Park Auditions for Rotation Spot; Pedro Throws Off Mound

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chan Ho Park started a game for the Mets after solving his physical and visa problems. He could start many more if he keeps pitching the way he did yesterday.

"What I take away from the outing is the way he finished up. That's what I like to see," the Mets' manager, Willie Randolph, said.

Signed as a free agent on February 9, Park rebounded from a one-run first inning and allowed just a single in his other two as the Boston Red Sox beat the Mets 9–5. He is competing with at least five others for three spots in the Mets rotation.

"The first inning I feel like I overpitched," he said, "and then (to) come back in the second inning and third inning, that's what I feel good about."

Last season, Park was 7–7 with a 4.81 ERA with San Diego. He was sidelined by intestinal bleeding during the second half and had surgery on August 23 before being activated a month later.

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Pedro Martinez threw a baseball yesterday for the first time since rotator cuff surgery last October.

The Mets ace lightly tossed a ball for about 10 minutes from a distance of about 45 feet at the Mets' minor league complex.

"He looked good," said Randy Niemann, the Mets' rehabilitation pitching coordinator. "It's just the beginning. It's the start of a long process, but he looked really good."

The Mets' manager, Willie Randolph, and pitching coach Rick Peterson were not present — they accompanied the team to Fort Myers for yesterday's game against the Boston Red Sox.

The 35-year-old Martinez went 9–8 last season with a 4.48 ERA. He had been doing the majority of his rehabilitation in the Dominican Republic during the past five months, making an occasional appearance at the Mets' minor league complex in Port St. Lucie.

Martinez is not expected to rejoin the Mets' rotation until the second half of the season.