in what Park might be leaving on the table. At last check, however, the Twins had received no indication such an exit strategy was being considered.
“He didn’t talk about that, but it’s his choice,” Choo said. “He made a decision to come over here and he wants to do something here. I’m not saying he’ll stay here next year or go back to Korea. I don’t know. But he really wants to do something here.”
REGIME CHANGE
In order to make the sort of impact he was expecting, Park will need to return to the majors. Then again, he passed completely through waivers in February, when any team could have gained his services at the mere cost of picking up his modest contract.
No one was willing to make that investment as Park came off hand surgery. Choo said he was as shocked as anybody by that development.
“We were very surprised, too,” Choo said. “Minnesota put him on waivers, and nobody picked him up.”
There’s also the question of how Park and the Twins are now viewed back home. Jung Ho Kang’s future with the Pittsburgh Pirates is in jeopardy for off-field reasons, but Park can’t even seem to impress his current employer at the most basic level.
Regime change in the Twins’ front office, with fired general manager Terry Ryan giving way to chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine, probably hasn’t helped.
“I know how this system works because I’ve been here for a long time, but fans back home might not understand,” Choo said. “They might not understand why this guy’s not hitting good or why he can’t get the opportunity to play in the big leagues.”
Choo understands.
“Some guys are doing better than him and they’re in the big leagues,” he said. “They have so many players in the Triple-A system. I know, but (Korean fans) don’t know. It’s hard to explain.”
At this point it seems entirely possible that Park has played his last game for the Twins. At the very least, a September call-up seems like a coin flip for a well-meaning, dedicated slugger who has clearly lost his mojo along with his career momentum.
That’s why Choo made a point of giving a recent pep talk to Park.
“I told him to just stay healthy and keep playing: ‘I watched you play. I know you can do it. Don’t let negative things get in your head,’ “ Choo said. “I think mentally he’s stronger. He believes at some point he’ll be in the big leagues — later. I believe he’s getting better every year or every month. He’s growing.”
