Ke Zhi-en Shouts 'Strike Out Lai Jui-lung'! National Softball Player Su Chih-jung Fires Back: Saying 'Strike Out' Doesn't Guarantee a Strikeout

Regarding KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ke Zhi-en's statement today (13th) likening the election to a baseball game and declaring that no matter where Lai Jui-lung bats, she will 'strike out' Kaohsiung's 'cleanup hitter,' Su Chih-jung, a former national team softball player and native of Kaohsiung, pushed back, stating that anyone who has actually played at the national level knows that standing on the pitcher's mound and shouting 'strikeout' doesn't mean you can throw a good pitch, nor does shouting 'strikeout' mean the batter will obediently get out.

Su Chih-jung stated that Kaohsiung's municipal governance is like a marathon: from Mayor Frank Hsieh laying the foundation for urban transformation, to Mayor Chen Ju driving the city's metamorphosis, to Mayor Chen Chi-mai sprinting full speed toward technological industries, Kaohsiung has gradually evolved from a traditional industrial city into a tech-savvy, livable, and international metropolis. Now, Kaohsiung has reached a critical inning, and Lai Jui-lung will step up as the 'cleanup hitter'—not just receiving the baton, but continuing the accumulated achievements, bringing Kaohsiung's representative runner home, and leading the city onto the global stage.

The election isn't about who shouts louder, but who can defend Kaohsiung's interests and hit for the future, Su emphasized. He pointed out that if Ke Zhi-en truly understands baseball or softball, she should know that a great pitcher protects the team's victory and guards every run, rather than opposing the Kaohsiung City Government on major issues like the Fiscal Revenue and Expenditure Act and the central government's overall budget—issues directly affecting Kaohsiung's financial resources—putting the city under fiscal pressure, and then turning around to shout 'strike out' at the city government.

'No matter how loudly you shout, you can't score for Kaohsiung,' Su stated bluntly. Such behavior, where 'words and actions are out of sync,' not only fails to protect Kaohsiung's score but could even cause the city to lose points.

Citing Kaohsiung City Council data, Su noted that after the revision of the Fiscal Revenue and Expenditure Act, Kaohsiung's increase in allocated funds was the lowest among the six major cities. After deducting reductions in central government subsidies, Kaohsiung City Government estimates a total funding shortfall of approximately NT$17.4 billion. He questioned that if Ke Zhi-en truly sees herself as a member of the 'Kaohsiung team,' she should work to protect Kaohsiung's score, rather than enabling the opposing team to gain points—or even causing Kaohsiung to lose points—during critical moments when the city needs to score. Shouting 'strike out' afterward is especially ironic.

Drawing from his experience as a national softball player, Su added that when facing a pitcher with poor control and erratic pitches, batters don't need to echo the pitcher's words. The real strategy is to stay calm, select pitches carefully, lock onto good pitches, and swing with full power.

This election isn't about who shouts louder or who can yell 'strike out' the loudest, but who can truly defend Kaohsiung's rights and hit for the future, Su concluded. He urged Kaohsiung citizens to use their votes on November 28 to show who the real run-scoring hitter for Kaohsiung is: 'Let's turn this pitch into a grand slam home run together!'