The 2021 Chinese Professional Baseball League season is the 32nd season of the Chinese Professional Baseball League and the official slogan is "United for Baseball".[1] The reactivated Wei Chuan Dragons rejoined the major league 21 years after disbandment in 1999, marking the first time a CPBL season included more than four teams since the 2008 season. The season started on March 13, with the opening game played per tradition by last season's championship series pair, the champions Uni-President Lions hosting CTBC Brothers at Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium.[2] The Brothers defeated Lions by a score of 10–4.
| 32nd CPBL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Chinese Professional Baseball League |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | March 13 – November 21 |
| Number of games | 60 (each half season, each team) |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| TV partner(s) | MOMO TV Eleven Sports Videoland Television Network ELTA TV |
| First half-season | |
| Season champions | CTBC Brothers |
| Second half-season | |
| Season champions | Uni-President Lions |
| Taiwan Series | |
As CPBL Commissioner Wu Chih-yang termed out following the conclusion of the 2020 season, the general managers elected Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-Chang as the new Commissioner.[3][4]
Game play
Seeing the 0.560~0.570 coefficient of restitution (COR) of the 2020 game balls created too much of an offense-leaning game, the General Managers decided on September 24, 2020, to reduce the COR of 2021 game balls to 0.550 and raise the stitch height from 5mm to 7mm. The league hoped that this would restore the balance between pitchers and hitters, and align with balls used by neighboring KBO and NPB leagues[5]
As COVID-19 pandemic still widespread around the world, the CDC and the League decided to retain restriction first implemented in the second half of 2020 season: the maximum attendance of the game was reduced to 78% of each stadium's seating capacity, but food and drink was allowed.[6]
League-organized pre-season games started on February 26, 2021, and ended on March 10.[7] The regular season opening game played on March 13 at Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium, with last season's champions Uni-President Lions hosting their 2020 Taiwan Series opponent the CTBC Brothers. Game #2 followed the next day with the Lions hosting the Wei Chuan Dragons at Tainan, this was the first major league game played by the Dragons since their disbandment in 1999.
Game #21 played on March 26 with the Rakuten Monkeys hosting Uni-President Lions at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium was suspended at the top of the 4th inning after one out due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. This was the first CPBL game to be suspended due to fog, and the second if included called games.[8]
The first-half season schedule was published on February 10, with second-half pending the release of 2020 Summer Olympic Baseball Final Qualifier schedule.[9] Following the finalization of the Final Olympic Baseball Qualifier schedule, which would be held between June 16 and 20 at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, the league decided on April 19 to postpone games previously scheduled on and after June 8 to later dates.[10] Due to a recent spike in domestically transmitted coronavirus cases, the league announced on May 19 that it would suspend the season as long as level-3 health alert was in effect across Taiwan.[11][12] The league considered but decided against resuming games on June 29 without fans in attendance, despite no opposition by the Central Epidemic Command Center to the CPBL's plan.[13] The CBPL stated on July 12 that play could resume the next day, as teams had agreed to a number of preventative measures. These measures included the prohibition of fans and cheerleaders in the stadium, and a requirement for the staffs of all teams to live and remain in hotels, whether at home on the road, unless a game was being played.[14] As the COVID-19 pandemic became less severe, the league allowed a thousand fans to attend games on August 7 and 8. Starting on August 10, fans were permitted to attend games starting August 10, as stadiums were to be filled up to 25 percent capacity. Attendees were required to check in via a QR code, wear masks at all times, and submit to disinfection and body temperature checks at stadium entrances. Though cheerleaders were also permitted to return to the games, bans on musical instruments and food consumption remained in place at the time.[15][16]
Milestones
- Before the first game of the regular season for the Wei Chuan Dragons, the team invited 326 people to attempt 163 ceremonial first pitches. A new record for simultaneous ceremonial first pitches was set at 156 pitches, as Guinness World Records adjudicators required attempts to be thrown at the same time and caught cleanly.[17]
- Tim Melville (Uni-President Lions) pitched a no-hitter against Wei Chuan Dragons on April 2, and set the league record of most-pitch used in a no-hitter with 142 pitches. This was the 10th regular season no-hitter in the league history, the 11th if included post season, fourth in the team history, and the first in Melville's professional career.[18]
- Brock Dykxhoorn (Uni-President Lions) pitched a one-hit near-perfect game against Fubon Guardians on April 14 by facing only the minimal 27 batters. The only base-runner reached on a single in the third inning, but was erased on the next batter's ensuing double play.[19]
Standings
First half standings
| Team | G | W | L | T | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTBC Brothers | 60 | 35 | 24 | 1 | 0.593 | -- |
| Uni-President Lions | 60 | 32 | 26 | 2 | 0.552 | 2.5 |
| Rakuten Monkeys | 60 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0.500 | 5.5 |
| Fubon Guardians | 60 | 28 | 31 | 1 | 0.475 | 7.0 |
| Wei Chuan Dragons | 60 | 22 | 36 | 2 | 0.379 | 12.5 |
Second half standings
as of November 18, 2021
| Team | G | W | T | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uni-President Lions | 58 | 32 | 3 | 23 | 0.582 | -- |
| CTBC Brothers | 57 | 28 | 4 | 25 | 0.528 | 3.0 |
| Rakuten Monkeys | 57 | 26 | 3 | 28 | 0.481 | 5.5 |
| Wei Chuan Dragons | 58 | 27 | 1 | 30 | 0.474 | 6.0 |
| Fubon Guardians | 58 | 24 | 3 | 30 | 0.436 | 8.0 |
Final season standings
as of November 18, 2021
| Team | G | W | T | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uni-President Lions | 118 | 64 | 5 | 49 | 0.566 | -- |
| CTBC Brothers | 117 | 63 | 5 | 49 | 0.563 | 0.5 |
| Rakuten Monkeys | 117 | 55 | 3 | 59 | 0.491 | 8.5 |
| Fubon Guardians | 118 | 52 | 4 | 62 | 0.456 | 12.5 |
| Wei Chuan Dragons | 118 | 49 | 3 | 66 | 0.426 | 16.0 |
- Green denotes first-half or second-half champion.
