The China Post
Date: April 8, 2017
By: Joseph Yeh
Major League Baseball (MLB) kicked off its 2017 season earlier this week, but two of
Former New York Yankee’s ace starter Chien-Ming Wang (王建民), right, and ex-Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star setup man Hong-Chih Kuo (郭泓志) wave to media and fans during a press even in Taipei in 2014. (Joseph Yeh, The China Post)
the most renowned Taiwanese major leaguers, who enjoyed popularity both locally and on the global stage, may be heading to retirement soon.
The two are former New York Yankee’s ace starter Chien-Ming Wang (王建民) and ex-Los Angeles Dodgers all-star setup man Hong-Chih Kuo (郭泓志).
Wang, Yankees starting pitcher from 2005 to 2008, who once had back-to-back 19-win seasons in 2006 and 2007, has been almost synonymous with Taiwanese baseball for nearly a decade. Kuo, meanwhile, was one of the National League’s top relievers during 2008-10 with the Dodgers and the first Taiwanese player ever to play in MLB’s All-Star Game in 2010.
The lefty is also the first Taiwanese to hit a home run in the MLB despite being a pitcher by trade.
Both players have shined in the world’s top-level baseball league for years but were plagued recently with on and off injuries — likely brought on by aging — and have been patiently waiting for their chance to return to the big time.
After bouncing around the minor leagues for three years, Wang signed a minor-league contract with the Kansas City Royals during the 2016 offseason, before they included him on its 25-man roster for the 2016 season. He became an inspiring story after claiming his first MLB win in nearly three years in May 2016 with the Royals, before ultimately finishing last season with a perfect 6-0 record and a 4.22 ERA in 53 1/3 innings. [FULL STORY]
