TSN reports that Po-Hsuan Keng, a 20-year-old righthanded pitcher from the Chinese Taipei Olympic squad, has signed with the Blue Jays.
Welcome aboard, Po-Hsuan!
Welcome aboard, Po-Hsuan!
I was just about to mention that... Oh well, good to hear.. even though I'd like to get a scouting report on him.
He's a young 20...in fact, he's 19, turning 20 next week. Physically, he's already filled out (6'1", 209).
Where did that come from?!?
Trying to find out as much as I can. From what I can tell he played in the Olympics and got shellacked vs. Cuba.
Trying to find out as much as I can. From what I can tell he played in the Olympics and got shellacked vs. Cuba.
He pitched only one inning at the Olympics...the Cubans lit him up.
RE: Game Against Cuba:
Keng, a 19-year-old rookie of the national team and university freshman, was obviously nervous standing on the pitcher's plate.
He did not take out any Cuban batters, but was given four hits.
Keng, a 19-year-old rookie of the national team and university freshman, was obviously nervous standing on the pitcher's plate.
He did not take out any Cuban batters, but was given four hits.
The all-Mike conversation carries on! Anyone have any idea on how good his stuff is? What he tops out at? His control?
http://www.honkbalweek.nl/html/stats-jap-tpe.htm
I found one of his boxscores. COMN.
I found one of his boxscores. COMN.
Keng? Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.
OK, seriously... he got lit up by Cuba in one of the group games, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk without recording an out.
Keng pitched well against Team USA in Olympic warmups, he went two innings on July 16 and had a line of 2 2 0 0 1 1.
Keng hurt his arm pitching in Haarlem Baseball Week, one of the Olympic warmup tournaments, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of the Olympic squad.
And that's all I could find out.
OK, seriously... he got lit up by Cuba in one of the group games, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk without recording an out.
Keng pitched well against Team USA in Olympic warmups, he went two innings on July 16 and had a line of 2 2 0 0 1 1.
Keng hurt his arm pitching in Haarlem Baseball Week, one of the Olympic warmup tournaments, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of the Olympic squad.
And that's all I could find out.
The all-Mike conversation carries on! Anyone have any idea on how good his stuff is? What he tops out at? His control?
I've never heard of the guy. Hopefully one of the BBox staffers can find out something about him.
Mind you, I knew nothing about the last guy the Jays signed out of Taiwan and he's doing pretty well.
I've never heard of the guy. Hopefully one of the BBox staffers can find out something about him.
Mind you, I knew nothing about the last guy the Jays signed out of Taiwan and he's doing pretty well.
If I find a page on him written in Chinese I could have someone around the office translate it. But I can't seem to find anything suitable.
With the help of my co-worker Lili, I found a picture of him:
How has the other taiwanese player we signed done. I forget his age but I remember he was really young.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
I wonder with the success last year of lefty Chi Hung Cheng at rookie ball and his call to Auburn in the playoffs. Is he helping the Blue Jays by telling his countryman how good he was treated by the Blue Jays since his signing ?
I wonder with the success last year of lefty Chi Hung Cheng at rookie ball and his call to Auburn in the playoffs. Is he helping the Blue Jays by telling his countryman how good he was treated by the Blue Jays since his signing ?
Well, with my limited Chinese language background, I have deciphered his name into Chinese characters. It seems that I can't get them to appear in this comment, but if anyone wants them for searches or whatever, I can mail it to them.
I think that his name is pronounced "Bo Suan Geng", although I may be off on that too.
Does anyone speak Mandarin?
I think that his name is pronounced "Bo Suan Geng", although I may be off on that too.
Does anyone speak Mandarin?
http://www.battersbox.ca/archives/00002443.shtml
Dan, from our recent Blue Jays Top 30 prospects, here's what we said about Chi-Hung Cheng:
26. Chi-hung Cheng, LHP, 19.3
2004 Auburn
0-0, 4.50, 0 GS, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 42.9% KBF
2004 Pulaski
3-1, 2.82, 14 GS, 60.2 IP, 47 H, 35 BB, 74 K, 4 HR, 28.2% KBF
The youngest player on this list and one of the youngest in the entire organization, Cheng spent his last year of adolesence adjusting to the culture change between Taipei and the Appalachians. He also spent it baffling the overmatched young hitters of Rookie League ball, who had never seen anything like Cheng’s paralyzing curve. As those walks totals demonstrate, however, the hitters eventually figured out that Cheng didn’t always know where his pitches were going either.
Cheng’s fastball still only tops out in the mid-to-high-80s, and he’s still growing up in every respect; if he ever gets that fastball into the 90s with movement, and if he can command that breaking pitch, he instantly becomes an intriguing relief candidate. Cheng is firmly on the long-term plan; don’t expect to see him even in the high minors until at least 2007. But he’s worth watching.
Dan, from our recent Blue Jays Top 30 prospects, here's what we said about Chi-Hung Cheng:
26. Chi-hung Cheng, LHP, 19.3
2004 Auburn
0-0, 4.50, 0 GS, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 42.9% KBF
2004 Pulaski
3-1, 2.82, 14 GS, 60.2 IP, 47 H, 35 BB, 74 K, 4 HR, 28.2% KBF
The youngest player on this list and one of the youngest in the entire organization, Cheng spent his last year of adolesence adjusting to the culture change between Taipei and the Appalachians. He also spent it baffling the overmatched young hitters of Rookie League ball, who had never seen anything like Cheng’s paralyzing curve. As those walks totals demonstrate, however, the hitters eventually figured out that Cheng didn’t always know where his pitches were going either.
