Surpassing two-time winner slugger Peng Cheng-ming (
This was the first time in Bears history, formerly the Agan, that a player from the team received the honor.
PHOTO: CPBL
Despite another awesome showing of power and finesse by Peng at the plate, members of the Chinese Baseball Writers Association (CBWA) felt Shih's league-high 24 hits and .357 batting average (No. 2 in league), along with his two game-winning RBI contributed more to the overall success of his team.
Shih was the single most important factor in the Bears' 8-0-2 record last month.
"I'm flattered by the vote of confidence that the CBWA have given me," Shih said. "It's a great honor just to be mentioned in the same sentence as "Chia-Chia" [Peng's nickname]."
ON THE MOUND
President Lions closer Michael Garcia beat out Sinon Bull starter Yang Jien-fu by a 23-to-3 margin to win Pitcher-of-the-Month honors.
Still a perfect 13-for-13 in save opportunities, the American right-hander posted a 1-0 mark with five saves and an incredible zero ERA last month.
He struck out 32 batters in the 18-1/3 innings.
Garcia essentially shortens the game by at lease two innings because as long as the Lions lead through the seventh inning, they end up winning the game.
His exceptional command with all his pitches led to an unearthly 64-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the 139 batters he faced, makes Garcia the ideal man on the mound in a tight game as runners are rarely able to advance.
Garcia's tremendous dominance is the main reason why the Lions are 15-7 in games decided by three runs or less.
"Garcia is at his best when the game is on the line," Peng Cheng-ming said. "He usually gets ahead on the count with his fastball in the high 140s [kph]. Then he throws a nasty slider to finish you off as his great velocity forces hitters to look for the fastball."
Peng, the league leader with a .438 batting average, is remains hitless against Garcia in over 10 confrontations.
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
RSS