Pharaoh Moans (2046-11): Stars of Rookie League

[woods]

TAIPEI - The Chinese Baseball League (CBL) has played its final regular-season games, which means the season is over for the Taiwan Koi Fish, who finished with a 33-35 record, good enough for a distant eighth place in the standings.

For some of the players, it will be as close as they get to The Show. Their performances won’t be deemed good enough to make the jump to A-ball next season, so they’ll be given their walking papers and put on the first flight back to the mainland. But for others, it’s just the first act of what may end up being a long and fruitful baseball career.

Let’s take a look at some of the rookie ball standouts, since it’s never too early to get familiar with the names.

Wibawa Subadio may already be the most well-known athlete in Taiwan. His first-overall selection in this year’s amateur draft netted the 17-year-old a hefty signing bonus, as well as some endorsement deals on the island (you can see his face on most bottled water in the country, as the nation’s leading water producer has rebranded themselves as WibaWater). However, his production on the field dried up at times. After a slow start this season, he heated up in August, hitting .309/.333/.455 for the month. The Pharaohs could promote Subadio to A-ball next season, but they may also elect to keep him down a bit longer, to work on his hitting as well as his defense (a -3.7 ZR is not going to cut it as an everyday outfielder).

There are certainly no doubts over whether Max Schoof is ready for the next level. The first baseman put an exclamation point on the team’s final game of the season by hitting two bombs, finishing the year with a CBL-leading 17 home runs. The only question that remains is whether Schoof has the defensive prowess to stick at first base, though he may eventually be forced to DH duty regardless due to the presence of Jae-hyung Chi, who is above him in the organization’s pecking order.

Moving to the category of ‘surprising stars’, no one expected the young Makanamaikai Pelike (or just “Mai Tai” for short) to be the shutdown bullpen arm he was for the Koi Fish. The Marshallean held down the late innings of games, posting a 0.80 WHIP with a 13.0 K/9. He doesn’t throw too hard, but he has a wipeout curveball that opponents quite simply couldn’t touch. The kid has plenty of stamina, so expect A-ball to try him out in a multi-inning stopper role next season.

Finally, left fielder Naoki Ohayashi went undrafted in the loaded UMEBA draft of ’45, but Cairo came along, dug through the refuse, and unearthed a potential hidden gem. Ohayashi finished fifth in the CBL this year with a .393 OBP, and really does everything on the field well. He plays respectable defense with a great outfield arm, hit seven home runs, and even stole a couple bases. No doubt he’ll get his ticket to Guam for next season, as left field is a position of need at that level in the organization.

Cairo is really starting to develop an impressive group of prospects, considering how less than a year ago, the organization had literally nothing. It will be exciting to watch these guys as they make their way through the ranks.

[Fat Nige]

Nice to see some more love for the CBL