TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — To prepare for the upcoming Premier 12 baseball tournament, Taiwan’s team will host warm-up games against the Czech national team at the Taipei Dome on Nov. 2-3.
The friendly exhibition will allow Taiwan to get ready for international play. It will also give the team more opportunities to play together as the roster is akin to an “all-star team” culled from Taiwan's professional league.
Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), commissioner of Taiwan’s professional baseball league, said Taiwan and Japan invited the Czech national team. Tsai thanked the Czech national team for agreeing to the friendly match, per CNA.
"The Czech Republic has been very supportive of Taiwan in the past few years, and we are very much looking forward to this exchange," said Tsai. Tsai said friendly games also foster closer relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Tsai thanked President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for allowing the exchange. "It's great to have a president who loves baseball," said Tsai.
The Czech team is expected to field a roster similar to that of the World Baseball Classic in 2023, which includes manager Pavel Chadim and notable players such as Daniel Padysak, Matej Mensik, and Ondrej Satoria. The Czech Republic is ranked 15th in the world according to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), and therefore, not otherwise invited to the Premier 12, which is reserved for the top 12 teams in the world.
Tickets for the Taiwan-Czech friendly games will go on sale through the iBon ticketing system at noon on Friday (Oct. 11).