- Bold denotes clinching playoff qualification as the wild card.
Statistical leaders
as of November 18, 2021
Hitting
| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR | Chu Yu-Hsien | Rakuten Monkeys | 22 |
| AVG | Chen Chun-Hsiu | Rakuten Monkeys | 0.348 |
| H | Wang Wei-Chen | CTBC Brothers | 158 |
| RBIs | Chu Yu-Hsien | Rakuten Monkeys | 79 |
| SB | Lin Li | Rakuten Monkeys | 27 |
Pitching
| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| W | Brock Dykxhoorn | Uni-President Lions | 17 |
| ERA | José de Paula | CTBC Brothers | 1.78 |
| SO | José de Paula | CTBC Brothers | 180 |
| SV | Chen Yun-Wen | Uni-President Lions | 32 |
| Hld | Wu Chun-Wei Lai Hung-Cheng |
CTBC Brothers Rakuten Monkeys |
25 |
References
- ^ 陳宛晶 (2021-03-07). 中職／年度口號公布 蔡其昌解釋「團結」3層含義. United Daily News (in Chinese).
- ^ 中職32新球季 3月13日象獅正面對決 (Press release) (in Chinese). CPBL. February 9, 2021.
- ^ 蔡其昌副院長親自拜訪吳志揚會長 雙方會晤相談甚歡 (Press release) (in Chinese). CPBL. January 7, 2021.
- ^ 蔡其昌當選第十一屆中華職棒會長 (Press release) (in Chinese). CPBL. January 19, 2021.
- ^ 蘇志畬 (2020-09-24). 中職／彈力球再見 明年比賽用球恢復係數下修. United Daily News (in Chinese).
- ^ 歐建智 (2021-02-23). 中職例行賽計畫開放78% 觀眾可以飲食. Eastern Broadcasting Company (in Chinese).
- ^ 毛琬婷 (2021-02-08). 中職》官辦熱身賽賽程出爐 5隊各打8戰. China Times (in Chinese).
- ^ 鍾明 (2021-03-26). 桃園球場起大霧 猿獅大戰延賽. Top Sporting News Agency (in Chinese).
- ^ 陳宛晶 (2021-02-10). 中職／賽程先給半套 下半季還須觀望. United Daily News (in Chinese).
- ^ 陳宛晶 (2021-04-19). 中職／配合6搶1中華隊集訓 6月賽程延後打. United Daily News (in Chinese).
- ^ "CPBL Suspends 2021 Season Until Further Notice". May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ Hsieh, Ching-wen; Ko Lin (17 May 2021). "CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan's baseball league postpones 11 games due to COVID-19". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Hsieh, Ching-wen; Liu, Kay (27 June 2021). "CORONAVIRUS/Professional baseball league further delays resumption of games". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Yang, Chi-fang; Yeh, Joseph (12 July 2021). "Taiwan pro baseball season to resume Tuesday as restrictions eased". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Pan, Jason (10 August 2021). "COVID-19: Baseball to allow more fans as outbreak eases". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ Yang, Chi-fang; Yeh, Joseph (9 August 2021). "Taiwan's pro baseball league to allow more fans as outbreak eases". Central News Agency. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Yang, Chi-fang; Mazzetta, Matthew (26 March 2021). "Taiwan's baseball team sets record with 156 ceremonial first pitches". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ 蘇志畬 (2021-04-02). 中職／史上第10人 獅隊猛威爾投出無安打比賽. United Daily News (in Chinese).
- ^ 藍宗標, 蘇志畬 (2021-04-15). 中職／布雷克27上27下完封勝 再重來有信心能完全比賽. United Daily News (in Chinese).
External links
"CPBL official website" (in Chinese).