TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Team Taiwan's captain, Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲), expressed pride in his team's journey through the World Baseball Classic (WBC) qualifiers on Tuesday (Feb. 25).
Chen said the process was arduous, yet he cherished the experience of fighting alongside younger teammates, describing it as a great memory.
Taiwan secured a spot in the tournament by defeating Spain 6-3 on Tuesday. Chen, who led the team in the WBSC Premier12 and WBC qualifiers within three months, acknowledged the significant responsibility and pressure. He pointed out challenges such as the team's lack of peak form, a young roster, and various restrictions imposed by the tournament.
The captain further explained that many overseas pitchers faced restrictions from their home teams, which made the games more challenging. Despite these obstacles, he stressed that the qualifiers were a valuable lesson for the young players, teaching them what it means to carry the expectations of the Taiwanese people.
Chen highlighted the impressive performance of many young players this time and expressed his hope of assembling the strongest national team for next year's WBC.
