Kuo Tai-yuan | |||
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Kuo as coach for the Chinese Taipei national team in 2010 World University Baseball Championship
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Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions | |||
Pitcher, Coach | |||
Born: Tainan City, Taiwan |
March 20, 1962 |||
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NPB debut | |||
April 8, 1985, for the Seibu Lions | |||
Last NPB appearance | |||
October 5, 1997, for the Seibu Lions | |||
NPB statistics | |||
Games pitched | 272 | ||
Win–loss record | 117–68 | ||
Saves | 18 | ||
Earned run average | 3.16 | ||
Strikeouts | 1,069 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kuo Tai-yuan, (Chinese: 郭泰源; pinyin: Guō Tàiyuán; Wade–Giles: Kuo1 Tai4 Yüan2; Japanese: かく たいげん (Kaku Taigen); born March 20, 1962), is a Taiwanese retired NPB baseball pitcher, and currently a baseball coach.
With 117 wins accumulated during his 13 seasons pitching for the Seibu Lions, Kuo set the record of being the international player who achieved the most wins in NPB history, and is widely regarded as the greatest Taiwanese pitcher before Chien-Ming Wang (both of them as well as Hong-Chih Kuo and Chin-Lung Hu are Tainan City natives).
Kuo was born in Tainan City, Taiwan. Originally a shortstop, he started to pitch in high school and immediately became well known for his high quality fastball and slider. In the 1983 Chinese Taipei versus South Korea match in Asian Baseball Championship, Kuo did not allow a run to score during 17 consecutive innings, while his fastballs clocked up to 154 km/h (96 mph). He finally won the game and helped Chinese Taipei qualify for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
In the 1984 Olympics preliminary round against the United States, Kuo pitched up to 158 km/h (98 mph) and allowed only 2 runs (one earned run) during his complete game effort, earning the nickname "The Oriental Express". However, Chinese Taipei eventually lost to Team USA, which was studded with Will Clark, Mark McGwire, and the like. Kuo later pitched in the semifinal round against Japan, allowing one run in 4.2 innings. Kuo's excellent performance drew special attention from the Seibu Lions, and he signed with the club after the 1984 Summer Olympics.