07/27: Wang The Prankster?
Posted by: James
There's a positively glowing article on Chien-Ming Wang over at MLB.com today. It's definitely worth a read, if only to get a little more of an idea of who the team's somewhat shy #2 pitcher really is. Here are a few highlights and any emphasis added is mine.
Now, he needs to do only one thing to get on my eternal good side. When Joe comes in to take the ball from him, Obi-Wang should wave his hand and calmly tell him that he doesn't need to take the ball away and this isn't the ball he's looking for. THAT...would be hilarious (okay, maybe just to me...).
Asked if he has been pleased with his success, Wang shook his hand as if to say, "So-so."
"Maybe lucky?" he said with a bashful grin. "I want better, better, better." (How can you not root for that?)
...
Catcher Jorge Posada says without hesitation that Wang has the best stuff in the Yankees' rotation. Guidry feels Wang could be an ace for the Yankees, if not another team, in a couple years.
...
That was never more evident in Wang's next to last start against the Mariners. Wang didn't have his best stuff and was constantly in trouble. Three Alex Rodriguez errors behind him didn't help.
But Wang never lost his composure and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings to pick up the win.
Asked about the errors after the game, Wang simply said, "Nobody's perfect."
...
But despite his success, Wang remains a pitcher not too many teams know about.
Mariners batting coach Jeff Pentland hadn't heard much about Wang -- other than that he had a good sinker -- before facing him on July 17. After spending a couple hours of watching him on tape, Pentland compared Wang to Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays' former Cy Young winner. (A comparison I've thought of on several occassions).
"Maybe lucky?" he said with a bashful grin. "I want better, better, better." (How can you not root for that?)
...
Catcher Jorge Posada says without hesitation that Wang has the best stuff in the Yankees' rotation. Guidry feels Wang could be an ace for the Yankees, if not another team, in a couple years.
...
That was never more evident in Wang's next to last start against the Mariners. Wang didn't have his best stuff and was constantly in trouble. Three Alex Rodriguez errors behind him didn't help.
But Wang never lost his composure and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings to pick up the win.
Asked about the errors after the game, Wang simply said, "Nobody's perfect."
...
But despite his success, Wang remains a pitcher not too many teams know about.
Mariners batting coach Jeff Pentland hadn't heard much about Wang -- other than that he had a good sinker -- before facing him on July 17. After spending a couple hours of watching him on tape, Pentland compared Wang to Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays' former Cy Young winner. (A comparison I've thought of on several occassions).
Now, he needs to do only one thing to get on my eternal good side. When Joe comes in to take the ball from him, Obi-Wang should wave his hand and calmly tell him that he doesn't need to take the ball away and this isn't the ball he's looking for. THAT...would be hilarious (okay, maybe just to me...).
