Though coaching in Taiwan was never Carlos Ponce's dream job, the man who made his name producing runs in Yokohama is glad to be back in the game and working while most of the sports world remains idled.
The 61-year-old, who joined the Taiyo Whales — now known as the DeNA Yokohama BayStars — in 1986 at the age of 27, smashed 119 home runs in his first four seasons in Japan's Central League. Like many imported players who succeed here, Ponce dreamed of returning to Japan to coach with his old club.
But when the call came in January, it was not from the BayStars, with whom he has maintained contact, but from Taiwan, where the Wei Chuan Dragons are playing one season in the China Professional Baseball League's minor league before moving up to the top flight next year.