BASEBALL/Team Taiwan to play 2 games against KBO Lotte Giants before WBC qualifiers

Taipei, Jan. 20 (CNA) Team Taiwan will host two games against the Lotte Giants from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in mid-February as part of the team's preparation for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) qualifiers.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) said the games will be held on Feb. 12 and 13 at Taipei Dome, and a promotional press conference will take place on Feb. 4.

Tickets for the series will go on sale the next day, priced at NT$480 (US$14.65)-NT$880, according to the league.

The Giants have a 40-year history and won the KBO championship in 1984 and 1992. However, the team has been ranked between seventh and last in the 10-team KBO over the past seven seasons, after finishing third in the 2017 season with an 80-62-2 record.

After the exhibition series, Team Taiwan will continue practicing at Tianmu Baseball Stadium until Feb. 18.

Team Taiwan has not unveiled the full list of its 35-man roster, which will be officially announced when it begins training on Feb. 3, according to CPBL President Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌).

Tseng Hao-jiu (曾豪駒), Team Taiwan's manager, has said that the roster will be different from that of the Premier12, with "Captain Taiwan" Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) and catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正), the only two set to play in both tournaments.

In the Premier12 Final against Japan last November, Lin was forced to leave the game early after his right hand was hit by the ball during a swing.

The team has been monitoring Lin's fitness since then, which is the only reason he could be held back and not play in the qualifiers, Tseng said.

On Jan. 14, he revealed that the roster will include 19 pitchers, including nine from the CPBL and 10 playing overseas.

In addition, there will be four catchers, seven infielders and five outfielders on the team.

Taiwan is set to face off against Spain at Taipei Dome on Feb. 21 in its first qualifier game, followed by games against South Africa and Nicaragua the following two days.