Marchand: Yanks told Wang not to exercise legs

May 28, 2009 by Mike Axisa 93 Comments

On Michael Kay’s 1050 ESPN Radio show today, Andrew Marchand reported that the Yankees specifically told Chien-Ming Wang not to work his legs as usual this offseason because of his lisfranc issue. You can listen to the clip here. Marchand said he spoke to GM Brian Cashman, who admitted that it was a mistake to tell Wang that, but also cited the team’s lack of experience with the injury. Cash also mentioned that Brian Bruney was also told not to work out his legs, so there’s a chance that may have contributed to his present elbow issues.

Marchand also said he spoke Alan Nero, Wang’s agent, who said his client is upset about being told not to work his legs, as well as having to work out of the bullpen. He’ll go along with it for the time being because he’s a team player. Cashman’s response: “His contract says baseball player, not starting pitcher.” That’s an OH SNAP! moment if there ever was one.

Is this another example of the Yanks treating Wang unfairly? The other day, PeteAbe chronicled how the Yanks have always seemed to keep Wang at arm’s length, but I’m not sure I agree with that. For starters, I don’t see how going to arbitration over $600,000 suggests anything about anything; the salary the Yanks offered was well in line with similar pitchers with similar service time, and the Yanks aren’t going to pay the extra money to a player under team control just because the team can afford too. Obviously, the arbitrator agreed with the team on that one.

Did the Yanks screw up by activating Wang too early? Yeah, they did, but what’s done is done, and now both the team and Wang have to work to correct things. As we discussed yesterday, having too many good pitchers is a great problem to have, and at some point Wang will get his shot back at the rotation. But right now, it’s far to early to say Wang’s ready to resume his regular starting duties.

(h/t The Artist for the Marchand link)

http://statspeak.net dan

If the Yankees lack experience with the injury, why didn’t they ask a doctor with experience?

And I really don’t think Bruney’s elbow injury is related to his legs. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
- handtius
  
  Well Dan, you’re not a Doctor (unless you are, are you?) so one wouldn’t expect you to understand the inner workings of the body. I can understand how one can effect the other. If his legs aren’t strong enough, he is working his arm harder to get to the desired velocity and the effect is a screwing with his mechanics and possibly led to a damaged elbow.
  - e mills
    
    he definitely does not appreciate the eastern “holistic” approach to the body ;)
  - V
    
    I don’t think he’s arguing that point. I think he’s pointing out that Cashman said the team lacks experience with the injury.
    
    So… what… exactly… kept them from seeking out someone who HAD experience?
    - handtius
      
      I was just referring to the Bruney arm injury…with a slight bit of sarcasm…ever so slight. like mac truck slight.
  - jonathan
    
    I am a doctor, and you are completely right pitching power is a combination of upper, lower and core strength. If his legs are weak than he can over compensate with his arm, shoulder or core and cause undo strain. It is a total shock to me that with any upper body injure they would suggest you don’t exercise your legs. I would tell the person to work their legs and core regularly but not over do it. The legs and core are complex grouping of muscles that if unactive can lose strength quick…the arm would be easier to get up to speed.
    - JP
      
      I’m a doctor too, but I’m not a sports medicine guy, either. Although I agree that weak legs could predispose to an arm injury, a Lisfranc injury is, as I understand it, a very dangerous sort of injury that can cause lingering, chronic problems. Maybe the Yankees’ sports medicine consultants felt that lower body workouts might reactivate or otherwise worsen the Lisfranc injury.
      
      If Brian Cashman and Gene Monohan or some non-MD strength coach advised Wang and Bruney without medical advice, that is stupid. But it’s perfectly logical to me that a sports medicine physician might have advised them not to work their legs.
e mills

what the deuce? the Yankees are better than that
V

The Yankees front office (and training staff) do see ill-equipped to handle injuries. Which is really sad, given their wallets.

