Taipei, March 2 (CNA) The Los Angeles Dodgers of U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) announced its complete roster for a three-game exhibition series in Taiwan next month, with All-Star hitter Manny Ramirez and a pair of Taiwanese players -- Kuo Hong-chih and Hu Chin-lung leading the way, game organizers said Tuesday.
Ramirez is among 33 Dodgers who will play three games against a local Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) All-Star team, on March 12 and 13 in Taipei and on March 14 in Kaohsiung.
In the complete roster the Dodgers announced Tuesday, 17 of the 33 players have Major League experience, organizers Bros Sports said in a press release.
Ramirez, a 37-year-old Dominican-American power hitter, headlines the much-publicized series. Known for his offensive ability, the 12-time All-Star is also a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 people to have hit over 500 career home runs. His 28 career post season home runs are also the most by any player in MLB history.
Also expected to receive much fanfare are a pair of home-made heroes: left-handed reliever Kuo Hong-chih and shortstop Hu Chin-lung.
Kuo, 28, spent his entire MLB career with the Dodgers from 2005 to present and had 9 wins, 13 losses and 14 saves. His Taiwanese teammate 26-year-old Hu is known for his defensive performance, and appeared in 82 games from 2007-2009, playing mostly in the minor league.
The visit will be the Dodgers' second to Taiwan. The National League team played a CPBL All-Star team in a series of exhibitions in 1993.
According to the MLB official Web site, the games will mark the third time since 2008 that a MLB team has traveled to Asia. In March 2008, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres played two Spring Training games in Beijing, the first-ever MLB games played in China. Later that month, the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's opened the 2008 MLB regular season with a two-game series in Tokyo, Japan.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' complete roster is listed below:
Pitchers (16) : RHP Mario Alvarez, LHP Alberto Bastardo, RHP Robert Boothe, RHP Jesus Castillo, RHP Hyang-Nam Choi, RHP Scott Dohmann, RHP John Ely, RHP Francisco Felix, RHP Charlie Haeger, RHP Kenley Jansen, LHP Kuo Hong-chih RHP Josh Lindblom, RHP Jon Link, LHP Juan Perez, LHP Eric Stults and RHP Josh Towers Catchers (four): J.D. Closser, Gabriel Gutierrez, Lucas May, and Jesse Mier.
Infielders (eight): Ronnie Belliard, Angel Berroa, Jamey Carroll, Chin-lung Hu, John Lindsey, James Loney, Russ Mitchell and Ramon Nivar.
Outfielders (six) : Brian Barton, Xavier Paul, Manny Ramirez, Prentice Redman, Michael Restovich, and Trayvon Robinson. Coaches: Manager Joe Torre, first base coach John Shoemaker, third base coach Lorenzo Bundy, pitching coach Jim Slaton, hitting coach/bench coach Tim Wallach and bullpen catcher Mike Borzello.