Byungho Park To Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

Well, I hope his recovery is short. I want to see what he can do when fully healthy.

That totally sucks, but it does explain why an otherwise pretty mature hitter was having so much trouble adjusting to changing speeds. Imagine how much strain that could put on an already hurt wrist.

Hope Park heals up quickly and well. Best of luck to him.

Well, we HOPE that's the reason why he wasn't able hit well enough to stick. He had an OPS in the .800s this season in the minors.  His main problem was striking out as has always been his problem including where he played before we got him.

Well, we HOPE that's the reason why he wasn't able hit well enough to stick. He had an OPS in the .800s this season in the minors.  His main problem was striking out as has always been his problem including where he played before we got him.

Agreed. As Seth points out via Bernardino, and on tonight's pre-game, Paulie clearly said Park suffered a second and distinct injury to his hand, separate from the problem he had with his wrist. Anyone who suggests either of the two injuries caused his performance to suffer or alternatively had no impact on his performance are just guessing.

I still struggle to see where he will fit into Twins plans. Of course, that is up to the next general manager. We have Palka and Walker in the wings. We need to keep Vargas around or lose him. We can always claim Arcia the next time he goes thru waivers. We might be able to talk Ortiz out of retirement. We will resign Plouffe and move Sano to DH fulltime. Okay, problem solved. Let's move lots of bodies elsewhere.

I wonder what will happen to that Twins commercial featuring Park that they filmed earlier this summer.

Just makes you wonder why they didn't have this addressed months ago when they talked about a potential injury. Makes you hopeful for next year though. Get healthy and crush some more bombs at Target Field.

ESPN makes it sound like he's done for good

.

"Park, who has been in the minor leagues since late June, will undergo right wrist surgery on Thursday. Park, 30, had been dealing with an injured wrist through much of the season and it recently has worsened. The injury is to a tendon in the back of his hand, manager Paul Molitor said. He will remain in Minnesota until the end of the season before returning to South Korea. "

ESPN makes it sound like he's done for good
.
"Park, who has been in the minor leagues since late June, will undergo right wrist surgery on Thursday. Park, 30, had been dealing with an injured wrist through much of the season and it recently has worsened. The injury is to a tendon in the back of his hand, manager Paul Molitor said. He will remain in Minnesota until the end of the season before returning to South Korea. "

Where did you see this about ESPN talking about Park?

I was under the impressing that the English translation of "Byungho" was "Strikes Out".  I may be wrong as it may mean "hides injury".

All kidding aside, I also wish him a speedy recovery.He has shown flashes of a very potent bat (if the Twins can find a place for him in the lineup).

Where did you see this about ESPN talking about Park?

The game recap from last night.

As others had mentioned, Park had a fast start.  When he started slumping, Molitor spoke about how Park's timing seemed off, that he was a bit behind pitches.  I think nagging hand and wrist injuries would explain it.

Like Rosterman, I don't see how Park fits with the Twins plans, regardless of how good he ends up being.  Sano needs to be the DH unless the Twins are OK with him having a short career due to his elbow problems.  Mauer is at 1B.  The OF is finally taking shape.  There is just no room for him.

Presumably he was still dealing with the nagging hand and wrist injuries in the minors, yet his OPS was 140 points higher in the minors.

And he's always been a strikeout machine, which seems to be his biggest problem anyway no matter where he's played.  It's just that while playing against inferior talent (Korea and the minors), he was able to overcome it more than when playing against the very best (MLB).

The value behind his "fast start" was almost entirely in a handful of HR in a small sample.  There are scores of players who had a similar "fast start" in MLB and faded -- an injury is not necessary to explain such a thing at all.

It is certainly your prerogative to write off Park if you want to.  Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.  I was expecting him to fail immediately and he proved me wrong.  In my opinion he deserves another chance to prove himself, though perhaps not in a Twins uniform.