Chan Ho

Park

The Rangers are considering starting John Wasdin, R.A. Dickey or Joaquin Benoit instead.

“If we opened the season tomorrow, Chan Ho is one of our starters,” GM John Hart said. How Park performs in spring training will determine whether he’ll be worthy of a $1 bid.

Erickson has been terrible since he joined the Rangers (1-3 with a 6.16 ERA over four starts) and Park, who is seemingly over back woes, will replace him in the rotation this week. In four starts at Class AAA, Park is 0-2 with a 3.72 ERA. He has allowed 21 hits and three walks in 19 1/3 innings pitched with 19 strikeouts. Activate him at your own risk.

Texas also reportedly was turned down on a Park-for-Sammy Sosa proposal. Park is owed $29 million over the next two seasons.

R.A Dickey will start Tuesday instead.

That will allow him to pitch against the Mariners in Seattle, where he worked seven shutout innings on the final day of last season. Park isn’t a good bet to have any fantasy value this season. Maybe he’ll bounce back somewhat, but a league-average starter is the best that the Rangers can hope for.

Park allowed four earned runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He will be evaluated today before the Rangers decide if he needs one more rehab start, or can pitch Saturday against the Expos.

The other candidates are Victor Santos and Jamey Wright, but the Rangers are concerned they might lose either pitcher if they try to send them through waivers after starting the one game.

Park is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Oklahoma on Saturday before the Rangers decide when to activate him.

Manager Buck Showalter was noncommittal about whether it would be Park’s last rehab start before his recall to the Rangers, which might indicate it depends on how Park performs.