SP Ghi-cheng Kum
Ghi-cheng Kum may have been an afterthought of the Cedars management when he was picked up on a minor league contract during free agency, a pitcher who was to be squirrelled away in the minors for a rainy day.
It wasn't raining the Cedars had a good Spring Training going 10-5 in the first half of ST, playing so well they let the back ups take to the field in the second half. They came into the second game of the Baghdad series with a 3-1 record, a record that they knew should have been 4-0 if not for a 1 inning blow out against Jerusalem so no umbrellas needed as yet.
So why the leap of faith for a pitcher at best had an average career in the BBA to a minor league contract to starting for an early season play offs favourite, intelligence that's the word being used by the Beirut management that's what impressed them when they looked at Ghi-cheng.
6 innings after taking the mound on his UMEBA debut Ghi-cheng had put the Cedars in a winning position giving up just 2 hits one being a Wes Savage double and a single from Raúl Hernández, those from the first two hitters he faced, the third he faced Joey 'The Dart' Newhouse flew out but deep enough for Savage to score. The management stayed with Ghi-cheng and he repaid them by shutting out the Kings bats in the next 5 innings with the only Kings hitter António Cruz reaching base in the bottom of the 5th and that via a walk.
Bernardo García pitched 3 innings to shut out the game and give Ghi-cheng his first win on his UMEBA debut, who knows if he can keep this up but a minor league contract in exchange for a win non cheaper than that.