Wang's talented arm has scouts excited
By Murray Greig (HK Edition)
Updated: 2004-07-12 07:23

China's first homegrown export to North American baseball was in the bullpen for the Tianjin Lions yesterday.

Wang Chao didn't get an opportunity to pitch against the Beijing Tigers in the China Baseball League championship game, but that didn't stop him from shouting himself nearly hoarse as he watched his new teammates drop the CBL clincher 4-2.

Wang hadn't expected to suit up for the Finals, but the opportunity presented itself when he returned from the US after running into a visa problem after a three-month Rookie League stint with the Peoria (Arizona) Mariners.

"I'm disappointed the visa problem wasn't worked out, but it's great to be back home and seeing how far Chinese baseball has come," Wang said.

"I'll stay in China through the winter, keep working out, and be ready to go the full season when I return to the US for spring training."

In 2002 the American League's Seattle Mariners made international headlines by signing the then-16-year-old Wang to a professional development contract and whisking him away to the US.

A strapping 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds, Wang was playing second base for a Beijing school team when the Mariners were tipped off about him.

"He'd never pitched before, but we took a chance. One look at his size and body mechanics and we had a hunch he might be turned into a power thrower," said Ted Heid, Seattle's director of Pacific Rim scouting.

The hunch paid off in spades. Wang has become a legitimate power thrower with a fastball in the 90 miles-per-hour range, and he's gradually added more breaking stuff to his repertoire.

"That was the biggest adjustment - learning to mix up my pitches rather than just relying on the fastball," he said. "In Rookie League they're patient. I've had a chance to develop a slider and a better curve ball, and my mental preparation is better.

"Another big adjustment is that every batter I face over there can hit with power. It's much different than in China. In America, almost every guy can hit the ball out of the park if he gets a good pitch."

Wang, who started playing at age 8 when he entered Fengtai Baseball School in Beijing, said he never dreamed about one day being on the brink of a Major League career.

"It still seems not real sometimes," he said with a smile. "I loved the game from an early age, and I got great encouragement and support from my parents. But I never thought I could one day have baseball for a career."

Wang's mother was a star outfielder on China's national softball team, and his father is a trainer with the Chinese Olympic programme.

Asked if he feels any extra pressure being touted as the star of China's entry in the 2008 Olympic tournament, Wang gave a typically humble reply.

"Baseball is a team game, and nobody is more important than the team," he said. "To be a successful pitcher you need the support of all your teammates. If I am lucky enough to play for China at the Beijing Olympics it would be greatest thrill of my life."

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