NEW TAIPEI TEAM UNVEILED AMID SELECTION QUESTIONS

Weeks after Taiwan’s embarrassing performance in the World Baseball Classic, the island nation’s capital city was introduced to its new baseball team, courtesy of its local government. The new Taipei team was formed by city leaders after a federal call to revive the game at all levels.

Taipei mayor Lung-bin Hau was on hand to introduce the 21 players on the new team, which will be led on the field by Ying Chieh Kao, who coached current New York Yankees pitcher Chien-ming Wang. The government had originally planned to pick 25 players for Taipei’s team, but settled on a list of 21 ex-pros, college and high school products. Former dMedia T-Rex player Chu-jien Hsu, who was not selected, claimed he was blacklisted because of rumors he was involved in the gambling and game-fixing scandals that led to the T-Rex being disbanded after last season.

Governments in Taipei and Taoyuan Counties and Taichung City are also forming municipal teams, none of which apparently plan to petition to join the Chinese Professional Baseball League.