The Bay Area Formosans are one of the newest teams to join SJ NABA in 2023 and are more than just holding their own.

Led by their top three hitters, Jerry Hsiung, Fabio Hsu, and Sean Hsu, the Formosans are currently a top 8 team in Division III which would earn them a spot in the playoffs in their inaugural year.

As the halfway point of the season approaches, we took a step back to learn more about this fun, unique team and interviewed the coaches of the Formosans, Dennis Chen and CJ Lin.

Where does the name “Formosans” come from? How did the team come together?

Formosa, meaning “beautiful” in Portuguese, is the name given to Taiwan by Portuguese mariners who passed by and were stunned by its beauty in 1544.

A group of Taiwanese who love baseball and are in different stages of their lives pursuing academic and professional careers in the Bay Area came together in the Fall of 2017 and formed the Bay Area Formosans.

By carrying the name of Formosans, this team wants to promote Taiwan, to always play hard, and to have fun on the baseball field with passion and dedication, just like the renowned Little League championship teams.
 

Why did you decide to join SJ NABA this year? What has your experience been so far?

We were previously in a metal bat league, which was more recreational. We finished first place in the league and we decided to join SJNABA as we believe we are ready to take on the next challenge.

Our experience with the league has been positive. We appreciate playing on good fields with friendly and professional umpires. The league has been transparent and easy to work with in a lot of their decision-making.

What is one thing people do not know about your team?

Most of the team members came from Taiwan, either because of work or school, and grew up watching professional baseball in Taiwan. Most of us also played baseball in Taiwan, whether on school teams or clubs.

Our team is like a family. We always grab a bite to eat after games. We chit-chat all the time when we’re off the field.

What current or past MLB player best resembles your team’s style of play and why?

We feel like Chien-Ming Wang, who is also from Taiwan, best resembles our style of play. Wang led the league in pitching wins when he was 26 in 2006. He injured his foot while running the bases in 2008, which affected his pitching during what was supposed to be, the peak of his career.

He became a journeyman and played in the minor leagues and independent leagues until he made it back to MLB at age 36. He went through adversity and never gave up on returning to the big leagues.

Wang's eventful journey and the ability to conquer obstacles made us always be competitive and give 100% effort even when we are struggling or losing. Chien-Ming Wang in 2016 during his comeback season in the majors.

What makes your team stand out compared to other teams?

We are competitive. We always want to be better on every pitch, every at-bat, every inning, and every game. There would be times when we struggled, but we always focused on what we could do better.

Regardless of what the score is, we never give up until the last out. We used every error and every loss as a learning opportunity to improve. I'd say all our players have improved their playing ability every season.

If you win the championship this year, how will your team celebrate?

We will host a big BBQ party with family and friends, and of course, followed by a good ole pickup baseball game.

Can this group of Taiwanese baseball players reach the playoffs in their first year? How will their previous success translate to SJ NABA?

We are excited to have a passionate, hard-working, and talented team join SJ NABA. We can’t wait to see how their first season progresses!

Follow the @BayAreaFormosans on Instagram and visit their website to stay connected to the team!