Royals sign Chin-Hui Tsao

[browntown653]

Kansas City, MO (Dec. 31, 2007) -- The Kansas City Royals have signed right-handed pitcher Chin-Hui Tsao to a 2008 minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz.
Chin-Hui Tsao (pronounced Cheen-Way Sow), 26, a native of Hualien, Taiwan, has spent parts of four seasons in the Majors with the Colorado Rockies (2003-05) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2007), recording a 4-4 record with a 5.40 ERA in 50 games, including eight starts. He was originally signed by the Rockies as a non-drafted free agent on Oct. 7, 1999.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-hander began the 2007 season with Triple-A Las Vegas in the Dodgers system before being recalled by Los Angeles on April 17. He made 21 relief appearances for the Dodgers, going 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA. He was 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in five games for Las Vegas, striking out nine and walking one in five innings.

Tsao, who was rated as the Rockies top prospect in 2001, 2002 and 2004 by Baseball America, has dealt with various shoulder and elbow ailments in his professional career, including missing the entire 2006 season after undergoing rotator cuff surgery on May 25, 2005. Colorado's Minor League Player of the Year in 2003, Tsao has pitched for his native Taiwan in five major international competitions including the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He became the first Taiwanese pitcher to compete in the Majors when he made his debut as a 22-year old on July 25, 2003 for the Rockies. He remains one of just five Taiwanese players to appear in a Major League game, joining Chien-Ming Wang, Hong-hui Kuo, Chin-Feng Chen and Chin-Lung Hu.

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[brewersfan19]

I really do give the Royals credit. They are truly trying to improve. They might need to stay a little more patient and develop their farm system like my beloved Brewers have done and contine to do. This way, you can be young and talented with trading options for the future. I always root for the low market teams outside of being a Brewers fan. (i.e. Pirates, Royals, Marlins just to name a few.)

[catman]

This is not a bad move for the Royals. They are trying to improve themselves this off-season, as they are in a very competitive division. This move has very little risk. If he makes the team out of spring training, they have a good reliever in camp. If not, he hasn't cost them a whole lot, and could be a good roster-filler in Omaha, showing the kids what it is like to be a pitcher.

[realmofotalk]

I hadn't bothered before to look up that he accumulated a 1.05 WHIP and a .205 BBA last season. It doesn't matter all that much, though. He blew in his last relief appearance and he has had a myriad of arm problems.

[brewersfan19]

Yes, but as catman said, he is a minimal risk. I still think the Royals are trying to just buy some time with rather inexpensive, established players until they can develop their farm system. I am not sure what the farm system looks like right now for the Royals, but they can only go up, IMO.

[catman]

The Royals have some talent in their farm system, but quite a bit of it is several years from producing at the majof league level. They do, however, have Luke Hochevar, who could be ready this year. Were I them, I would not hurry this kid to the bigs like they did with Zach Greinke. He could have used a little more time in Omaha before being thrown to the dogs, as it were.