Could this be the Sinon Bulls' year?
The Bulls had a great start to the season, beating the Chinatrust Whales and President Lions in early March.
The Brother Elephants brought the six-game winning streak to an end last Thursday, but the Bulls immediately bounced back on Saturday with a brilliant performance from Tsai Chung-nan, the overall first pick in this year's draft.
Now at 7-3 after 10 games, the Bulls seem confident of going all the way.
League losers
For years the Bulls have been portrayed as a team that could never win, hobbled by its lack of pitching talent.
Founded in 1993 as the Jungo Bears, one of two expansion teams in the Chinese Professional Baseball League that year, the club included many members of the national team that won a silver medal for Taiwan at the Barcelona Olympics.
However, the Bears failed the make the playoffs during the next three years, and the club was sold to the Sinon Group in 1996.
The change of ownership and name provided the Bulls with a short-lived boost.
The team made it to the post-season for the first time in 1998 but lost the Championship Series.
They made it to the playoffs again in 2000, but again lost the Championship Series.
By last year the luck had vanished. The Bulls slumped to 34-51, last in the league.
But the Bulls are expecting this season to go much better.
With their new manager Chen Wei-chung at the helm, the Bulls appear to have found someone they trust and want to play for.
Chen is credited with creating the right chemistry among the players and focussing them on the game.
Veteran players such as Huang Chung-yee and Chang Tai-shan are again displaying their seasoned skills on their power and defensive plays.
Pitcher Tsai Chung-nan, acquired in this year's draft, has given the Bulls's pitching a much-needed boost.
Time to top the table
By lifting the Bulls to the top of the table, Tsai has also tied the CPBL record for consecutive winning games by a rookie and is expected to break it soon.
Every win he chalks up seems to justify the record signing bonus he received on joining the Bulls.
As their former teammate Lin Chung-chiu (now manager of the Whales) said, "No matter how you look at it: Offensively, defensively and the chemistry, the Bulls are indeed the team to beat this year."
RSS