Chung-Nan Tsai

Chung-Nan Tsai (蔡仲南) (Prince of Splitters)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 196 lb.

• High School Taipei City University

• Born March 7, 1979 in Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C

Chung-Nan Tsai was a promising young pitcher in the Chinese Professional Baseball League before injuries cost him two seasons.

Tsai was Taiwan's ace in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 14 innings. He allowed 3 runs in 7 innings in a win over the Italian national team and tossed 7 innings of one-hit ball against the Dutch national team. He tied for second in the Cup in victories. Tsai was 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in the 1999 World Port Tournament, with 28 strikeouts in 20 2/3 IP. He easily led in strikeouts, 12 ahead of Linc Mikkelsen and Orlando Stewart, and won World Port Tournament Best Rookie honors. He also won Bronze with them in the 1999 Asian Championship.

Tsai went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in the 2000 Haarlem Baseball Week. He helped Taiwan win Gold at the 2001 Asian Championship. In the 2001 Baseball World Cup, the right-hander allowed 9 hits in 13 2/3 innings, striking out 15 and going 1-1 despite allowing no earned runs. He allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings against Team USA, but all were unearned as the Taiwan club made five errors that game. In the quarterfinals, he again dominated the Dutch, who had two ex-major leaguers and two other AAA players. Tsai allowed 3 walks and a single in 8 shutout innings, whiffing ten in a 2-0 victory over Rob Cordemans. In the 2001 World Port Tournament, Tsai was 0-2 with a 2.57 ERA, less successful than he had been in the 1999 event.

In the International Baseball League of Australia in 2000-2001, Tsai was 3-1 with 2 saves and a 2.36 ERA for the Taiwan entry.

In 2002, Tsai turned pro and went 14-9 with a 3.49 ERA for the Sinon Bulls. He was 4th in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in wins and won the Rookie of the Year Award. Tsai was 11-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 2003 and was 8th in the CPBL in victories. Tsai fell to 4-6, 4.29 in 2004 while missing time with an arm injury.

Injuries plagued Tsai more as he missed all of 2005 and 2006. He returned in 2007 and was 5-4 with a 3.62 ERA.

Sources: CPBL player page, Taipei Times, IBAF website, KT Choi's CPBL database