Phillies keep Jamie Moyer, add Chan Ho Park

[December 16, 2008]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Jamie Moyer agreed Monday to a two-year contract that keeps the 46-year-old left-hander with the World Series champion Phillies. Philadelphia also confirmed it has a preliminary agreement with Chan Ho Park. And on a busy day of Phillies' news, All-Star second baseman Chase Utley said he is recovering well from hip surgery and hopes to be ready for opening day.

Moyer went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA in 33 starts last season and pitched six strong innings as the Phillies won Game of the World Series. He is 35-21 with a 4.33 ERA in 74 starts since the Phillies acquired him from Seattle in August 2006, and the Souderton, Pa., native has 246 career wins.

"I'm sure if you ask Jamie, he'll say that he will play out a few more contracts," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday. "I know on paper it probably says this is his last contract, but it will be fun to see how it plays out."

Amaro is confident Moyer will find a way to win at an age when some players are in their second decade of retirement. Moyer depends on pinpoint control and offspeed pitches.

"If his stuff does go backward, he'll try to figure it out and how to pitch through it," Amaro said. "That's the beauty of Jamie Moyer."

Park was quoted by the Korea Times as saying the Phillies considered him a starter, but Amaro declined to say whether Park will compete for a starting spot or pitch in relief. The 35-year-old went 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 54 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, going 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in five starts. He could compete with Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ and prospect Carlos Carrasco for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Utley walked into his news conference with an exaggerated limp, but said he hoped to be ready for the start of the season April 5.

"I'm feeling good," said Utley, whose right hip was operated on Nov. 24. "I don't see any reason why I won't be ready for the start of the season barring any setbacks."

Utley acknowledged that he played through much of the 2008 season with a bad right hip. He hit .292 with 33 homers and 104 RBIs, but appeared to wear down as the season progressed.

His next evaluation is scheduled to take place in about a month.

"I'm young and I think it was the best course of action," he said. "It's a problem that I've probably had for a long time. I don't play soft and I think it worked out pretty well."

[Associated Press]

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