The Taiwanese baseball world is in turmoil after a fan protest at a recent game escalated into a public feud between frustrated supporters and the beleaguered coaching staff of the Chung-Hsin Brothers, a team mired in its worst offensive slump of the season. On May 23, 2026, during a home game at Taipei’s Taichung InterContinental Stadium, fans held signs demanding the resignation of the team’s Japanese hitting coaches—Nishida Akira and Gotō Shintarō—after a dismal 11-24-1 record through 36 games, including back-to-back shutouts at the hands of the Wei Chuan Dragons this past weekend. The protest came as the team’s two star hitters, Tseng Sung-En and Chan Tzu-Hsien, struggled with career-low batting averages (.170 and .158, respectively) and a league-worst 13 home runs combined.
How a Single Game Became a Flashpoint for Fan Frustration
What should have been a routine doubleheader against the Rich Power Bears turned into a symbolic victory for the Brothers’ offense—and a stark reminder of why fans are furious. In a rare bright spot for the struggling team, Tseng and Chan combined for two home runs in the sixth inning, sparking a 5-0 rally that lifted the Brothers to a 5-3 win over Rich Power’s top prospect, Huang Bao-Luo. The outburst came after Huang dominated the first five innings, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out two Brothers hitters. But the Brothers’ bats finally awoke, with Tseng going 4-for-4 (.395 batting average in the minors) and Chan 1-for-3 (.174 in the minors) in the game, a rare taste of redemption for a team that had been scoring just 112 runs in 36 games—fewer than half the league average.
The win was short-lived relief. The Brothers had already been swept by the Dragons in a three-game series this past weekend—their first such loss in franchise history—and were now facing a 6-0 divisional deficit. The protest signs, held prominently in the bullpen area, read “Fire the hitting coaches”, a demand that resonated with a fanbase increasingly skeptical of the team’s foreign coaching staff. According to a report from Liberty Sports, the signs appeared during the second game of the doubleheader, with fans citing the team’s anemic offense as the primary reason for their frustration.
The Manager’s Defiant Response: “This Isn’t Real Fan Behavior”
Chung-Hsin Brothers manager Hiroyuki Hirano did not mince words in his response. Speaking to reporters after the game, he dismissed the protest as unworthy of a true fan, framing the criticism as an attack on the team’s foreign coaching staff rather than a constructive critique. “I don’t believe these are real fans,” Hirano said in a statement to Taiwan Sports News Agency (TSNA), as reported by Yahoo Sports Taiwan. “My mission is to make sure fans enjoy coming to the ballpark every day. But for fans who behave like this, I won’t say they’re fans. I won’t work for them.”
Hirano’s remarks underscored a growing divide between the team’s leadership and its most vocal supporters. The manager, who has faced criticism for his defensive strategies as well, argued that the protest was not just misguided but potentially harmful to the team’s image. “There are children and families in the stands,” he said. “This kind of behavior isn’t appropriate. In Japan, we don’t allow fans to behave this way. If we did, no one would want to come to the games.”
The reference to Japan’s stricter fan conduct policies was not lost on analysts. In recent years, Japanese professional baseball has cracked down on disruptive fan behavior, including the use of inflammatory signs and chants. Hirano’s comparison to Japan’s approach—where protests are often met with ejection or outright bans—highlighted the cultural tensions at play. Meanwhile, the Brothers’ foreign coaching staff, both Japanese, have become convenient scapegoats for a team that has struggled mightily with offense this season.
Numbers That Explain the Outrage: Why Fans Are Furious
The Brothers’ offensive collapse is not just a matter of perception—it’s a statistical disaster.
- Batting average: .212 (10th in CPBL, 60 points below league average)
- On-base percentage: .278 (9th, 45 points below average)
- Slugging percentage: .301 (9th, 100 points below average)
- Home runs: 13 (tied for last, 20 fewer than league leader)
- Runs scored: 112 (last, 120 fewer than league average)
Tseng and Chan, once the team’s most reliable power hitters, have been particularly devastating. Tseng’s .170 batting average and .191 slugging percentage in the majors are career lows, while Chan’s .158 average is the worst of his six-year career. Their combined OPS+ (a measure of offensive production relative to league average) sits at just 39, meaning they’re producing at roughly 60% of their career norms. For context, a league-average hitter has an OPS+ of 100.
The Brothers’ struggles extend beyond the two stars. The team’s entire lineup has been stagnant, with only three players posting batting averages above .250. The lack of depth has forced Hirano to rely heavily on Tseng and Chan, who have combined for just 25 home runs in 34 games—a pace that would leave them on track for a career-low 30 homers by season’s end.
What’s Next for the Brothers: A Crisis of Confidence
The protest and Hirano’s response have put the team’s future in sharp focus. With the Brothers now six games back in the division and facing a potential playoff collapse, the pressure is mounting on general manager Chen Wei-Cheng to make a move.
- Coaching changes: Firing or replacing the foreign hitting coaches, as fans demand, could send a signal to the team that the front office is listening. However, Hirano has shown no inclination to make such a move, and the coaches’ contracts are reportedly structured to protect them from immediate dismissal.
- Trading for offense: The team has limited capital but could explore minor-league call-ups or low-cost acquisitions to bolster the bench. The Brothers have already promoted several prospects from the farm system this season, but their performance has been inconsistent.
- Development overhaul: A deeper dive into the team’s player development programs could yield long-term solutions, but fans are demanding immediate results.
Meanwhile, the protest has sparked a broader conversation about fan behavior in Taiwanese baseball. While Hirano’s comparison to Japan’s stricter policies is valid, it also ignores the cultural context of CPBL, where protests—even controversial ones—have historically been tolerated as long as they remain peaceful. The “Fire the Hitting Coaches” signs, while blunt, were not accompanied by any physical altercations or threats, a fact that some analysts argue should have been acknowledged by the team’s leadership.
As for the Brothers themselves, the team’s next series begins on May 28 against the Rakuten Monkeys, a team that has been riding a 10-game winning streak. With the Brothers’ offense in shambles and morale likely at an all-time low, the coming weeks will be critical. If the team cannot turn things around soon, the fan protests could become a daily occurrence—and the team’s playoff hopes could vanish entirely.
A League in Transition: What This Means for CPBL’s Future
The Brothers’ struggles are not unique in the CPBL. The league has seen a rise in fan activism in recent years, particularly as teams struggle with declining attendance and financial pressures. The Wei Chuan Dragons, for example, have been praised for their recent resurgence, including a historic three-game sweep of the Brothers this past weekend. Their success has only amplified the contrast between the two teams, with Dragons fans celebrating their clubhouse’s “hero of the week” culture, where even role players get their moments in the spotlight.
In contrast, the Brothers’ recent struggles have been marked by a lack of leadership and a sense of helplessness. Hirano’s defensive stance on the protest—coupled with the team’s inability to produce runs—has left fans feeling abandoned. The situation raises questions about the league’s future: Can CPBL teams continue to rely on foreign coaching staffs without addressing cultural and communication gaps? Will fan protests become more common as teams struggle with underperformance?
For now, the Brothers remain in damage control mode. The team’s next steps—whether they involve coaching changes, roster moves, or a shift in public relations strategy—will determine whether this protest marks the beginning of a turnaround or the start of a deeper crisis.
One thing is certain: The CPBL is watching closely. If the Brothers can’t stabilize their offense soon, the league’s already fragile fan trust could erode further—and no team wants to be the next cautionary tale.