Chien-Ming Wang looks strong - 棒球

Posted at 03:42 PM ET, 02/27/2012
Chien-Ming Wang looks strong
By Adam Kilgore


When Chien-Ming Wang climbed the mound today for his first live batting
practice session. Pitching coach Steve McCatty and General Manager Mike
Rizzo chose to watch him over the other two pitchers throwing at the time.
Manager Davey Johnson also ambled over to watch him pitch.

The Nationals had given Wang an extra day of rest between mound sessions,
wanting to let him build up arm strength slowly this spring. Wang missed
more than two years with a torn capsule in his right shoulder before
returning last July, and his health will go a long way in determining
whether he or John Lannan will be the Nationals’ fifth starter.

With the Nationals officials watching, Wang was impressive. His curveball
was sharp from the start and his fastball gained velocity as he threw,
signs that he had been able to fully warm up his arm, a problem at times
last season.

“I don’t want to overanalyze off live BP,” McCatty said, “but he
threw the ball good today.”

Said Johnson: “His delivery is free and easy,” Johnson said. “As he
went along, he got stronger. His velocity was better. That’s his pace.
He’s a veteran pitcher. He knows what he has to do to peak at the right
time.

“Last year, I was worried from start to start there might be a flare up
or something. It took him more to get loose.”

http://tinyurl.com/7x9qgbt

--