Chin-Feng Chen

Chen Chin-feng (traditional Chinese: 陳金鋒; pinyin: Chén Jīnfēng; Wade–Giles: Ch'en2 Chin1-Feng1; born 28 October 1977) is a former professional baseball outfielder. A Taiwanese aborigine of Siraya tribal ancestry,^[1] in 2002, he became the first player born in Taiwan to play in Major League Baseball. He is currently the manager for the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Playing career

In 1999 in the Cal League with Single-A San Bernardino Stampede in 1999, he batted .316/.404/.580 with 31 homers, 31 steals, 123 RBIs, and 75 walks.^[2] Along with outfielder Joc Pederson, who achieved the same feat in the Triple-A in 2014, Chen is one of only two Los Angeles Dodgers minor leaguers to have a 30 home run, 30 stolen bases season.^[2][3]

Chen became the first Taiwanese baseball player to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) when he made his debut on September 14, 2002.^[4] He played sparingly for the Los Angeles Dodgers in parts of the 2002–05 seasons. In 2005, Chen was reluctant to accept a designation for assignment back to the Dodgers' Las Vegas 51s Triple-A team and try out with another major league team.

In 2005, Chen was the first Taiwanese position player to ever get a hit in MLB, a 2-run RBI single off Colorado Rockies' reliever Bobby Seay. Pitcher Chin-hui Tsao had earlier become the first Taiwanese player to get a hit in the majors, with the Colorado Rockies on August 18, 2003.

After his contract with the Dodgers expired after the 2005 season, Chen announced on December 26, 2005, that he would not return to North America for the 2006 season but would instead enter the CPBL draft. In 2006, after struggling to make the 25-man roster with the Dodgers, Chen tried out for the Japanese professional league (NPB), and eventually decided to play in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan.

He was promptly selected by the La New Bears as a designated hitter. Chen completed his first complete baseball season back home in Taiwan in 2006. He ranked first in many statistics, including batting average and 81 RBIs. He also led the Bears to the championship, and won his first MVP title for the final series matches.

In the 2007 Asian Baseball Championship, Chen homered off Yu Darvish of Japan, briefly giving Chinese Taipei a lead.^[5][6] Chen played well in the tournament and gained attention from several Japanese and Korean teams, including the Orix Buffaloes. However, Chen did not sign with them, and remained in Taiwan.^{[citation needed]}

Chen announced his retirement from the CPBL on September 18, 2016.^[7] Following the end of his final match that day, Lamigo Monkeys retired his number, #52.^[8]

Post-playing career

On March 24, 2017, the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League hired Chen as their vice general manager.^[9]

On December 30, 2023, the Guardians named Chen their manager.^[10][11]

International career

Chen was selected to the Chinese Taipei national baseball team at the 1999 Asian Baseball Championship, 2001 Baseball World Cup, 2003 Asian Baseball Championship, 2004 Summer Olympics, 2006 Asian Games, 2007 Asian Baseball Championship, 2008 Summer Olympics Qualification Final Qualifying Tournament and 2016 exhibition games against Japan.^[12]

Achievements

Chen was inducted into the Taiwan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.^[13]

Chen had two uniform numbers retired by professional teams. Lamigo Monkeys retired his number #52 in 2016, at the conclusion of his CPBL career.^[8] San Bernardino retired his number #43 in honor of his 30–30 season in 1999.^[14]

Chen hit the first grand slam in Konami Cup history in 2006.^[15]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Taiwan

References

1. ^ "Singer works to insert indigenous songs into mainstream". Taiwan Culture Portal. Ministry of Culture, Republic of China. April 23, 2010. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
2. ^ Stephen, Eric (August 22, 2014). "Joc Pederson already in rare company in Dodgers minor league history". True Blue LA. SB Nation. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
3. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Joc Pederson joins Pacific Coast League 30/30 club for Albuquerque Isotopes | MiLB.com News". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
4. ^ "MLB - Dodgers make Chen first Taiwanese on big-league roster". ESPN. Associated Press. September 9, 2002.
5. ^ Asian Baseball Championship 2007 CCF HR 02TV Asahi (Television production). Retrieved 2025-06-18. – via YouTube.
6. ^ "Hoshino leads Japan to Olympics". Japan Times. December 4, 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
7. ^ Lin, Hung-han; Lu, Hsin-hui; Liu, Kay (18 September 2016). "Chen Chin-feng, first Taiwanese playing in MLB, retires". Central News Agency. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
8. ^ "Lamigo baseball player Chen Chin-Feng retires / 陳金鋒引退賽 全隊穿52號球衣致敬 ｜ 公視新聞網 PNN". 公視新聞網 PNN. 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
9. ^ Rob (2017-03-24). "Guardians have signed 陳金鋒 (Chen Chin-Feng) as vice GM". CPBL STATS. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
10. ^ "快訊／富邦悍將也換總教練 陳金鋒接棒上任 | ETtoday運動雲 | ETtoday新聞雲" [News: Fubon Guardians also changed head coach; Chen Jinfeng took over] (in Traditional Chinese). sports.ettoday.net. 2023-12-30. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
11. ^ "悍將教練團改組調整 陳金鋒接任總教練" [Chen Chin-feng took over as head coach after the reorganization and adjustment of the coaching team] (in zh-Hant-TW). 富邦悍將棒球隊官方網站. Fubon Guardians. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
12. ^ "中職日職對抗賽 代表隊參賽名單出爐". 中華職棒大聯盟全球資訊網 The Official Site of CPBL. January 29, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
13. ^ "Taiwan Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes Class of 2022". World Baseball Softball Confederation. August 3, 2023. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
14. ^ "Permanent record". Focus Taiwan - CNA English News. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
15. ^ "Chen stars as the Bears spank China". Taipei Times. 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2025-06-18.

External links

, or CPBL