And treating Wang like shit (which, yes, is what they’ve done throughout this fiasco) will force them to trade him by the deadline in 2010, as the chances of him signing with the Yankees when a free agent are nil, at this point.
- pat
  
  Agree with the first part, not the second part so much.
- http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
  
  Disagree on both parts. Its tough to know how an injury will affect a BASEBALL player when these were among the first of their kind in their sport. There’s no road map as to what is the correct course of action. They chose doing nothing, which seemed like the most conservative route to go, and it didnt work. Trial and error.
  
  And I don’t think they’ve ever intended to sign him as a FA. He’s had 2 shoulder injuries already, and he’s not the type of pitcher that will age well, as we’ve seen this year.
- JP
  
  Not sure I agree with either part. If the Yankees have incompetent conditioning coaches, then I guess the Rays do, and the Red Sox, and the Angels, and Toronto…
  
  What we are seeing today is not, I don’t believe, more actual injuries than in the past. We are seeing more cautious treatment of injuries. In the past, if your elbow was a little sore, well, you pitched anyway. I think it was Ralph Houk who said “unless your arm is falling off, you’re pitching.”
  
  Whether or not teams are over-cautious, I have no idea.
  
  As for the “respect” thing, well, I say respect shmeespect. Obviously, every team should treat players fairly, and I think Wang has been treated fairly. He isn’t the only player, or the only pitcher, on the team. He got what was fair in arbitration; any other team would have done the same thing. He had a bad injury, and life goes on when you’re injured…happens all the time in baseball, you get injured, and someone takes your job away. All Wang has to do is return to form (as opposed to, oh, giving up 14 runs in 2 innings while recording a grand total of 3 outs…) and he’ll have his job back, because his best form is better than at least 3 and probably 4 of the existing Yankee starters.
  
  [Tangent alert…] “Respect” is a dangerous thing on a baseball team; sometimes a great player has to go, or change position…at any rate, Wang has done nothing to earn any sort of “special” respect or treatment. Yeah, 2 19 game win seasons are great, but his playoff debacles certainly aren’t.
mustang

“Is this another example of the Yanks treating Wang unfairly?’

I totally agree. I wouldn’t be surprise if he walks when he becomes a free agent. You don’t place a 38 game winner in the pen and not let him work things out because of some serviceable (RAB word not my) kid.

“Cashman’s response: “his contract says baseball player, not starting pitcher.” That’s an OH SNAP!” And that might be oh snap, but it doesn’t seem like very smart thing to say to a guy who you might want to resign someday.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  1. He had a 34.50 ERA as a starter. How does that help the team win? Now that he’s had two good innings at the end of a blow out, you’re ready to re-install him in the rotation. Did you not read this post? Do you not see how his legs are probably not ready for that? I have a strong Groundhog’s Day sense of deja vu here.
  
  2. When he’s a free agent, he will do what every other free agent does: He will sign with the team that offers him the most money. If that’s the Yankees, then he’ll stay in the Bronx. You can take that one to the bank.
  - mustang
    
    1- It seems to me that some pitchers with a small history of success can go down to the minors work out their problems and be placed back in the rotation with no problems. Yet a guy with a solid 2 year history success can go though the same process and he has to wait until spot somehow opens up.
    
    2- Andy to Houston… I guess that bank got robbed.
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
      
      Ok. I was at last Friday’s Wang appearance, and Wang was awful. Seven base runners and two ER in three innings is hardly something that warrants moving him back into the rotation. Plus, his arm slot was all over the place and his velocity was down. He had a very encouraging outing last night. Let’s see how he responds from there.
      
      Remember: Wang had a really bad injury, and the Yankees obviously messed up his rehab. We don’t even need to pretend that he’s not 100 percent. He’ll be back. Don’t worry.
      
      As for the Pettitte comparison, Andy seems far more of a cerebral, proud person that Wang. Maybe I’m wrong. But we still have a few years to figure that one out.
      - mustang
        
        Yes I was watching the game. I saw a guy who was rusty because he hadn’t pitch in a month in the MLB and was thrown into an unfamiliar role. His sinker sank, but was off and his velocity wasn’t that bad. On top of all that he faced one of the stronger offensive teams in the game. His own manager praises him after the game and he threw even better in Texas reaffirming that praise.
        All I’m saying is one start to see what you have is that too much to ask for what you might have in Wang? I mean last year the Yankees were giving away starts to anyone with good resume.
        
        whozat
        
        And this year, they have 5 pitchers who are better bets — right now — to throw a solid start than Chien Ming Wang.
        
