2017 Asia Winter Baseball League

Baseball in December. Isn’t that music to your ears? Taiwan fans are truly blessed as once again, the CPBL is hosting the Asia Winter Baseball League (AWBL), now in its fifth season.

Source: famifun.com.tw

The AWBL is a largely developmental league for younger players and up-and-coming prospects. It is an opportunity for players to showcase their ability, to work on specific skills, and to hone various areas of their game. Notable CPBL players that played on 2016’s CPBL squad include Chan Tzu-Hsien (Brothers), Yang Tai-Chun (Monkeys), Kao Kuo-Lin (Guardians), and Yang Chia-Wei (Lions). However, the 2017 CPBL squad, led by Monkeys third base coach Lin Cheng-Hsien, is receiving a serious upgrade. This year’s roster includes several established players on their respective first teams and many more first and second-year players that made significant contributions in 2017. Mix in some high draft picks and you have this year’s CPBL squad:

Coaches: Lin Cheng-Hsien (manager, Monkeys), Lin Ming-Hsien (Brothers), Liu Chia-Hao (Monkeys), Lin Cheng-Feng (Guardians), Tseng Yi-Cheng (Monkeys), Tu Zhuang-Hsun (Lions), and Tsai Chien-Wei (Monkeys)

Pitchers: Chiang Chen-Yen (Lions), Cheng Chun-Jen (Lions), Chu Chun-Hsiang (Monkeys), Wu Cheng-Zhe (Monkeys), Chen Min-Shih (Monkeys), Yu Tsung-Ju (Monkeys), Lo Hua-Wei (Guardians), Lin Wei-Chih (Lions), Peng Shih-Chieh (Guardians), Tsai Chi-Zhe (Brothers), Wang Hung-Cheng (Brothers), Hung Hsin-Chi (Lions), Huang Zhe-Peng (Monkeys), Chen Shih-Peng (Guardians), and Yang Ta-Hsiang (Brothers)

Catchers: Lin Ming-Chieh (Brothers), Liao Chien-Fu (Monkeys), and Chen Chung-Yu (Lions)

Infielders: Wang Wei-Chen (Brothers), Lin Li (Monkeys), Tseng Tao-Jung (Brothers), Wu Tung-Jung (Brothers), Wu Chieh-Jui (Lions), Chen Chung-Ting (Lions), and Liang Chia-Jung (Monkeys)

Outfielders: Shen Hao-Wei (Guardians), Chen Wen-Chieh (Brothers), Lin Shu-I (Brothers), Yu Meng-Kui (Guardians), and Chen Tze-Hung (Brothers)

  

Source: ltn.sports.com.tw and twbsball.dils.tku.edu.tw

In addition to the CPBL squad, five other teams will be participating:

• Japan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA)
• Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)
• Nippon Professional Baseball East (NPBE)
• Nippon Professional Baseball West (NPBW)
• World Baseball Softball Confederation Europe/USA farm team (WBSC)

The one noticeable absence from this year’s teams is the Chinese Taipei National Developmental Team (college team), who have elected to disburse its players amongst teams participating in the revived Popcorn League -- an industrial league featuring nine teams that play 35 games each. The Europe/USA farm team is an old team with a new twist. Usually comprised of just players from Europe, the team is being selected by the WBSC this year and will add US players (18 of them, most notable are Clayton Mortensen and Jack Murphy) to its roster during the three-plus weeks of competition. Similar to the CPBL squad, the rosters from the other teams are filled with high draft picks and national team players with lots of international experience.

Each team will play 17 games, from Saturday, November 25 to Thursday, December 14 at Douliu Baseball Stadium (14 games), Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium (30 games), and Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium (seven games), prior to three days of playoffs in Taichung, December 15-17, to determine the league champion . Games on Monday through Thursday are free with games on Friday costing NTD 100. Saturday, Sunday, and the fifth/sixth place game will be NTD 150 with the semi-final games and championship game running you NTD 200. If you feel the need, you can purchase your ticket ahead of time at any Family Mart but I think you’ll be OK if you get your ticket the day of. Weekend games will also feature various promotions and activities for kids.

So check out the schedule below, circle some dates, and enjoy some baseball in December!

AWBL Regular Season Schedule

Date	Game Time	Teams	Stadium
11/25 (Sa)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ KBO NPBW @ JABA CPBL @ NPBE	Douliu Taichung Taichung
11/26 (Su)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ JABA CPBL @ NPBW NPBE @ KBO	Taichung Taoyuan Taoyuan
11/27 (M)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ NBPW KBO @ JABA	Taoyuan Taoyuan
11/28 (T)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	KBO @ CPBL NPBE @ WBSC	Taichung Taichung
11/29 (W)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	JABA @ CPBL NBPE @ NBPW	Taichung Taichung
11/30 (Th)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	NBPW @ KBO JABA @ NPBE WBSC @ CPBL	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/1 (F)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	JABA @ WBSC KBO @ NPBE NPBW @ CPBL	Taichung Taoyuan Taoyuan
12/2 (Sa)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	JABA @ KBO CPBL @ WBSC NPBW @ NPBE	Taoyuan Taichung Taichung
12/3 (Su)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	KBO @ WBSC NPBE @ CPBL JABA @ NPBW	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/4 (M)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	NPBW @ KBO WBSC @ JABA	Douliu Douliu
12/5 (T)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ KBO NPBE @ CPBL	Taichung Taichung
12/6 (W)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	NPBE @ JABA CPBL @ NPBW	Taichung Taichung
12/7 (Th)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	NPBW @ WBSC CPBL @ JABA NPBE @ KBO	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/8 (F)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	KBO @ JABA NPBE @ NPBW WBSC @ CPBL	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/9 (Sa)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ NPBW JABA @ NPBE CPBL @ KBO	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/10 (Su)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	CPBL @ JABA KBO @ NPBW	Douliu Douliu
12/11 (M)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	NPBE @ WBSC NPBW @ JABA	Douliu Douliu
12/12 (T)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	CPBL @ NPBE KBO @ WBSC	Taichung Taichung
12/13 (W)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	WBSC @ NPBE KBO @ CPBL JABA @ NPBW	Douliu Taichung Taichung
12/14 (Th)	12:00 pm 12:00pm 6:00 pm	JABA @ WBSC KBO @ NPBE NPBW @ CPBL	Douliu Taichung Taichung

*Games televised live on Fox Sports

AWBL Playoffs Schedule

Date	Game Time	Teams	Stadium
12/15 (F)	6:00 pm	6th place @ 5th place	Taichung
12/16 (Sa)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	3rd place @ 2nd place 4th place @ 1st place	Taichung Taichung
12/17 (Su)	12:00 pm 6:00 pm	Loser 2nd/3rd @ Loser 4th/1st Winner 2nd/3rd @ Winner 4th/1st	Taichung Taichung

*Games televised live on Fox Sports

2016 AWBL Promo Video