Cheng’s fastball still only tops out in the mid-to-high-80s, and he’s still growing up in every respect; if he ever gets that fastball into the 90s with movement, and if he can command that breaking pitch, he instantly becomes an intriguing relief candidate. Cheng is firmly on the long-term plan; don’t expect to see him even in the high minors until at least 2007. But he’s worth watching.
What a pitching staff, abetted by Hawaiian Punch-Out and the Keng of Taiwan (who in his down cyclces shall be referred to as "Po Boy of the Bullpen."
So, thoughts? Does Keng have the good face? :)
I'd say that he comes from the Gustavo Chacin school of facial expression. That's OK. I'm sure that there were quite a few dollar signs on his muscle. :)
I'd say that he comes from the Gustavo Chacin school of facial expression. That's OK. I'm sure that there were quite a few dollar signs on his muscle. :)
19 year old lefty Chi Hung Cheng ( What kind of chant is the cheer club going to do for him when he makes the Jays in the future ? ).
Chi Hung Cheng record for 2004 W/L 4-1 , 2.82 ERA , 14 G ,60.2 Innings , 47 hits , 4 hr allowed , 35 BB , 74 SO. This was at Pulaski Blue Jays Rookie ball.
He had a 4.5 ERA in 2 Innings with 0 walks and 3 SO for Auburn when he was called up before the Playoffs to help the Team Pitching.
I do not have the stats for how he pitched for Auburn in the Playoffs.
Chi Hung Cheng record for 2004 W/L 4-1 , 2.82 ERA , 14 G ,60.2 Innings , 47 hits , 4 hr allowed , 35 BB , 74 SO. This was at Pulaski Blue Jays Rookie ball.
He had a 4.5 ERA in 2 Innings with 0 walks and 3 SO for Auburn when he was called up before the Playoffs to help the Team Pitching.
I do not have the stats for how he pitched for Auburn in the Playoffs.
Does anyone speak Mandarin?
My co-worker Richard (a.k.a. Zheng) does, and he says he'd pronounce the name the same way I would. Which is to say, he can't decipher the phoenetics from the latin alphabet version of the name.
My co-worker Richard (a.k.a. Zheng) does, and he says he'd pronounce the name the same way I would. Which is to say, he can't decipher the phoenetics from the latin alphabet version of the name.
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_press_release.jsp?ymd=20041008&content_id=887498&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp
COMN - Press Release on the official site says "poe-swen gung".
COMN - Press Release on the official site says "poe-swen gung".
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_news.jsp?ymd=20041008&content_id=887542&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp
And COMN again for Spencer Fordin's report.
And COMN again for Spencer Fordin's report.
So, thoughts? Does Keng have the good face? :)
Heheheh. After explaining to Lili that she need not know anything about baseball and that I just needed her to translate something for me, she spent 5 minutes telling me which of the players on the Taiwenese team she found attractive and which she did not. :)
Heheheh. After explaining to Lili that she need not know anything about baseball and that I just needed her to translate something for me, she spent 5 minutes telling me which of the players on the Taiwenese team she found attractive and which she did not. :)
a picture of keng in Jay's hat if you're interested http://www.udn.com/2004/10/8/NEWS/SPORTS/SPO5/2283255.shtml
no scouting report however because local fan didn't know much of him other than he has potentials. But Chi Hung Cheng is a phenom,
he was overused in high school age like 2 starts in 3 days for 17 innings and many others. Those overuse_caused injuries damaged his early chance to become a pro. Now that he is healthy, I really hope he has great success in Blue Jays.
no scouting report however because local fan didn't know much of him other than he has potentials. But Chi Hung Cheng is a phenom,
he was overused in high school age like 2 starts in 3 days for 17 innings and many others. Those overuse_caused injuries damaged his early chance to become a pro. Now that he is healthy, I really hope he has great success in Blue Jays.
Possible Cheer Club Po-Hsuan Keng (Poe-Swen Gung) sign, and apologies in advance for the amateurish pun:
WE'RE GUNG-HO OVER KENG-PO!
WE'RE GUNG-HO OVER KENG-PO!
Amateurish? I think not. Helluva job, Rob.
Now, if the Cheer Club can remember it in 2009 when he makes his major league debut, that would be something.
Now, if the Cheer Club can remember it in 2009 when he makes his major league debut, that would be something.
Keng and another Taiwanese in Jays, Chi-Hung Cheng,
are both students of National College of Physical Education and Sports in Taiwan.
are both students of National College of Physical Education and Sports in Taiwan.
Does anyone know how much is his signing bonus??
Does anyone know how much is his signing bonus??
No. But Cheng's last year was reported to be 3rd round money, which would be about $400,000.
No. But Cheng's last year was reported to be 3rd round money, which would be about $400,000.
Thank you, besides that, Does anybody know Keng's Signing bonus?