Sat, Dec 12, 2009 page19

• Rising stars looking for a piece of Wang’s limelight

  FUTURE HEROES? Ni Fu-te is considered a ‘valuable piece’ of the Detroit Tigers’ relief pitching staff, while the Dodgers’ Kuo Hong-chih has a reputation for tenacity

  • By Ralph Jennings / REUTERS
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  A chain of injuries suffered by New York Yankees player Wang Chien-ming has thrust a pair of more obscure Taiwan-born Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers into the limelight as dejected fans in Taiwan seek someone else to support.

  MLB followers needed somewhere to turn after Wang missed much of last season with injuries.

  Agents are pushing to get relief pitchers Ni Fu-te of the Detroit Tigers and Kuo Hong-chih of the Los Angeles Dodgers into the public eye in Wang’s stead, though some observers say the pair have a way to go yet to fill their compatriot’s shoes.

  

  Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kuo Hong-chih of Taiwan faces the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning during their National League baseball game in San Diego, California, on Sept. 29.

  PHOTO: REUTERS

  During the MLB offseason, their agents have been seeking more attention for the pair from merchandisers and would-be sponsors. They have also spoken to television networks in Taiwan about broadcasting more games.

  “I’ve heard that fans have become more mature, that they know Wang Chien-ming is not the only player,” said Alan Chang, director of Taiwan baseball for Octagon, a sports management firm that went to bat for both men this year to seek exposure.

  Ni and Kuo both appeared at a fundraiser for victims of Typhoon Morakot. Kuo has landed sponsorships with Nike, the fast food chain Subway and Smart Media International, and jerseys bearing the players’ numbers are on sale in sports shops in Taiwan.

  

  Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Ni Fu-te delivers to the Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning of their American League baseball game in Detroit, Michigan, on Oct. 1.

  PHOTO: REUTERS

  “All these guys are unique in their own ways,” Chang said. “They’re all national heroes.”

  Before last year, Wang was a league sensation whose sinker balls had earned him a 54-23 career win-loss record and a line-up of product sponsorships in Taiwan. He remains a household name and jerseys sporting his No. 40 are a common sight.

  Three other Taiwan-born players in the US major leagues have struggled to stand out. One, Tsao Chin-hui, was recently named as a defendant in a Chinese Professional Baseball League game-fixing probe.

  Unlike Wang, a starting pitcher usually responsible for winning or losing games, Ni and Kuo are relief pitchers who come in almost at random when starters do poorly or get tired, making television coverage hard to plan.

  “To say that Wang Chien-ming will be replaced by these other two because he was injured, I wouldn’t go that far, but Taiwan’s Yankees viewership has been affected,” said Kang Cheng-nan, a physical education teacher at National Taiwan University. “The other two need to be monitored for longer, but if they do well, fans will watch.”

  Wang has sat out much of the past two seasons and it is unclear how the Yankees will treat him in the future.

  He had a foot injury last year and, after several poor showings early this year, went back on the disabled list — first with a hip muscle weakness and then with a shoulder problem that needed surgery.

  Left-hander Ni was described on the MLB Web site as a “valuable piece” of the Tigers’ relief pitching staff since his debut in June.

  Ni, 26, ended this season, his first in the US major leagues, with a respectable earned run average (ERA) of 2.61.

  “I never expected that after being kicked up to the majors I could get into these games so fast,” Ni told a news conference after returning to Taiwan. “I don’t think I can improve any further on my actual ball-throwing speed.”

  Kuo, 28, has a reputation for staying in play after five seasons despite four shoulder operations. He finished this season for the Dodgers with a solid ERA of 3.0.

  Asked about the prospects of a salary raise at a recent media event, Kuo answered with characteristic deadpan humor that “the more the better.”

  When either player appears on television, Taiwanese fans watch with open minds.

  “I personally think no one can replace Wang and I hope he can come back,” said Yang Chi-hsiang, a second-year university student and softball player in Taipei. “But the other two are Taiwan players, so we’ll support them.”
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