THE WORLD BASEBALL CHALLENGE … it’s what the world is coming to, Aug. 13-22. worldbaseball.ca CHINESE TAIPEI, JAPAN SET SIGHTS ON TITLE CHASE IN PRINCE GEORGE August 1, 2013 In less than two weeks, there will be not one, but two Asian-based powerhouses looking to climb to the top of the international baseball world – and to climb over Cubans, Americans and Canadians to get there. Today, the World Baseball Challenge organizing committee is pleased to reveal the team rosters for two of the five teams that will play in the international tournament, Aug. 13-22. The Chinese Taipei National team, and the Intercity League champions from Japan, will bring their unique brands of ‘Pacific Rim baseball’ and their precise fundamentals to Citizen Field in Prince George, the second-straight tournament those countries have been represented. “Compared to what we are used to seeing on TV in North America, or at MLB parks, they play the game in a different way, with a different style, with a different approach – and they play it very, very well,” said World Baseball Challenge co-chair Jim Swanson. “There is a structure and a discipline to their game that other countries have tried to emulate for decades, but have never quite found it. The respect they bring to the field, their stoic determination to win, no one has ever taken a game against Japan or Chinese Taipei for granted because you know they won’t take a pitch off. They were impressive to watch, both squads, in 2011, excellent drawing cards and legitimate contenders. Anyone who saw Chinese Taipei beat Cuba in extra innings in the first playoff game, or saw Japan go pitch-for-pitch with Cuba on the first day of that tournament, has fond memories of outstanding performances.” Among the returnees for the same Chinese Taipei team that took the short route to the 2011 World Baseball Challenge final, losing to the booming bats of the Cuban National Team, is second baseman Lin Han, an all-star in 2011. Han has played for Chinese Taipei in the recent World Baseball Classic. Po Ting Hsaio was stellar at shortstop for Chinese Taipei in Prince George in 2011 as he and Lin Han were named the all-star middle infield. The Chinese Taipei pitching staff is 10 deep, and you know speed and defence will be hallmarks of the team. Ming Tsu Lu is the manager for Chinese Taipei, with a total travel contingent of 31 people due to arrive Aug. 12. Chinese Taipei’s first game is Aug. 14 against USA, a 3 pm start at Citizen Field. Japan’s entry won its way to Prince George – by winning what is commonly referred to as the “Industrial League” title, bulldozing its way to the berth in the World Baseball Challenge. En route to winning the Intercity League championship, JX-Eneos, sponsored by Nippon Oil, defeated Toshiba 7-1 – and World Baseball Challenge fans will remember the defensive skill and baserunning excellence of that team. Toshiba-Japan was a formidable foe, finishing third, and putting scares into Cuba and Chinese Taipei along the way, along with pounding on the host Canadians. JX-Eneos will field a team that knows how to win. A total of 37 are in the Japan travel contingent, including an umpire and journalist. JAPAN JX-Eneos Coaches – Hideaki Okubo, Noriyuki Takahashi, Daimon Hirata, Wataru Higuchi Team staff – Masashi Watanabe, Tetsuya Tanikawa, Yuta Maehashi, Eichi Sato, Satoko Fujikura 1. Ren Yamasaki 2. Shun Ishikawa 3. Toshiyuki Yanagita 5. Yohei Saiga 6. Kimio Watanabe 7. Kentaro Miyazawa 8. Masaki Maeda 9. Daisuke Ishii 10. Keui Ikebe 11. Tomoya Mikami 13. Masato Komuro 14. Isao Numao 15. Akihiro Kitahara 16. Shota Eguchi 17. Ryo Nakagawa 18. Ryoji Ohtsuka 19. Motoshi Oshiro 20. Go Yamaoka 21. Yoshihiro Oda 22. Yasufumi Takahashi 23. Kazuaki Hidaka 24. Naoki Yamaguchi 25. Hidefumi Kashwagi 26. Masataka Iryo 27. Keisuke Shibata 28. Toshiki Yamada 31. Shuya Tabata CHINESE TAIPEI Chinese Taipei National Team Manager – Ming Tsu Lu (97) Coaches – An Hsi Lee (59), Chung I Lin (3), Cheng Hsun Hsieh (77), Chung Kuang Tsai (68) Team staff – Chun Chi Chen, Chia Chu Lu 45. Jhih Long Yang P 32. Yu Hsun Chen P 55. Tsung Hao Wang P 75. Chun Lin Kuo P 11. Jung Hao Hseih 96. Chia Yu Chien P 38. Hsein Chih Chang P 24. Hang Lin P 47. Meng Chen Fan P 18. Hua Wei Lo P 49. Chia Wei Huang C 10. Min Hsun Chang C 60. Shih Hao Liu C 98. Han Lin IF 5. Wei Chih Chen IF 12. Ming Jen Kuo IF 6. Chun Kai Liao IF 71. Chi Hung Hsu IF 7. Po Ting Hsiao IF 69. Meng Hsiung Yu OF 56. Tsung Chun Wu OF 25. Wang Wei Lin OF 58. Guo Long Luo OF 9. Po Jung Wang OF 2013 World Baseball Challenge Prince George, BC, Canada Aug. 13-23, 2013 – Prince George Citizen Field AS OF AUG 1 - FINAL Home team listed FIRST Tuesday, Aug. 13 (off, Japan-JXEneos, Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres, Chinese Taipei National Team) NWAAC-USA vs. Team Canada, 7 pm Wednesday, Aug. 14 (off, Team Canada) Chinese Taipei National Team vs. NWAAC-USA, 3 pm Japan-JXEneos vs. Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres, 7 pm Thursday, Aug. 15 (off, NWAAC-USA) Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres vs. Chinese Taipei National Team, 3 pm Team Canada vs. Japan-JXEneos, 7 pm Friday, Aug. 16 (off, Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres) NWAAC-USA vs. Japan-JXEneos, 3 pm Chinese Taipei National Team vs. Team Canada, 7 pm Saturday, Aug. 17 (off, Team Canada) Japan-JXEneos vs. Chinese Taipei National Team, 3 pm NWAAC-USA vs. Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres, 7 pm Sunday, Aug. 18 (off, Japan-JXEneos) Chinese-Taipei National Team vs. NWAAC-USA, 3 pm Team Canada vs. Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres, 7 pm Monday, Aug. 19 (off, Chinese-Taipei) Team Canada vs. NWAAC-USA, 3 pm Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres vs. Japan-JXEneos, 7 pm Tuesday, Aug. 20 (off, NWAAC-USA) Japan-JXEneos vs. Team Canada, 3 pm Cuba-Ciego de Avila Tigres vs. Chinese Taipei National Team, 7 pm Wednesday, Aug. 21 (off, first place team) Fourth vs. fifth, 3 pm Second vs. Third, 7 pm Thursday, Aug. 22 Bronze, loser Second/Third vs. winner of Fourth/Fifth, 3 pm Gold, First vs. Second/Third winner, 7 pm Friday, Aug. 23 RAIN DATE Tournament passes are available through all Ticketmaster outlets, or on-line at ticketmaster.ca. Day passes and single-game passes will be available at the door. For those who have purchased full passes, pick up is expected to be available at the park by Aug. 9. For further information/comment: Jim Swanson, Co-Chair, World Baseball Challenge 778-349-0570 Shawn Rice, Marketing Director/Co-Chair, WBC 250-612-9856
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 23:23:04 +0000