The Scoop (WMG update....BWC NT announced).....

Amateur:

In an earlier post, WMG sent out a memo stating that it was representing 6 kids from Taiwan - it listed 4 kids on that piece of paper - two 18 year olds & two 17 year olds. I think it's now apparent why the other two kids weren't listed; they are both 15 year olds!
The two remaining WMG clients are:

1)15 year-old 6'1'' RHP Tai-Chen Chen: just graduated from Tong-Shi Jr HS in Chia-Yi County - tops out in the low 80's

2)15 year-old 6'2'' RHP Wei-Yu Chuang : just graduated from An-Shun Jr HS in Tainan City - tops out at 85 mph

Both kids will be attending Taichung Agricultural HS.

The interesting thing about the whole thing is that WMG is supposedly in partnership with the CTBA. The CTBA and the governing body for amateur HS sports have taken a hard-line stance (doling out punishment to the schools involved) in the past when HS players signed with MLB teams prior to their graduation from HS. However what has transpired here between WMG and the CTBA is reminiscent of what happened last year with uber-prospect Yi-Hao Lin who was 15 when he signed with the Yomiuri Giants. The fact that WMG is shopping the two 17 year olds is not a problem; the company is acting within the guidelines set aside by MLB rules: (To be eligible to sign a contract, a player must be 16 years old at the time of signing and turn 17 years old by either 1) September 1 or 2) the end of his first professional season, whichever is later.) . But the fact that WMG is marketing Taiwanese kids who are governed by the CTBA - an organization that detests early signings, it makes you scratch your head and say WTF?! If the CTBA is leading by example, then it has set a precedent for future early signings.

World Cup News:

Head coach TY Kuo has announced his 24-man roster for the upcoming Baseball World Cup. Here it is:

Pitchers (10):

1)Po-Hsuan Keng (Blue Jays)

2)Sung-Wei Tseng (Indians)

3)Ying-Chieh Lin (Eagles)

4)En-Yu Lin (Eagles)

5)Ming-Chieh Hsu (NPB - Lions)

6)Chien-Fu Yang (Bulls)

7)Wei-Lun Pan (CPBL - Lions)

8)Fu-Te Ni (Whales)

9)Yu-Chieh Shen (Whales)

10)Ming-Chieh Hsu (Amateur)

Catchers (3):1)Chun-Chang Yeh (Bulls)

2)Feng-Min Chen (Bears)

3)Chih-Kang Kao (Lions)

Infielders (6):

1)Tai-Shan Chang (Bulls)

2)Kuo-Ching Kao (Lions)

3)Chih-Sheng Lin (Bears)

4)Yi-Chuan Lin (Amateur)

5)Han Lin (Amateur)

6)Chung-Shou Yang (Fighters)

Outfielders (5):

1)Chin-Feng Chen (Bears)

2)Chia-Hsien Hsieh (Cobras)

3)Cheng-Min Peng (Elephants)

4)Wu-Hsiung Pan (Lions)

5)Chih-Yao Chan (Amateur)

Changes to the roster could be expected after the NT plays an exhibition series in Australia later this month.

NPB:

The Tigers beat the Bay Stars 9-7. WC Lin was 1-5. Box

The Lions lost 4-0. MC Hsu pitched 2 innings in relief, allowing 1 run on 3 hits. Box

CPBL:

Bears 5 - Whales 3: Ying-Feng Tsai won his 3rd game of the year and game MVP honors after giving up 1 run on 2 hits over 5 IP. Kevin Huang picked up his 11th save of the season. For the Bears offense: CFC was 0-4 with a walk/CS Lin was 1-4/Raul Gonzalez was 3-5 with 2 RBI's/Chin-Deh Yu was 3-5/Long-Yi Huang was 2-5/Kit Pellow was 0-2 but drove in 2 runs. Whales 1B Chia-Hung Chen was 2-4 with 2 RBI's.

Bulls 5 - Cobras 4: Bulls 2B Chao-Hsing Cheng helped spur a 4-run 7th inning with his 9th HR of the season - he was also 2-4 with a triple and 2 RBI's to garner game MVP honors. Bulls OF Hsien-Ming Yu was also 2-4 with a triple and 2 RBI's - Tarzan was 0-4. For the Cobras, CH Hsieh was 2-3 with a double/Ming-Jen Kuo was 3-5 with a double and a RBI/Su-Chi Zhou was 2-4 with a double.