CPBL Updates on Foreigners, and More

29 year old right hander Kleber Ojima, a Japanese from Brazil (there are about 350,000 Japanese people in Brazil), is having an oustanding season. He is 3-1-0 with a 1.51 ERA in seven games (all starts, 35 2/3 innings). He has also displayed excellent control with nine walks against 35 strikeouts and is a big reason why the Makoto Cobras are one of the best teams in the Chinese Professional Baseball League this season, as opposed to being the worst last year.

One of the Chinese prospects to watch for is rookie Lin Ying-jie. The 24 year old lefty is 4-3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in eight games (all starts, 52 innings). He has walked 13 while striking out 55. Could he be coming to Japan one day to pitch?

Japanese scouts are apparently more interested in Sinon Bulls' pitcher Yang Chien-fu, who is 3-2-0 with a 1.97 ERA in seven games (all starts, 50.1 innings).

For the La New Bears, former Japanese big leaguer Satoshi Iriki's ERA has balloned to 4.09. He is 2-3-0 in five games, all starts (33 innings). Another former Japanese big leaguer, Cory Bailey, is 2-4-0 with a 2.93 ERA in nine games (eight starts, 58.1 innings).

For the China Trust Whales, rookie Wang Guo-chin has been a big help in the bullpen with a 1.42 ERA in 12 games (1 start, 25 1/3 innings). The 24 year old right hander has walked four and fanned 25. Meanwhile, Dario Veras has a 2-0-1 record with three saves and a 0.66 ERA in nine games.

Pang Cheng-ming of the Brother Elephants and Hsieh Jia-hsian of the Cobras are leading the CPBL with 6 home runs each through 22 games.