Chang knows the score when it comes to commitment

A former minor league infielder is calling for patience on the much-anticipated emergence of a baseball equivalent of Yao Ming in China.

Since veteran pitcher Wang Chao inked a contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2001 to become the first Chinese signed by MLB, seven more have followed his footsteps to the minor leagues - but that's it.

Graduates of MLB's three development centers in China stand a better chance than their predecessors to make the jump, said Ray Chang, a retired Chinese-American who played Triple A ball in the US.