CTBC Brothers pitching coach Wang Chien-ming on Monday served as a guest pitching coach for a day to help Palau’s national baseball team get ready for an upcoming regional multi-sport event that includes baseball.
The Palau team are in Taiwan as part of a training program organized by National Taiwan Sport University at the behest of the Sports Administration to prepare for the 12th quadrennial Pacific Mini Games in June in the Pacific island-state.
Wang, who starred for the New York Yankees from 2005 to 2008 before a foot injury derailed his career, was featured as a guest pitching coach at the invitation of Sports Administration Director-General Cheng Shih-chung.
Photo: CNA
Cheng said Wang offered insights and tips to Palau’s pitching staff, while Wang praised Palau’s pitchers for having a good foundation, enabling him to focus on more technical details on how to pitch as efficiently as possible.
Monday’s program concentrated on the best way to grip the ball, optimizing the throwing motion and getting as much power as possible from the pivot foot, Wang said.
Wang also taught the pitchers of Palau his signature sinker, for which he was known during his time in the major leagues.
Palauan pitcher Ray Rdialul Rumong, who got some tips from Wang, said that the former Yankee was very detailed in his coaching and the session gave pitchers several insights, including how to have better control.
According to Cheng, arranging for Wang to coach the Palau team was part of a program to give the allied island-state access to Taiwan’s abundant baseball resources to further its abilities.
One of the programs’ main elements would be to have the Palau national team play against local school teams at all levels to help Palauan players get more game experience and build up their skills, Cheng said.
Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled on Thursday as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart, Germany, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace, while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the score sheet for the UEFA Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France’s three late goals — a
Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia. Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the past two World Cups. “I have no explanation. Our supporters don’t deserve this kind of match. We need to do some soul-searching. It’s unacceptable,” Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
Badminton world No. 3 Anders Antonsen clinched his first Indonesia Open title yesterday after beating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, while South Korea’s An Se-young won her second championship in Jakarta. The 28-year-old Dane sank world No. 7 Chou at the Indonesian capital’s Istora Senayan arena, winning 22-20, 21-14 in a 60-minute match to secure the prestigious Super 1000 event. Antonsen came out on top in a tightly contested first game before cruising to victory in the second. In a more closely fought women’s singles final, South Korean ace and world No. 1 An fought back from one game down to beat China’s
RSS