Chunichi's Wei-yin Chen agrees to contract with Orioles

That's more than Iwakuma.

Taiwanese have the advantage of leaving NPB early.

Taiwanese have the advantage of leaving NPB early.

It's not because he's Taiwanese. It's because he's a foreigner, and NPB rules for domestic and international FA don't apply to him. How do you think the Yomiuri Giants regularly raid other NPB teams for their successful "gaijin suketto" after a year or two in the league?

The O's are taking a big risk with Chen. Chen's numbers really tailed off last year, especially his K/BB ratio which does not bode well for success as a starter in the majors. Supposedly, his decreased velocity was due to a leg problem, but let's remember this guy hardly pitched for a couple years after an arm injury several years ago. I would hope the O's did their due diligence with a thorough physical exam.

Barring a major injury, I think Chen will be a useful pitcher for the O's, but probably not long-term as a starter. Uehara could not hold up physically til he was moved full-time to the 'pen, and I think the same will hold true for Chen.

Uehara was much older, it's not really a good argument. He would have been a great MLB started if he had come at the same age of Chen.