New Rakuten Monkeys Batter Willick Eager to Prove Himself in Taiwan After Japanese Stint

New Rakuten Monkeys foreign batter Willick joined the team for practice on July 15th and is set to make his official debut in the minor league soon. The 34-year-old outfielder, who previously played in Japan's independent league after leaving Nippon Professional Baseball, expressed his long-held desire to continue playing baseball in Asia.

"If I can play here for a long time, that would be great," Willick said. He joined the Rakuten Monkeys after they became the first team in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) to contact him. Willick stated his approach is to focus on playing well year by year, believing that good performance will naturally attract team interest.

After departing from NPB, Willick chose to play in Japan's independent league, specifically with the Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball. He explained that while he could have returned to play in the United States, staying in Japan offered a better chance of being noticed by scouts from other teams, a strategy that ultimately led to his opportunity in Taiwan.

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If I can play here for a long time, that would be great.

Willick, who discussed overseas playing opportunities with his agent as early as 2019, researched professional leagues in China, Japan, and Korea before starting his journey in Japan. Now arriving in Taiwan, he is excited about the different style of play in Asia, emphasizing that "baseball is baseball" and the goal on the field is always to score more runs than the opponent.

Comparisons have been drawn between Willick and fellow power hitter Alex Maier, another foreign player in the CPBL. Willick noted that they had faced each other in the US minor leagues and shares a similar career trajectory. He acknowledged Maier as an excellent player and expressed his own ambition to prove himself and become just as capable.

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baseball is baseball