Sung sets his sights on greatness

"You can only be great by challenging and defeating established greatness," said Sung Chao-chee (宋肇基), the starting pitcher of the Chinatrust Whales in an interview last week.

He was challenging Sinon Bulls ace Tsai Chung-nan (蔡仲南) and encouraging him to raise his game and take on more challenges, "Take me and Hurst [Jonathan Hurst, of the Brother Elephants] out first then you can be regarded as a dominant pitcher."

Sung, 24, tops the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for most strikeouts (130 and best earned run average (2.08). With 12 wins and 5 losses in 18 starts (with 5 reliving appearances), Sung has had the most wins among all local pitchers, while Hurst has the best pitching figures of all players in the league with a 14-5 winning record.

Joining the Chinatrust organization in 2000 after completing his military service, Sung has compiled a record of 13-12 and 4.08 ERA in the past two seasons.

The blazing speed of his fastball forced 173 strikeouts during the first two seasons of his professional career.

Adding a sharp curveball and forkball as weapons on top of his well-known fast balls, Sung has developed into a tough pitcher and played for the national team last year in the 34th Baseball World Cup hosted by Taiwan in November.

Although Sung got off to a relatively slow start this season, he still managed to win six straight from May 24 to July 11 and became the first local pitcher to reach the 10-win mark -- three out of five 10+ win pitchers in the CPBL are foreign players.

Aside from his performances on field, has also got fans talking with his challenges to aces from other clubs.

He has in particular gone after the overall first pick in the pre-season draft, Sinon Bulls' Tsai Chung-nan (蔡仲南), who is a former college junior schoolmate.

The two have played each other four times this season and are even with 2-2 record.

"Pitching against the best pitchers will only get you pumped up more and elevate your own performance.

"Your your teammates will see how hard you work and they will stand behind you," Sung said in a radio interview after winning his 10th game against Tsai, in Chiayi.

"Now, it's time for us local pitchers to raise our levels and go challenge the foreign pitching aces," Sung said after winning his 12th game and defeating the Brother Elephants led by Hurst last week.

As he shortens the gap between the league-leading Hurst, Sung has set his sights on the Most-Wins award this season.

"Let's make it happen, let's take that prize ourselves," he said.