Q+A: Bruce Hurst

(pitching coach of the Chinese team)

Q: How did you become the pitching coach of the China national team?

A: In 2003, Team China approached MLB for someone to manage their team as they prepared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The manager of that team, Jim Lefebvre, asked me to be the pitching coach. That is how I began as the pitching coach for Team China.

Q: Is the level better than you expected? Or worse?

A: The game is what I expected. When I first worked with the team I wasn't sure what to expect. I had some information but still wanted to see for myself. I think the game is as good as can be expected with the amount of experience that these players have. Maybe better given the amount of experience they have.

Q: What qualities do you see in the players that give you reason to believe a Chinese baseball player could make it to the major leagues?

A: I see tremendous upside in the Chinese baseball athlete. I love the size of the bodies that we are getting. They could be a lot stronger but that will come in time. I think that the decision-making skills are as good as anyone around the world that plays the game. I love the work ethic of the Chinese athletes and I love the competitiveness of the players. As the game grows in China, and the game begins to get the better athletes playing the game, and as the coaching improves in China, I think that you could see several players make it to the major leagues and not just make it but be contributors to their teams.

Q: How has the game developed in China since you started coaching the team 10 years ago?

A: The game has come a long way since the beginning for me. We have had a few players in the minor leagues in the US and Japan. The players have been exposed to some very high-level competition in the Olympics and the WBC and other high-level games. On a personal level, some of the players that I have coached are now coaching and I am very appreciative of the level of teaching that they are giving to a wide range of age groups. I am grateful that MLB has a presence there and I am confident that it are putting a great development program in place.

(China Daily 03/24/2013 page8)