Chin-Feng Chen
Encyclopedia
Chin-Feng Chen is a baseball
outfielder
who was the first player born in Taiwan to play in Major League Baseball
.
He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers
during - season, but only sparingly. In 2005, Chen was reluctant to accept the designate for assignment back to Dodgers' Las Vegas 51s
AAA
team, and try out with another major league team. In 2006, after struggling to make the 25-man roster with the Dodgers, Chen tried out for the Japanese professional league (NPB
) and eventually decided to play in the Chinese Professional Baseball League
(CPBL) in Taiwan.
Chen is the first Taiwanese baseball player to play in Major League baseball when he made his debut on September 14, 2002. In 2005, Chen was the first Taiwanese position player to ever get a hit in Major League Baseball. However, Chin-hui Tsao
became the first Taiwanese player to get a hit in the Majors with the Colorado Rockies on August 18, 2003. After his contract with the Dodgers organization expired after the 2005 season, Chen announced on December 26, 2005, that he would not return to North America for the season, but would instead enter the CPBL draft. He was promptly selected by the La New Bears
. Chen had completed his first complete baseball season at the hometown Taiwan in 2006. He ranked first on many aspects such as the highest batting average and 81 RBI for the whole season. He also led the La New Bears
team to the championship title and he also won his first MVP title for the final series matches. Later on in the second Asian baseball tournament, he showed the best performance again and gained lots of attentions from Japanese and Korean baseball Clubs, including the well-known Orix Buffaloes
team. But he rejected the contract from this Japanese team and made the decision to stay in Taiwan for at least one more year with his beloved La New Bears
teammates.
Chen is a Taiwanese aborigine (Siraya tribal ancestry), as is Chin-hui Tsao (Amis people).http://savageminds.org/2005/08/14/the-representation-of-aborigines-in-taiwanese-baseball/
Since Chen's debut, five other Taiwanese baseball players have played in MLB: the Rockies' Tsao (now with the CPBL Brother Elephants
), the Washington Nationals
' Chien-Ming Wang
, the Tigers' Fu-Te Ni
, and the Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo
and Chin-Lung Hu
.
in Konami Cup history during the 2006 series.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who was the first player born in Taiwan to play in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
during - season, but only sparingly. In 2005, Chen was reluctant to accept the designate for assignment back to Dodgers' Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
AAA
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team, and try out with another major league team. In 2006, after struggling to make the 25-man roster with the Dodgers, Chen tried out for the Japanese professional league (NPB
NPB
NPB can refer to:* NAS Parallel Benchmarks, a set of benchmarks developed by the NASA for measuring the performance of supercomputers* National Printing Bureau of Japan...
) and eventually decided to play in the Chinese Professional Baseball League
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
(CPBL) in Taiwan.
Chen is the first Taiwanese baseball player to play in Major League baseball when he made his debut on September 14, 2002. In 2005, Chen was the first Taiwanese position player to ever get a hit in Major League Baseball. However, Chin-hui Tsao
Chin-hui Tsao
Chin-Hui Tsao is a former Major League Baseball and CPBL pitcher. He is the second major league player and the first major league pitcher of Republic of China nationality, and like the first, former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Chin-Feng Chen, he is a Taiwanese aborigine...
became the first Taiwanese player to get a hit in the Majors with the Colorado Rockies on August 18, 2003. After his contract with the Dodgers organization expired after the 2005 season, Chen announced on December 26, 2005, that he would not return to North America for the season, but would instead enter the CPBL draft. He was promptly selected by the La New Bears
La New Bears
The Lamigo Monkeys , formerly First Financial Holdings Agan and then the La New Bears , are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan...
. Chen had completed his first complete baseball season at the hometown Taiwan in 2006. He ranked first on many aspects such as the highest batting average and 81 RBI for the whole season. He also led the La New Bears
La New Bears
The Lamigo Monkeys , formerly First Financial Holdings Agan and then the La New Bears , are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan...
team to the championship title and he also won his first MVP title for the final series matches. Later on in the second Asian baseball tournament, he showed the best performance again and gained lots of attentions from Japanese and Korean baseball Clubs, including the well-known Orix Buffaloes
Orix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
team. But he rejected the contract from this Japanese team and made the decision to stay in Taiwan for at least one more year with his beloved La New Bears
La New Bears
The Lamigo Monkeys , formerly First Financial Holdings Agan and then the La New Bears , are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan...
teammates.
Chen is a Taiwanese aborigine (Siraya tribal ancestry), as is Chin-hui Tsao (Amis people).http://savageminds.org/2005/08/14/the-representation-of-aborigines-in-taiwanese-baseball/
Since Chen's debut, five other Taiwanese baseball players have played in MLB: the Rockies' Tsao (now with the CPBL Brother Elephants
Brother Elephants
The Brother Elephants are a professional baseball team in Taiwan. It was originally established as an amateur team in 1984 by the Brother Hotel located in Taipei City, and later joined the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 1989...
), the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
' Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...
, the Tigers' Fu-Te Ni
Fu-Te Ni
Fu-Te Ni is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. Before joining the Tigers, Ni was a professional baseball player from Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League...
, and the Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo
Hong-Chih Kuo is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Kuo made his debut in , he became the fourth MLB player from Taiwan ....
and Chin-Lung Hu
Chin-Lung Hu
Hu Chin-lung is a Taiwanese professional baseball player. He is currently an infielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Hu, along with his countryman Fu-Te Ni , has the shortest surname in Major League Baseball history...
.
Achievements
Chin-Feng Chen hit the first grand slamGrand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in Konami Cup history during the 2006 series.
See also
- Chinese Taipei national baseball team
- List of the Taiwan national baseball team squad at the 2006 Asian Games