News and Updates - UPDATED***

*After a break-out year in the NPB, Chunichi Dragons LHP Wei-Yin Chen is receiving a huge increase (nearly 6X) in his salary. He made 6 million yen last year and will now receive 35 million yen (~ $366 K USD) in 2009.

*Reviving a rivalry from nearly a decade ago, the Taiwan-South Korea University Baseball Invitational kicked off. The Taiwan Sports University (also known as NCPES/NTUPES) sent two teams representing its Taichung and Taoyuan campuses. Former Blue Jay farmhand, Chi-Hung Cheng pitched for the TSU-Taichung team and threw 5 innings, allowing only 3 hits, K'ing 4, and gave up 1 run. He topped out at 86 mph. After he left the game, the South Korean school would rally for 4 runs to end the game in a 4-4 tie. Also playing in the game for TSU were C Chun-Hsiu Chen (Indians) - he had 2 hits and 2 RBI, OF Chao-Ting Tang (Tigers) - he had a hit, and RHP Hsin-Hong Tsai (almost a Cubbie) - allowed a hit.

TSU-Taoyuan won its game 13-3 in 7 innings.*Updated

*Ming-Chie Lin, a top 10 HS class of '09 player, continues to attract a lot of attention . UDN has reported that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins have been scouting Lin.

*MC Lin's teammate, P Yu-Te He has also attracted the attention of ML scouts (news reports cite the presence of the Twins scout at the game). He threw 8 innings against Ku-Pao on the 23rd. In that game, Ku-Pao's Wei-Chen Wang continued his hot hitting streak - he had 3 more hits, including 2 triples as Ku-Pao won 7-3.

*Former T-Rex/Cobras slugger Chia-Hsien Hsieh has volunteered on his own to participate in the WBC training session taking place 12/1 to 12/7. Also contrary to what was reported earlier, Red Sox farmhands Che-Hsuan Lin, Chih-Hsien Chiang, and Wang-Yi Lin will not be participating in the training session. Taking their places are Chia-Chu Chen (Red Sox), Chia-Jen Lo (Astros), and 22 year old (DOB: 3/19/86) C Cheng-Da Wu, who played HS and collegiate baseball (Suzuka International Unversity) in Japan. Next year, he will be playing for the Kishu Rangers of the Kansai Independent League - the same league that made news when it selected a 16 year old girl.

***NEW UPDATES

*Per their agent, former Blue Jays farmhands CH Cheng and PH Keng want to play overseas and are unlikely to consider playing in the CPBL next year.

*Gui-Shan elementary school won the little league division of the aboriginal tourney.

*Ku-Pao HS defeated Chung-Dao HS in the championship game of the senior level of the aboriginal tourney behind C Kuan-Ru Chen's 2 hits and home run and LHP Kuan-Yu Chen's 11 K's in 7 innings of work.

*Hsin-Shen junior HS won the youth division of the aboriginal tourney behind RHP Chia-Wei Yang, a kid with some upside (6'0" tall).*Updated

*Regarding the WBC and the NPB, the Hanshin Tigers are willing to allow OF Wei-Chu Lin to participate in the WBC. The Rakuten Eagles will also allow RHP En-Yu Lin to play in March.

*Some potential good news for the CPBL - the Taichung city government is considering getting its own pro baseball team.

*Two KBO and two CPBL teams will be training in Taiwan in February of next year.

*Much like Tiger Woods and GM, E Sun Bank is unlikely to continue its sponsorship/ad deal with Chien-Ming Wang because of the sad state of the economy.