TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Economic Affairs Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) announced Tuesday that he will run for chair of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, saying he hopes to apply his business experience and management expertise to the organization.
Kuo said he plans to bring his business connections, resources, and management experience to the association, per ETtoday. He said his experience as a technology company owner taught him to approach problems through systems, data, and resource management, an approach he hopes to introduce to Taiwanese baseball.
Kuo said he has promoted the use of radar and other advanced technologies in pitcher development to monitor player workloads. He said the technology’s greatest benefit has been reducing injuries rather than increasing pitching velocity.
Kuo also said he helped provide logistical support and intelligence gathering for Taiwan’s national team during its 2024 Premier12 championship run. He said Taiwan must build a system to consistently compete at the highest level rather than rely on one-off successes.
Kuo previously served as a vice chair of the association and has long supported amateur baseball. However, he has yet to fulfill a long-standing pledge to invest in Taiwan’s professional baseball league, per UP Media.
CTBC Charity Foundation Chair Jeffrey Koo Jr. (辜仲諒) has led the association since 2018 and is expected to step down after the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, per UP Media. Baseball insiders said Kuo has made significant contributions to the sport, but his support within Taiwan’s baseball community still trails Koo’s.
The race could ultimately hinge on support from CTBC Holding, which industry sources said controls about 90% of the votes in the association’s chair election. Because Koo is widely viewed as the group’s de facto leader, he is expected to wield significant influence over the selection of his successor.
A DPP insider said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) should carefully assess the political landscape before backing Kuo, citing the unsuccessful bid by Keelung City Council Speaker Tung Tzu-wei (童子瑋) for chair of the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association after campaigning on his family ties to Lai, per UP Media.
Former Fubon Guardians General Manager Lin Hua-wei (林華韋) confirmed July 12 that he also intends to run for the post, per CNA. Like Kuo, Lin has emphasized the importance of analytics in player development, per Liberty Times. However, he said data should be complemented by insights gained through his experience as an amateur player, coach, and educator.
After announcing his candidacy, Lin faced criticism online from some fans who called on him to retire, per Liberty Times. Lin said he would devote himself fully to the association if elected and leave the evaluation of his performance to the public.
