PULASKI - For most baseball players, their professional debut is a monumental step. When Chi-Hung Cheng threw his first pitch for the Pulaski Blue Jays this summer, the occasion was naturally a big deal for him.

Big deal, yes, but overwhelming it was not. He'd pitched in bigger games. Cheng was on the mound for Taiwan in the championship game of the 1996 Little League World Series.

"I was more nervous for that," he said.

He needn't be nervous about whether he can compete in the Appalachian League. That he's long since established.

"If you held a gun to my head, I'd say now he'll play in the big leagues," Pulaski manager Gary Cathcart said.

The 6-foot, 180-pound, 19-year-old left-hander has arrived on these shores and announced his presence with an above-average fastball, commendable control and a Major League-quality change-up and curve.

As for announcing himself verbally, well, he's working on that.

"In spring training, all he knew was 'Thanks' and 'Good morning,'" said Pulaski teammate Jon Ashford. "He says a whole lot more than that now.'"

Absolutely, especially when he's talking fishing, next to baseball his favorite topic of sporting conversation. Asked to describe what he'd caught on some spring training excursions in Florida this spring, he had a ready answer.

"Alligator."

When the questioner recovered sufficiently from reacting to that response, Cheng went on to detail how he'd spotted a 3-foot gator when fishing and basically teased it into striking at his bait. Fearlessness has clearly not been an issue for him.

Part of the reason for that is despite his lack of English language skills, he's still been able to communicate. For that, he can thank the Toronto Blue Jays organization and the translator it arranged for him, Taiwan-born American citizen Alvin Ken.

"Alvin goes everywhere with him and whenever we need to talk to Chi-Hung, Alvin's there," Cathcart said. "Even when we go out to the mound to talk to him, Alvin comes, too."

Ken is a 24-year-old graduate student at the University of South Florida studying mechanical engineering. When the Jays organization contacted a Taiwanese student organization looking for a translator, Ken responded.

"Sounded like a fun summer job," he said.

It's been fun all right. The two of them go everywhere together. Along with infielder Graig Badger and pitcher Eddie Cannon, they also share an apartment.

At first, it was tricky for Ken, who hadn't played baseball himself since he was a youngster in Taiwan.

"It took me a while to catch up on the terms," he said.

Now, the coaches tell Ken what they want Cheng to do.

"Chi-Hung is very smart," Cathcart said. "We tell him something one time and he understands because he understands the game so well."

Along with a strong mind, he has a strong arm. So far, he's gone 2-1 with a highly respectable 2.68 earned run average. He's struck out 48 and walked only 17 in 40
innings. Cheng's fastball clocks in the mid-80 mph range.

"He's one of our best pitching prospects, no question," Cathcart said.

The Jays thought he might make a good one when they offered him a tryout last fall. They thought so much of him that they flew him from Taiwan to Tampa to take a look. Two weeks later, they made him an offer.

What they hadn't counted on particularly was his agreeable temperament.

"All the guys really like him," Cathcart said.

"He's probably the nicest guy on the team," said Ashford, whose locker is two spaces down from Cheng's. "He's always the first one to congratulate you when you've done well and pick you up when you're down."

Cheng has played baseball for 11 years.

"I was full of energy and having a hard time concentrating in school," Cheng said through Ken. "So my father said, 'Maybe you should try baseball.'"

Good idea. Before long, Cheng was one of the island nation's elite players. Next came appointment to the national athletic academy. That's where he was when the Jays found him.

Since coming to the United States, Cheng has learned fast. His English is coming along, as is his Spanish, his goal being to be able to talk to all of his future teammates. Ken will be with him through the fall, assuming that Cheng earns an invitation to fall instructional league.

"After that, he's on his own," Ken said.