Wang, pain free, to begin throwing program on Monday

July 18, 2009 by Benjamin Kabak 23 Comments

The headline says it all, and Marc Carig has the news. After being sidelined since July 5 with a right shoulder strain, Chien-Ming Wang will play catch on Monday. While he has been receiving treatment on the shoulder, this tossing will be Wang’s first try at some baseball activities. The Yanks plan to take it slow with Wang and will not target a return date yet. Considering how little faith we collectively have in Sergio Mitre, the sooner Wang returns the better.

Andy in Sunny Daytona

It’s always nice to have a pain-free Wang.

/obvious’d
Jacob

I don’t have much faith in Mitre either, but I have a lot in Phil Hughes right now…
Drew

Sick. I’m relieved it has only been a couple of weeks. Hopefully he was just a little sore after being out of commission for 6 months.
Little Bill

The sooner Phil Hughes is in the starting rotation the better. He threw 41 pitches last night. They need to keep stretching him out so that he can take that 5th spot in the rotation. Ace can handle that 8th inning role just fine.
- AndrewYF
  
  Everyone needs to stop with this total conversational non-starter. Like it or not, Phil Hughes is not going to start again this season. Everything the team has said suggests this. I think they’ve even stated that Hughes could play in a winter league in order to get him ready for starting next season.
  - MikeD
    
    Andrew, agreed, although there is a scenario where I could see Hughes start that doesn’t involve multiple injuries to the starting rotation.
    
    As we head into the mid to later August, if Joba is nearing his pitch/innings limit, they could make a decision to move Joba back to the pen (no, not forever, but for the remainder of the season) and then move Hughes back to the rotation to increase his innings for the season. This would help both pitchers get ready for a heavier work load in 2010.
    - Zach
      
      increase innings for Hughes is kind of the secondary benefit for me.
      in October do you want:
      CC, AJ, Andy, Wang?
      CC, AJ, Phil, Andy
      - Harry
        
        He’s a set up man I’m 2009. Deal
  - Little Bill
    
    NO everyone should not stop with this topic. The Yankees have Sergio Mitre in the starting rotation and Phil Hughes in the bullpen! DOES ANYBODY ELSE SEE WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS??? Am I the only one who hasn’t gone mad? Winter league is a waste. Hughes is a waste if talent in the bullpen. Who do you want starting- Hughes, Mitre, or Wang. I think any rational person would pick Hughes! I know I would!
MikeD

If Mitre gives us a good game, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Yankees use this injury as an opportunity to keep Wang in the minors for the allowed time (21 games?) to continue working on his delivery and arm strength. They called him back too early last time. Of course, this all depends on Mitre pitching well, of which none of us have faith…yet.
Rich James

i might have less faith in wang than i do in mitre…lets see what happens
Bobby

Sergio, how many pitchers in baseball have a sexy name like him?
He will be 3 – 0 , 2.41 ERA 1.30 WHIP
Danny

feel better Wang, we need you!
colin

If my Wang was in pain not sure what I would do
roy

Who cares? Wang stinks
- colin
  
  this is obviously your 1st year watching the yankees if you really believe that
  - Jack West Jr.
    
    This is the first year he’s stunk. Even when he was supposedly healthy, he hasn’t looked mediocre, let alone good.
    
    If Ben thinks that throwing a 2.02 WHIP Wang out there is a better option than seeing what they have in a rehabilitated Mitre, that’s his deal.
    
    Yes, his past accomplishments are splendid and may indicate that he’ll regain that ability, but Bernie Williams has some pretty gaudy past numbers too, but no one’s calling for him to replace Gardner or Melky.
    
    Wang has exactly the same amount of ML quality starts as Mitre does this year. I’m not saying dump Wang, but clearly, at this point he’s no better an option than Sergio Mitre.
    
    Chien Ming Wang hasn’t traditionally stunk, but this year, he has.
    - whozat
      
      Bernie williams is 40, and those numbers were eight years ago.
      
      Wang is not yet 30, and those numbers were a little over a year ago.
      
      Your analogy is absurd.
      - Jack West Jr.
        
        My analogy was over the top to prove a point.
        
        Just because a player was good once, whether one year ago or ten, doesn’t mean they deserve playing time of any sort now because of them.
        
        Constructing the roster based on past accomplishments is absurd.
        
        JobaWockeeZ
        
        No what is absurd is letting your mind and eyes making you think what you think. If you think he has been bad minus his three bad starts in the beginning of the year then you must 100 percent believe that Phil Hughes is a crappy starter. If you think those 3 first starts actually meant him sucking and you think he’ll continue to suck like that that is ebenm more absurd.
Harry

Wang sucks. The lack of k’s caught up
- DaveinMD
  
  Nonsense. His massive foot injury caught up with him. Just make it stop.
mustang

Sergio I have faith in you young man good luck and go get the O’s on Tuesday.