http://www.news-press.com/article/20100304/SPRINGTRAINING/3040408/1010 Red Sox outfielder hopes to make impact in U.S. By GLENN MILLER March 4, 2010 Most American baseball fans don't know Che-Hsuan Lin. Maybe they will some day. The center fielder from Hwa-Lian, Taiwan, started and was 2-for-4 for the Boston Red Sox in their 15-0 victory over Northeastern University on Wednesday at City of Palms Park. Although he has yet to play above Class A in the American minor leagues, he's known in his island nation. "Very famous," said Jordan Huang, a photographer at the Taipei Times who was at Wednesday's game. Lin has played in the Olympics, the World Baseball Classic and the Futures Game. He homered in the 2008 Futures Game in Yankee Stadium and was named the game MVP. Cape Coral resident Chad Epperson, a coach in the Red Sox farm system, managed Lin last year with the Salem Red Sox of the Class A Carolina League. "He impacts the game, that's for sure," said Epperson, now a roving catching instructor for the Red Sox. "Very good instincts out there. Lin doesn't appear to be move quickly. "But it's very easy and effortless the way he goes about it," Epperson said. "He gets to some balls he has no business getting to. He's got the arm, to boot." Lin, who has played in the Red Sox organization since 2007, doesn't speak English. Mickey Jiang, a Red Sox interpreter from Taiwan, helps Lin with English interviews. "He's getting better and better," Jiang said. He added that Lin understands some English but doesn't yet feel comfortable speaking it, especially during interviews. Jiang helps Lin with questions about topics such as his home run in Yankee Stadium. "Looking for pitch I could drive," Lin said of the home run. And he did. He was 19 at the time and homered off Ryan Mattheus, a Colorado Rockies prospect. "I was happy," Lin said. "I didn't think it was going to be a bomb." He didn't homer Wednesday but felt comfortable playing for the big club, unlike last year when was summoned to one spring game and was nervous. He was notified the day before that game. Lin also continues adjusting to life in America. South Fort Myers High baseball coach Chip Duncan did the reverse of what Lin is doing. In the 1990s, Duncan played in Taiwan, pitching for a team called the Brother Elephants. "The Chinese culture, they do anything to make you feel at home," Duncan said. Although Duncan doesn't know Lin, he understands what it's like being far away from home and not speaking the language. He eventually learned enough Chinese to take a cab or order food. "You would hear the same things over and over and all of a sudden you start to get it," Duncan said. --

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