        His last start in the minors still left them wanting to see some things. His first relief outing was bad and he was all over the place. The 8th last time out was ok, the ninth was very good.
        
        I want to see more than ONE inning where he’s throwing free and easy before I’m going to demote Hughes to get Wang a start.
      - Chris
        
        Didn’t Houston have the highest offer for Pettitte? If I remember correctly, the Yankees did not make a generous offer, if they made one at all. I believe they had (justified) concerns about the condition of his elbow.
        
        mustang
        
        “Houston Astros with a three-year, $31.5 million contract after nine seasons in New York”
        
        “In the end, Cashman said, the Yankees offered three years and $39 million, but only the first two years of the contract would have been guaranteed”
        
        “The Boston Red Sox made Pettitte an early offer, $52 million for four years, the richest proposal he would receive. One official said the Red Sox knew there was little chance Pettitte would accept”
        
        The rest is here:
        http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/12/sports/baseball-yankees-lose-part-of-their-core-as-pettitte-signs-with-houston.html?pagewanted=all
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
        
        Exception, not rule.
        
        mustang
        
        Then why should Yankees fan be so grateful that we got CC?
        CC was the rule no need to grateful about anything he took the $$$$$.
        
        This whole Wang situation could be dealt with a lot more class by the organizations that prides its self on being classy.
    - whozat
      
      Ah, another classic logical fallacy…generalizing from special cases.
      
      The number of free agents who follow the money FAR outweighs the ones who get their panties in a wad and turn down a better contract for emotional reasons.
      
      Also, frankly, I think they SHOULD trade Wang once his value is restored. Frankly, right-handed pitching is the one thing they produce, and a proven guy like Wang could bring back a top-tier young position player.
      - http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
        
        Seriously, Andy felt George never appreciated him since he tried to trade him AND had an offer to play in his HOMETOWN. I don’t think Wang will be getting any comparable offers to play in Tainan City.
        
        mustang
        
        All someone has to be is in the same financial ballpark and If the players feel jaded then that’s all it takes. I just think Cashman should of choice his words more wisely.
      - V
        
        I think the ‘top-tier position player’ plane has flown. Dealing him prior to 2008 could have landed a package of studs (Colby Rasmus or Dexter Fowler, plus a couple others). I don’t think you can get one of those anymore.
      - JP
        
        I definitely agree on trading Wang. He would probably bring quite a bit of value now, being young and with a good pitching record. The strikeout thing, however, suggests his best days as a pitcher are over.
        
        Zack
        
        He’s never been a strikeout pitcher, so how are his best days behind him?
        I hope you’re not saying Wang has value right now, maybe in July 2010, but not now.
        
        JP
        
        If you look at pitchers throughout history, there are almost no pitchers, ever, who have strikeout rates below the league average who are successful for more than a couple of years. An exception is Lew Burdette.
        
        People hear this and say “no way…how about Tommy John, and Greg Maddux.” Actually, both of those guys were consistently at or above the league average in strikeouts.
        
        I’m not talking about his current situation and saying that his lack of strikeouts means he’s on his way out. I’m saying that the fact that he’s always had low strikeouts means that he is destined for a very short period of success.
        
        As I say, there are exceptions, and maybe it’s possible for him to change. But if you go by the numbers, Wang looks more like Fidrych with a bit more longevity than he does, say, Mike Mussina or David Cone or Jimmy Key…
  - JP
    
    +1
Alan

I agree there is nothing wrong with going to arbitration. However, this is looking more and more like mistreatment of Wang.
1. They brought up Hughes, obviously hoping he would stick.
2. With that in mind, they still recalled Wang from the minors.
3. Out of all the possible players they could recall to relieve Joba, they went with Wang, thus aborting his rehab.

