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Hanshin pitcher Yen-Ching Lu (22) completed two weeks of compulsory military training in December in his home country, Taiwan. A team representative reported to the press on the 14th that “he did his training, finished it, and will be able to attend spring camp in February without any worries.”
In Taiwan, basically all 18-year old males are required to do military training, though the length differs based on the man’s post-secondary education plans. For those born after January 1, 1994, the duration of training has been set at 4 months, and since Lu was born in 1996, the rule should apply to him. However, since he was a member of Team Taiwan and is playing professional baseball overseas, the rule has been relaxed some. A different club representative added that “special exceptions are made for professional athletes to shorten their duty period.”
Last season, his first in Japan, saw Lu pitch in 12 games, going 2-3 with an ERA of 4.31 in the Western League. When he renewed his contract last November, Lu spoke of his desire to make the top squad right from Opening Day, and staying in the rotation all season. He will be back in Japan very soon, and will start working out at Naruohama before camp begins.