CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #59
Fubon Guardians News: Taylor Jordan
Despite the Fubon Guardians general manager told the media that they have no plan to sign anymore foreign players this season. They are definitely busy working behind the scene scouting for new foreign player before the 8-31 trade deadline.
According to the transaction report from the American Association (AA), the Guardians have acquired the former Washington Nationals’ RHP Taylor Jordan and is expected to arrive in Taiwan this Sunday.
August 8 Transaction: @SiouxCityXs RHP Taylor Jordan signed with Fubon (@cpbl).
— American Association (@AA_Baseball) August 8, 2018
Thank you to the @SiouxCityXs for this year! It was a wonderful experience, and I met some amazing people. Saturday I wil be leaving for Taiwan and playing for the #Fubon Guardians! I am so honored to have this opportunity thank you everyone for the support!
— Taylor Jordan (@TaylorJordan38) August 9, 2018
The Guardians have not officially confirmed the signing yet. But it is actually quite common within the CPBL, as the team normally would like to keep their signing a secret until the very last moment.
The 29-year-old righty was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the ninth round of the 2009 MLB draft out of Brevard Community College.
Taylor Jordan made his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2013. During his time in the MLB, he posted a combined record of a 4.48 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over 15 starts and 94.1 innings.
After leaving the Nationals organisation, Jordan landed a job with the American Association pitching for the Sioux City Explorers. In the 2018 season, he compiled a record of a 3.29 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 15 starts and 95.2 innings.
While it is still unclear at this point which foreign players on the Guardians rotation Taylor Jordan will replaced. However, it is safe to assume Jordan will probably head straight to the Guardians farm team first.
After having a couple farm league games under his belt, the Guardians will make the final decision before the August 31st trade deadline.
Further Readings
Foreign players come and goes, therefore we have compiled a foreign players tracker to keep track of all the foreign players for the 2018 CPBL season.
Interesting to see a CPBL team sign a player out of the American Association, since they typically prefer Atlantic Leaguers. My guess would be that the Guardians like Jordan because of his significant past MLB major league experience.
Yeah, you were right about getting someone from the AA too! Good call on that. From the interview I think the management will give Bruce Billings one more chance this week. If he struggle, then they will replace him.
As for the Uni-Lions’ David Martinez, apparently apart from Chinen Kohya, the Uni-Lions are in market for another new pitcher, rumour to be a left-handed.
Looking at the currently Atlantic League available players, taking out those that had time in Taiwan before, James Russell stands out. 1.08 WHIP and 1.4 BB9 are always a good indication.
The Guardians have until August 31st, so Billings could get two more starts, unless he stinks in the first one. I would assume that replacing Billings with Jordan will save the Guardians some money unless they have to pay Billings through the end of the season.
It’s clear to me that absent a major turnaround, Billings will not be pitching in the CPBL in 2019. However, he has pitched well enough that I doubt that Jordan would be a meaningful improvement.
The more I follow the CPBL, the more I tend to think that a big part of why the CPBL is such a hitters’ league is that, aside from the consistently hot weather which favors hitters, there are only four teams. Top starters have to make 9 or 10 starts a season against each opposing team, which gives CPBL hitters complete familiarity with the league’s top starters after one season. Familiarity definitely favors the hitter, because the pitchers have to constantly find new ways to fool or confuse the hitters.
Today’s CPBL pitchers, both foreign and domestic, seem to have had time consistently dominating the league’s hitters.
I heard rumour Billings signed a mid-long term contract this year with the Guardians. The Uni-Lions only wants to guarantee until mid-season. So, with the signing of Taylor Jordan, maybe the Guardians guarantee Billings contract until August 31st?
Yeah, familiarity is a big factor here. For Mike Loree, he mentioned in an interview that during the off-season he had to continue develop himself as a players either in his conditioning or working on new pitches. I believe he added a new slider this season.
C.C. Lee who recently returned from the MLB system, he will start using his forkball again next season for the reason of hitter familiarity.