So, they: 1. picked his replacement. 2. put him in positional purgatory. 3. abort his recovery.
- whozat
  
  1. They brought up Hughes, because Wang was an unmitigated disaster
  2 and 3 are the same argument. Once they added him to the roster, his rehab was aborted. Was that stupid? Yes. Was it deliberately to screw Wang over? No! Why the hell would they do that? How would that do anything useful for the team?
Simon B.

I think both Wang and the Yankees have handled this very badly. Wang has seemed very unapologetic through this whole ordeal. After every horrible, horrible start, he said he felt fine and just needed to pitch more. I’m just a little put off by his manner all throughout this. It just comes off as selfish to me that he’s so upset he’s not in the rotation right now. Who does he expect to replace?

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if he pressured the Yankees to activate him. If a player on the DL wants to return, there’s only so much latitude you have to keep him down in rehab. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to do so otherwise (though, of course, the Yankees haven’t displayed the wisest judgment in a variety of instances).
- Joe LA
  
  Compared to all the times that he’s actually pitched well, and he has said what exactly?
  
  He’s never been one for interviews. They didn’t even really do an interview with him when he was on the front cover of Sports Illustrated and heralded as the driving force behind the Taiwanese stock market.
  
  Trying to get direct quotes out of Chien-Ming Wang is like trying to get Joe Morgan to understand that ERA+ isn’t “what the kids now a days call a higher earned run average.”
  
  Activated means returned to the Major League Roster. He may not have a rotation spot, but he’s without a doubt been activated.
- SP
  
  Sometime I just wonder how many people really READ the post. Isn’t THIS particular post telling you that Yankee did mishandle Wang’s recovery, so why should Wang apologize for his “horrible, horrible starts” when Yankee acted like it’s all Wang’s responsibility?
  
  I also wonder why so many doctors on this blog can’t read, either. Wang has never demanded respect!! It was all from media (Taiwanese AND Americans). Wang simply expressed that his desire to be a starter, because he didn’t know how to prepare for pitching in bullpen, but he always say he will do what the team ask him to do. Maybe he did feel he was disrespect, maybe he didn’t think so. But we have no way to know, because like usual he didn’t say anything!! So why so many of you blame Wang for this disrespect issue? He IS working hard and trying to get back to shape and he DIDN’T complain at all.
http://theyankeebomber.blogspot.com Conan

Wang should continue to work his issues out of the bullpen. Yanks need to pick their spots with him and there could be plenty of opportunities for long relief (Hughes and Joba won’t always pitch well).

It’s a long season, and one of the starters likely will be DL’d. Pettitte and Burnett have some DL history themselves.

Maybe we’ll get lucky and Wang becomes the ideal 7th and 8th inning guy.
- whozat
  
  Maybe we’ll get lucky and Wang ~~becomes the ideal 7th and 8th inning guy.~~ will return to form as a successful starter, because his value to the team — or in trade — is best as a starter.
  
  FTFY.
  - http://theyankeebomber.blogspot.com Conan
    
    I’m hoping Hughes and Joba will pitch well, leaving Wang in the bullpen till there’s an opening.
    - whozat
      
      If Wang is throwing well, Hughes goes back to the minors, unless he keeps throwing 6-8 innings of 0-2 run ball.
      - http://theyankeebomber.blogspot.com Conan
        
        Agree. Gotta keep Joba in the rotation and Hughes still has options. Here’s to hoping Wang recaptures his old form. Not to mention, when he’s on, he goes deep into games and spares the bullpen.
DD

Wang and his ERA of 8 million can pipe down
- JP
  
  Right! I can’t believe people are running around whining “oh poor CMW, they’ve treated him so badly.” What is this, a baseball team or a Brownie Troop?
  
  The guy was horrible to start the season. Of course he’s going to say “he’s fine,” no pitcher is going to say “well, I suck, they need to rehab me for 2 months.”
  
