Wang's reps emphasized his 19-win total two straight seasons. They also tried went a little nuts in the hearing room when they described him as "the Michael Jordan of Taiwan,'' and actually produced a graphic depicting how the Taiwanese stock market fluctuated on days he pitched.

As the arbitrators ruled: Who cares about that?

MLB is a $6-billion business, with only about $3 million of that coming from Taiwan. Besides, Wang makes millions in endorsements in Taiwan, separate and apart from his Yankees salary. The Yankees pointed that out, and predictably, Wang suffered a tough loss, a rarity for pitcher who normally enjoys incredible support from his team.