CPBL: More Games Won't Require More Foreign Players, Says Rakuten Manager Tseng

Rakuten Monkeys manager Tseng Hao-chu has voiced his support for the proposed increase in Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) games, seeing it as a positive step for the development of Taiwanese baseball. Tseng believes that expanding the game schedule would naturally create more playing opportunities for domestic talent, forcing teams to rely less on foreign imports and more on cultivating their own players.

“

Everyone is discussing adding more games, and I think it's a good direction.

"Everyone is discussing adding more games, and I think it's a good direction," Tseng commented. He elaborated that while the desire for local players to compete is strong, the current limited schedule often pushes teams towards foreign players due to pennant race pressures. An expanded schedule, he argues, would necessitate the development of local pitchers, acknowledging that this transition might involve a difficult period of adjustment for a year or two as local talent builds confidence.

“

If the number of games increases, it forces teams to cultivate local pitchers.

Crucially, Tseng firmly rejected the notion that an increase in games would require an increase in the number of foreign players. "I think the number of foreign players is already okay. We currently have three foreign pitchers, or use a fourth foreign pitcher as a reliever. I think this is enough for the CPBL. The focus should be on how to increase innings and develop local talent," he stated. This perspective highlights a common sentiment within Taiwanese baseball circles: a desire to see homegrown talent flourish and to reduce the league's reliance on foreign stars, thereby strengthening the overall quality and depth of the domestic player pool.

“

I think the number of foreign players is already okay. We currently have three foreign pitchers, or use a fourth foreign pitcher as a reliever. I think this is enough for the CPBL.