  Saying they “mismanaged” his rehab is also, I think, woefully presumptuous. A Lisfranc injury is serious. Maybe if he were managed another way, he’d have been unable to pitch at all this season. We don’t know squat about the efficacy of his rehab. His current status may be typical of his type of injury, or he may be either ahead of or behind schedule. Unless you know the true “denominator” of the fraction pertaining to all Lisfranc injuries, you don’t know the true meaning of his current health status.
  
  He’s not an option-able player. Putting him on the DL was already an iffy thing, and if he’s truly not “injured” but just poorly conditioned, then I think you keep him on the team and just find ways to use him while he works his way back into the rotation.
  
  If he’s able to do that…
bkight13

From what I understand, the Yankees got away with one by placing Wang on the DL to being with. It was a performance issue and not a real injury. Not having his legs back is not an injury, but they couldn’t keep trotting him out there every 5th day. If they tried to send him to minors, he would have been claimed off waivers.

After seeing him pitch well in Scranton they had to activate him. They possibly could have gotten one more start out of him down there, but that’s it. Now he has to work out of the bullpen and on the side until he’s ready.
- whozat
  
  “After seeing him pitch well in Scranton they had to activate him. They possibly could have gotten one more start out of him down there, but that’s it.”
  
  That’s not how it works. Once he started a rehab assignment, they had 30 days. There’s no judge of “hey, he’s healthy enough, you have to activate him now.”
  - Joe LA
    
    I agree. Just because Ozzie Guillen doesn’t like Wang being on the DL, that doesn’t mean he gets to decide on his rehab schedule.
  - bkight13
    
    I know that is what the rules say, but they would really be pushing it. Wang to the DL created a small number of complaints that would’ve intensified if they prolonged the rehab. I just think it was one of those “look the other way deals” as long as they didn’t abuse it.
    - Joe LA
      
      But intensified in what way? Unless there was a formal complaint logged with Major League Baseball and Selig actually followed up on it, nothing could be done. There are 2 more problems with this.
      
      1) No team in baseball would want to make such a complaint because they would not only annoy a potential trading partner, they would get bad press for it, and if they ever did anything similar, they would be under greater scrutiny.
      
      2)By the time an official complaint would actually be logged, Wang would probably have been back anyway.
      
      To be honest I’m not 100% on the policies on this, but either way, if he’s on the DL, all the 29 other teams can really do is whine. Wang belongs to the Yankees, so complaints or no complaints, you can’t force the Yankees to activate someone that isn’t ready by calling them mean names on the playground.
Will

Communication seems to be an issue here…it would nice to hear what Wang has to say from his mouth, but because of the language barrier, his feelings have to be filtered through both a translator and his agent. Cashman should be smart enough to realize that and not respond via the media.

As for not having Wang workout his legs, who exactly isn’t experienced with the iunjury? Don’t the Yankees employ physicians with extensive experience in sports-related injuries? While it’s shocking to think the Yankees doctors mishandled the recovery, I am even more surprised they would make that admission. Maybe Cash should go back to not saying anything when he says something?
Charles Leone

Last time I checked this team is built to win rings and the key players are paid accordingly, including Wang. Thus if the Yanks want him to come out of the pen he needs to understand it’s for the best of the team. His ERA was in the 30s! When he is a free agent he can go elsewhere if he doesn’t like it, and something tells me we can find someone else who will post a 30 Era for less money.Call me harsh, but he signed a contract to play baseball. How do you say shut up in Tawanese?
- Observer283
  
  Look, Wang pitched terribly at the beginning of the year. Terribly. And it can be frustrating as fans for us to hear complaints from an athlete who has performed poorly. But I think this is how it might look from Wang’s perspective.
  
  1. In four years as a starter, I have performed very well for this team. I have won 19 games in my two full seasons. I have caused, literally, no trouble.
  
  2. I get hurt. They tell me not to exercise my legs in the off-season, a huge disruption to my normal routine. I follow their advice, even though I have reservations.
  
  3. I get off to a terrible start. I have no idea why the ball isn’t doing the same thing it always has after it leaves my hands.
  
