Chen-mania!

Victoria Sun

Friday, April 12, 2002 | 9:26 a.m.

Only eight games into the season, interest in Taiwanese sensation Chin-Feng Chen has dramatically increased visits to the Las Vegas 51s' website and generated a strong international following for the team.

As of Thursday night, 24,365 votes had been received in a fan poll on the website (www.lv51.com) which asks "Who has been the 51s MVP thus far?"

Chen, the 51s' first baseman, has received an overwhelming 97 percent of the vote while relief pitcher Shane Nance, center fielder Scott Pose and manager Brad Mills each received one percent.

The news was a bit surprising for the humble and shy Chen, who speaks limited English.

"It's kind of weird," Chen said sheepishly of the attention. "It's just too early."

Chen hit a solo home run in the second inning of the 51's 4-3 victory over Edmonton Thursday night. It was the fourth home run of the year for the hot prospect who is hitting .357.

Las Vegas 51s director of marketing and communications Aaron Artman helped create the new website in conjunction with Infinity Pro Sports, a website host and developer based in College Station, Texas.

A spokesman for Infinity Pro Sports said that between Monday and Thursday, there were more than 13,000 visitors to the 51s' website and more than 176,000 pages were downloaded, the most of any other of their minor league baseball clients.

Infinity Pro Sports produces the official minor league baseball website, the Pacific Coast League website, websites for 17 other minor league baseball teams, several minor league hockey teams and the Big XII Conference.

Artman said Chen-mania has helped attract a lot of positive attention to the team.

"When we first launched the new site, we got about 1,100 visitors the first week which isn't bad," Artman said. "But once I put this poll up, it just sky-rocketed.

"I would attribute it to Chin-Feng Chen's following. Every day, I get a lot of e-mail from Taiwan and China about him, and from the States as well.

"I probably get about eight to 10 e-mails specifically about Chen every day. I got one this morning and it said, 'I just want you to know that in Taiwan, Chin-Feng Chen is the No. 1 athlete in the whole world. Please be nice to him.' Or they'll ask when he might be called up to the big leagues or if they can get an autograph."

Plenty has been written about Chen, 24, on the 51s' website message board.

A fan in Australia wrote, "In Australia, we still can know ur (sic) news. Hope u can get into MLB soon. Go! Go! Chen."

Others have posted messages showing their support and several fans were organizing trips to Las Vegas to see Chen.

One zealous fan even offered to bring some home-cooked Chinese food to him.

"It's nice because I think it creates more interest in the team," Artman said. "I don't think it is a big boost financially for the team, but it's cool to have the name recognition and awareness out there.

"He is doing very well offensively and I'm sure that is helping his confidence."