TAIPEI: Former US major league baseball (MLB) stars Barry Larkin and Joseph Logan said yesterday they were impressed with the development of youth baseball in Taiwan and they encouraged young players to work hard on the fundamentals of the game and "dream big."

Larkin and Logan are visiting Taiwan as part of the Sports Envoy Program co-sponsored by the US Department of State and the American Institute in Taiwan.

The pair have been coaching high school players in various clinics in northern Taiwan over the past three days, and are now in the south of the island. Larkin, a former All-Star shortstop, focused on infielders' training, while Logan coached pitchers.

At a press conference held midway through the week-long tour, Logan praised the enthusiasm of Taiwan players and the "above-average velocity and potential" of the young players.

Larkin said one of his surprises was that while young players in the US are not receiving enough training and attention due to the economic downturn, this is not the case in Taiwan. He said he has seen "a lot of voluntarism, hard work and attention from coaches, who have been doing a phenomenal job."

A legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame, Larkin was one of the rare players in the modern era who stayed with the same team throughout his entire career, starting at shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986 to 2004.

He was a key member of the Reds' 1990 World Series championship team and was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1995. He also earned three gold gloves and was a 12-time All-Star pick.

Citing his own experience as an example of persistence, Larkin said when he was a boy his feet were turned inward and had to be treated by doctors. However, his love of the game, dedication to baseball and perseverance helped him to reach major-league stardom, he said.

He said he was very happy that after he told his life story to youngsters in the clinics to inspire them, the number who said they wanted to someday play in the major leagues rose from "maybe one or two to almost 120."

The Cincinnati native declined to comment on a game-fixing scandal that has rocked Taiwanese professional baseball, but he urged Taiwan baseballers to "do what's right" and resist temptation because "regardless of what you do, you have to look at yourself in the mirror everyday."

He also paid respect to all those foreigners, including players from Taiwan, who chase their dreams of playing in the major leagues.

There are many barriers and obstacles to the dream of playing in the US, including language, a different culture and different skill levels, he said.

"You have to be a special talent, a special person, and then the skills, work ethic... all of these are important" to get into the major leagues, which is "an elite class," Larkins said.

Larkin finished his career with 2,340 hits, 441 doubles, 198 home runs and 960 runs batted in. He had only one season in which he made more than 20 errors. He is considered to be a legitimate Hall of Fame candidate.

Logan pitched in the Montreal Expos organization between 1989 and 1991.

Larkin and Logan will travel to Kaohsiung and Pintung where they will hold more clinics before concluding their February 2-6 visit to Taiwan.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 02/05/2010 page2)