  4. Then, they decide that its because my legs are weak! In other words, the main problem is that I followed their advice and my pitching has suffered because of it.
  
  5. I start showing signs of improvement in the minors. I get called up just in case of an emergency, and now that I am back in the majors, I am stuck in pitching purgatory. I can’t start in the minors. I won’t start in the majors until something bad happens to one of my teammates. (I’m not saying he his rooting for this, I’m just saying this is his reality).
  
  Look, I am not saying Wang is without blame here. Whatever the cause, he pitched terribly at the start of the year and must take responsibility for that. (Or at the very least acknowledge that pitching terribly has consequences). Nor am I saying that the Yankees should remove someone else from the rotation merely to appease Wang.
  
  All I am saying is I think it is understandable that he is frustrated. Put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself how you would feel if you went through everything he went through since that ill-fate dtrip around the bases. And yes, I will call you harsh for saying “How do you say shut up in Taiwanese.”
  - JP
    
    All I am saying is I think it is understandable that he is frustrated. Put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself how you would feel if you went through everything he went through since that ill-fate dtrip around the bases.
    
    Hey, who hasn’t gone through frustrations with an employer? He got a bad break, and it isn’t the Yankees’ fault that he was injured. And while everyone seems to agree that the Yankees “mismanaged his rehab,” I think that’s a huge, unfounded presumption. It was a rare, bad injury, and maybe his current status is the best that can possibly have been expected to this point.
    
    Lots of people get sick, get injured, have problems. Life isn’t fair. It isn’t the Yankees responsibility to ensure any player’s “happiness” or comfort.
    - Observer283
      
      JP, I was not try to assert it is the Yankees responsibility to ensure any player’s happiness or comfort. See: “Nor am I saying that the Yankees should remove someone else from the rotation merely to appease Wang.” It is their job to win games and entertain their fans (which is made much easier by winning games). Period.
      
      I was only trying to explain why it is understandable that Wang is frustrated. Just believe I think Wang has the right to be unhappy does not mean I think the Yankees should put “make Wang happy” above winning. The two thoughts can co-exist. Wang can be frustrated and the Yankees can just focus on winning.
      - JP
        
        Fair enough.
Frank Fernandez

Sometimes, this team is run with all the sophistication of a corner deli.
- mustang
  
  I so second that.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  A corner deli probably wouldn’t know what to do about an exceedingly rare Lisfranc injury either for what that’s worth.
  - mustang
    
    But at least they would show you a little courtesy if you had some concerns about how your sandwich was made.
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
      
      That’s being more than a bit hyperbolic. We know the Yankees didn’t handle the rehab right. That doesn’t mean they haven’t been courteous to Wang.
      
      This is also a two-way street. He shouldn’t be complaining about his role if the results don’t warrant a transition. The Yanks thought he was at least healthy enough and ready to contribute at the Big League level. Just because it’s not in the rotation doesn’t mean he’s being insulted.
      
      To carry the deli analogy further than it should have gone, he ain’t chopped liver.
      - mustang
        
        “Just because it’s not in the rotation doesn’t mean he’s being insulted.’
        
        Maybe he feels he has been and can you blame him after what he has given them to be left on an island with no real answer i would be pissed too.
        
        mustang
        
        oh I’m sorry
        “his contract says baseball player, not starting pitcher.”
        
        That his answer my bag.
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Benjamin Kabak
        
        I still don’t follow your logic. What he gave them were three straight starts that rank as among the worst all time in Major League Baseball history. Four weeks later and in the midst of a Yankee hot streak, you’re willing to toss a pitcher who said he wasn’t quite ready back into the mix.
        
