Chen Bo-Jun's Extremely Low Release Point Scrapes the Mound; Wins in Relief at Hwa Nan Youth Baseball

(Central News Agency reporter Xie Jingwen, New Taipei City, 6th) In the Hwa Nan Youth Baseball tournament, Tainan's submarine pitcher Chen Bo-Jun took the mound in relief today against the strong Taoyuan City team. He effectively suppressed the opposing lineup over 3.1 innings, leading his team to a 12-0 victory in 6 innings (mercy rule) and securing a spot in the championship game. Chen's release point is so low that it sometimes scrapes the pitcher's mound, but this does not affect his pitching. His idol is Chen Shih-Chan, a fellow submarine pitcher.

In the semifinal match between Tainan City and the strong Taoyuan City team, Tainan excelled in both pitching and hitting. The team collected 11 hits and scored 12 runs, while the pitching staff held Taoyuan to just 1 hit. Chen Bo-Jun pitched 3.1 innings in relief, throwing 40 pitches, allowing 1 hit, striking out 1, and giving up no runs, earning the win.

Tainan City Deputy Team Leader Chen Feng-Min stated that he observed Chen Bo-Jun was in good form and had strong pitching suppression. He mentioned that the team had specifically saved Chen to pitch against Taoyuan. He noted that such a low release point is very rare among junior high school pitchers, and that his hand sometimes scrapes the mound. Combined with good control and breaking balls, this achieves an effective suppression effect.

Chen Bo-Jun said he took the mound in the semifinals with a determination to win. Knowing Taoyuan is a very strong team, he was a bit nervous before taking the field, but once the game started, he treated it as a normal game, focusing on throwing strikes and letting his defense help.

Chen Bo-Jun was not always a submarine pitcher. He originally threw overhand. In the fifth grade, while playing around, he tried a submarine delivery, which was noticed by a coach. The coach suggested he try it, and it yielded good results. He believes his advantage is that the low release point makes the ball move more, making it difficult for batters to hit. His best pitch is the slider.

Chen's idol is Chen Shih-Chan, also a submarine pitcher currently playing for the Rakuten Monkeys in the CPBL. Last November, when his team was playing in Taitung, he happened to meet Chen Shih-Chan, who was back home. Through an introduction by a coach, they played catch, and Chen asked about pitching mentality. Chen Shih-Chan encouraged him not to be too evasive when pitching and to pitch with courage. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150606