12/22 News and Notes....

*Rumor has it that Octagon is asking for $1 million for RHP Rong-Hao Hsieh. Hsieh touched 90 mph in a game last week.

*Ku-Pao SS Tung-Jung Wu returned home to Taiwan after having difficulty securing a scholarship to enter college in Japan.

*The Taoyuan County Aerotropolis baseball team was stripped of its Association Cup title won in November because of its association with a banned player - Chun-Chiang Kao. The team's manager Chu-Ming Lee was suspended for one year.

*The Sinon Bulls released veteran C and one time NT regular Chun-Chang Yeh. Yeh is also the CPBL players association commish. Star slugger Tai-Shan Chang (Tarzan) received a 30% cut in his salary (from 331 K NT/month > 233 K NT/month).

*The Sinon Bulls did manage to ink slugger Tsung-Chun Wu, their 4th round draft pick in '08. Wu received a 3.5 million NT (~$108 K USD) signing bonus and will make 90 K NT (~$2,800 USD) a month. Wu was the star of the '09 NT at the ABC and was also the '09 CPBL minor league HR champ.

*Chung-Dao HS, which was in danger of disbanding for economic reasons not too long ago has found two sponsors for the next 3 years. Chung-Dao finished 4th in the recently competed wood bat tourney.

*The island's international little league level tourney (Chu-Lo Cup) kicks off tomorrow. 117 teams are expected to participate in the competition with 9 teams coming from Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. A team from Kyoto, Japan won last year's tournament.