        He has an answer: Work out of the pen. Pitch well. Repair your mechanics. Build up leg strength. Contribute to a second-place team as it mounts an assault on first. Then the Yanks will determine the next action. He’ll be back in the rotation soon enough. I don’t see why he should be rushed back because of something he did 18 or 24 months ago.
        
        mustang
        
        “you’re willing to toss a pitcher who said he wasn’t quite ready back into the mix”
        
        When did Wang say this? I just read where he said he was ready to start. And yes I find where he is at right now rather then wait for some distance moment in time. Because I’m better with the old Wang in the rotation and if he is not the old Wang I move on with another course of action.
- JP
  
  I honestly can’t believe people can look at this situation and reach that conclusion. We can all state our opinion, I got no problem with that, but Frank, on what knowledge or experience do you base your conclusion that the Yankees’ organization is a bunch of unsophisticated idiots concerning the Wang situation? Before we can make that judgement, don’t we need alot more knowledge about the nature of his injury? Even knowing everything one can know about an injury, every person and every instance is different.
  
  I see just the opposite. Baseball teams are so sophisticated and so well informed, sometimes I think they are over-informed, and maybe end up being too cautious or tend to over think things. Not in this particular case, obviously, but in general running a baseball club is a more complicated thing today than it’s ever been.
Rob in CT

Seriously, Yankees? Seriously?

This team really does not manage injuries as well as they should, or at least has not been doing well of late. Posada last year. Posada THIS year (albeit, fortunately, a much more minor injury). Wang. We’ll see about Melky (apparently available off the bench this weekend… I dunno about that).

Years ago the Yanks realized they didn’t pay enough attention to drafting players, and turned over a new leaf. I think they may need to do the same wrt their medical staff.
- JP
  
  No. Read my comment above on injuries…it’s every team, not just the Yankees. The current MLB trend is to be very cautious with injuries. I guess because they have so much money invested in the players, the mantra seems to be to do anything to prevent a serious, career-ending injury. So guys sit way more than they ever used to.
  - Rob in CT
    
    Actually, the Yankees have failed to be cautious enough twice recently with Posada (last year, this year). We’ll see how they handle Melky’s shoulder injury, but I for one am concerned that they will bring him back too soon. So it’s not just an issue of being overcautious, IMO.
    
    I just think they’ve been wrong a lot recently is all. I grant that I’m not a medical expert – I’m just a fan. But it sure SEEMS that way to me. And the Yankees clearly have the resources to have the very best, most sophisticated medical staff in baseball. I don’t get the sense that they do. Perhaps I’m wrong.
Reggie C.

As I see it, for Wang to break back into the rotation one of three things has to occur:
(1) Wang impresses in his once a week, 2 inning appearance by showing command of his sinker, or

(2) Hughes is unable to get to the 5th inning consistently, making a AAA demotion necessary and opening up the slot for Wang, or

(3) Somebody in the rotation gets hurt and Wang has to be brought back to the fold regardless of what’s been mere marginal improvement (Aceves is too good out the ‘pen right now to make him a starter).

All in all, I assume the Yanks prefer scenario 1 to play out. But how many more appearances does Wang need to make to see it happen? There’s no exact number, so I simply dont see how Wang breaks back in at this rate.

Should Wang be upset with the situation. Yeah. His agent is looking out for him and rightfully has an argument that the org messed his comeback bringing him back in knee-jerk fashion.
- http://www.votepaulformayor.blogspot.com jsbrendog
  
  realistically he will probably be back in the rotation by the allstar break for better or for worse for some reason or another. it is the way the cookie crumbles
Bo

How many excuses will Wang get for his poor performance? his leg, his arm slot, the yankees are meanies, etc etc. Some pitchers just stop being effective. Maybe he’s one of them. He only has one pitch. If its not 94mph and its sitting at 90mph he won’t be as good. he has no other pitches in his arsenal. nothing is guaranteed with pitchers. plenty of pitchers in history have had a few great years and then lost it. that is why you stock up depth.
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  Are you kidding me? This proves you know nothing of the Yankees.
  Injuries don’t mean anything? Their jsut “excuses?” Your impatience is really really funny.
  - JobaWockeeZ
    
    Oh and IF you know the facts or did research btu i doubt you did, you’d know that Wang’s release point is way different from previous seasons. It caused the ball to be more up on the plate makig it hittable. It was getting better when he pitched those 2 innings 2 days ago. Really, research never killed anyone.
    - pat
      
      Dude, Bo has a legit personality disorder, just nod your head and smile.
- JP
  
  Oy. He has a sinker, a non-sinking fastball (“2-seam” or “4-seam” whichever it is), and a slider. When he’s pitching well, he’s mostly sinker slider.
  
