Team Taiwan won the WBSC Premier12 in November 2024, pulling off a stunning upset over favorites Japan and the United States with their fearless and relentless baseball. At the heart of that triumph were players from the Rakuten Monkeys. We caught up with them to hear about the joy of that unforgettable victory—and the secret behind their strength.

The double play in the ninth inning of the championship game is a memory I’ll treasure forever – Lin Li.

——What are your feelings looking back on your WBSC Premier12 title?

“This is my first time winning the WBSC Premier12, and since it’s obviously one of baseball’s major international tournaments, I was thrilled that we were able to do it. The response has been overwhelming, which makes me think that Taiwanese baseball fans had been waiting a long time for this. It wasn’t just a victory for us players — we celebrated together with all the fans who supported us.”

——What was it like playing Japan in the final?

“We beat them in the final, but we’d lost to them twice before that, which reminded me just how good they were. So being able to go neck and neck with them in the final, and then overcoming them gave me enormous confidence.”

——What moment from the tournament stands out most to you?

“It has to be clinching the title with a double play in the bottom of the ninth inning of the final. I don’t know when I’ll ever feel that kind of joy again. It’s a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life—I’ll never forget it.”

We proved we can compete with Japan as equals – Chen Kuan-Yu

——What impact do you think this championship had on Taiwanese baseball?

“I think it gave a lot of people who hadn’t been following baseball a chance to discover how exciting the sport can be. After the tournament, not only my friends but even people on the street kept coming up to me. I think more people are paying attention to Taiwanese baseball now and have high hopes for our future.”

——How was the matchup against Japan?

“I’d always wanted to beat Japan, but they’ve always been a huge hurdle for us — a major challenge. I’ve trained in Japan myself, and I felt their methods were more advanced than our methods in Taiwan. Facing them was extremely tough, but this victory proved that we can compete with Japanese baseball as equals. It brought me to tears, honestly.”

——What episode do you remember the most?

“It wasn’t just any single play, but everything stacking up to take us to victory. The odds may not have been in our favor, but all my teammates, our managers, coaches, and staff all trusted each other and worked together, and we all gave it everything we had. Our pitchers focused on getting one out at a time within their assigned innings, and that built the game. And in the final, Chen Chieh-Hsien’s home run came because Lin Chia-Cheng had hit one before him, Chen Chen-Wei got a hit, and Lin Li drew a walk. Everyone did what they were supposed to do, and the lineup connected ― that’s what produced the incredible result.”

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This experience will be a source of strength for me for life – Huang Tzu-Peng

——What did you personally gain from the WBSC Premier12 experience?

“I feel it will be a huge source of strength for me, both in baseball and in life. Most people probably didn’t expect Team Taiwan to win, but we focused on what we could do and did our best in each game, which led to us clinching the championship. I believe this experience will help me overcome future hardships in life.”

——Tell us about the play that left the biggest impression on you.

“The moment I gave up a home run in the bottom of the fourth against Venezuela in the final round. I went in with confidence, but I wasn’t able to locate it the way I wanted. Painful moments like that stay with you forever, and they teach you how important it is to stay focused at all times. I learned that you need to keep your composure and control your emotions as much as you can.”

——Was that pitch your own decision?

“The catcher and I were on the same page for that pitch. But looking back, I realize now that the batter was sitting on it. If I’d been a little calmer in that moment, things might have gone differently. I learned the hard way that you need to take a breath, especially at times when you think everything is going so well.”

——What memory from the tournament stays with you the most?

“I’ll always remember something Ceng Hao-Ju told us before the tournament. He said, ‘Have the courage to chase your dreams,’ and ‘Every generation of Team Taiwan has its own inspiring story. Now it’s our turn to write ours and carve our names in history.’ Those words really stayed with me. The courage he gave us carried us all the way to the championship.”

My first career grand slam is deeply etched in my memory – Chen Chen-wei

——Did winning this championship have a positive impact on the Taiwanese baseball community?

“The overall atmosphere in Taiwan and the enthusiasm for baseball have really surged, and I think baseball will continue to attract a lot of attention. I feel this is a truly wonderful development for Taiwanese baseball. I could really feel that excitement when I was greeted at the airport upon my return and during the victory parade. I am truly grateful to everyone who cheered us on. And I believe many people have come to realize that Taiwanese baseball is a sport worth supporting.”
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

——How was the match against the Japanese national team?

“Japan is a powerhouse team in every aspect—batting, fielding, and pitching—and they were exactly as strong as I had expected. However, just because we were facing Japan didn’t mean we felt any special pressure or became timid. We went into the game with a strong determination to ‘definitely beat Japan.’ I don’t think we just got lucky in the final; I believe we were also able to fully demonstrate our own abilities. The final game, in which we shut out the Japanese team and ended their winning streak in international tournaments, was truly memorable.”

——What experiences have left a lasting impression on you?

“It was the course of the game and the result itself. I spent time with my teammates, fought alongside them, and we won the game. My own grand slam, my teammates’ outstanding hitting, our solid defense, and the encouraging words from our coaches—all of these were essential to our championship victory. Above all, my first-ever career grand slam in the opening round against South Korea is deeply etched in my memory. It was a truly special moment to hit it in an international tournament against the South Korean team. Being able to perform well on such a big stage and have so many people witness it brings me the greatest joy.”

If you believe in each other, the results will follow — Wang Chih-Hsuan

——How do you feel about winning the championship?

“I was really happy and honored to be selected for Team Taiwan and to be able to represent my country. I don’t think many people expected much from us going into the tournament, but this experience showed me that when teammates trust each another, results will follow.”

——How was the matchup against Japan?

“The whole world knows how good they are, so I was nervous going up against such a tough opponent. Japanese baseball is incredibly precise, and I think they’re a team we can learn a lot from. We won the final, but there were still plenty of plays we could learn from.”

——What moment from the tournament stands out most to you?

“The game against the United States in the final round. When I took the mound, there were runners on second and third with no outs. I was genuinely nervous in the bullpen beforehand. I kept telling myself, ‘You can do this, you can do this,’ to fire myself up. I managed to keep the damage minimal. I feel like I got the chance to grow in both experience and ability through the tournament.”

The players knew expectations were low heading into the tournament. But they never stopped trying to overcome the odds, and pulled off upset after upset. That relentless drive to win will no doubt carry over to the Chinese Professional Baseball League. The future of Team Taiwan — and the Rakuten Monkeys — has never looked brighter.

Edit: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)
Text: Kodai Wada