  But you’re right, as much as you get flamed here, it is true that he may just be beginning to spiral downward as an effective pitcher. I hope not, and I don’t really believe that’s what’s happening, yet – he did have a very serious injury – but I have a feeling that one reason the Yankees have been willing to put Wang in the bullpen is that they probably have some doubts about whether Wang will ever recover as a high level pitcher, and they don’t want to monkey around with a potential lost cause at the expense of top young players like Hughes and Chamberlain.
Chris

Why is everyone so concerned about whether the front office disrespected Wang? The Red Sox are generally thought to have the best front office in baseball, and they are CONSTANTLY disrespecting their players.
- mustang
  
  Now we are looking to the Red Sox for examples?
  - mustang
    
    I always consider the Yankees to be much more classy then they are or at least that’s what the Yankees try to portray.
    - JP
      
      I used to think that. Then I saw the Red Sox “disrespect” Nomar…talk about your clutch moves, that was the equivalent of trading your Titanic ticket for a new car.
      
      The 1950s/60s Yankee dynast, with Topping, Weiss, and whomever the other guy was, was ruthless with players. There was no sentiment. The rule was it was better to get rid of someone a year early than a year late.
      
      If anything, the Yankees show too much respect to aging stars, and I think they have some serious long term roster issues because of it. There’s no place for Jeter to go…A Rod is signed for 10 years, and how much longer will it be before he can’t play 3rd anymore. Ok, move him to fir….ooops, can’t do that!
      - http://www.votepaulformayor.blogspot.com jsbrendog
        
        + all the cyber bucks in my internet wallet of duct tape
mustang

Rightfully Wang and his agent have some concerns about his situation I would think it’s the GM’s job to try and ease those concerns not irritate the situation further with some smart ass remarker.
- mustang
  
  remark not remarker
http://www.votepaulformayor.blogspot.com jsbrendog

the yankees do not owe a single person on that roster a goddamned thing. So Wang won 19 games 2 and 3 years ago. that is good! He had an ERA over 30. that is bad. that means he goes away until he has shown that there is very little doubt he won’t do that again. I dont care if they leave him in the bullpen because it’s not about respect or owing anyone anything its about doing what is best for the team and doing what it takes to win. If wang feels disrespected because he was terrible and is unable to forgive the Yankees for their obvious mistake of rushing him back then let ihm feel that way and good riddance when his contract is up. honestly, are you all kidding?
- JP
  
  Yeah, you’re right, but I mean he’s such a nice kid and so respectful…and Jeter jokes with him and says “what up, Waaaaaang…” and he is a YANKEE….sniff….snivel….
- Tampa Yankee
  
  +1
  - JohnnyC
    
    Just like the stock market, I picked the wrong year to buy a Chien-Ming Wang bobble-head doll.
    - http://www.votepaulformayor.blogspot.com jsbrendog
      
      ietc
Matthew

major ice made ya say burr
http://www.supertangas.com The man with 33 fingers

Similar pitchers who have won over 55% of there career starts……yeah right.

The Yanks have treated him like trash, they prefer their Asians from Japan because they can make more $$$$ off the merchandising.
- http://www.votepaulformayor.blogspot.com jsbrendog
  
  wow this is an ignorant comment with no evidence, factual basis or even remote sense.
  
  all of this is batshit insane.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=15305165&ref=profile Doug
  
  I’m oaktagging this shit.
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cashman is an idiot

no wang = no playoffs in 06′ and 07′

look what happeend to yanks after wang got injured last season?

i can see that cashman and most yanks fans are not grateful at all to their “former ace”
cashman is an idiot

Wang should demand a trade!

w/ all the craps that the yanks are giving him.

this is no way to treat a guy who gave you 38 wins during his last 2 full seasons.