Sources: Chien-Ming Wang to decide - 棒球

Updated: February 10, 2010, 7:23 PM ET
Sources: Chien-Ming Wang to decide
By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine

Chien-Ming Wang, arguably the most intriguing free-agent pitcher still
unsigned, will make his decision about which team to sign with in the next
week to 10 days, according to sources.

A baseball source who has spoken with Wang told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that
the field has been narrowed to the Washington Nationals and one other
unidentified team.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers were the "other" team Wang was considering, they
aren't anymore.

The Dodgers watched Wang throw twice this week but apparently have decided
not to make an offer. The Mets, another team that has remained interested
in Wang, also have not extended a formal offer, according to sources.

Dodgers officials saw nothing in Wang's throwing session that would dissuade
them from signing him, a source with knowledge of the situation told
ESPNLosAngeles' Tony Jackson.

But the sticking point, according to that source, was that Wang and his
agent, Alan Nero, were seeking more guaranteed money than the Dodgers were
willing to pay for a pitcher whose rehabilitation following his surgery last
July has yet to progress to the point of Wang actually throwing off a mound.

There were indications Wang would get a major league contract with the
Nationals, something the Dodgers would be hard-pressed to give him because
their 40-man roster is full.

Two months ago, Nero indicated there was a chance Wang wouldn't sign until
spring. But the pitcher has made significant progress in his rehabilitation,
and several teams have been monitoring his throwing sessions on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays in recent weeks, and have reviewed his medical
information.

Wang could make his first rehabilitation start sometime in May.

Wang, 29, won 19 games for the New York Yankees in consecutive seasons
(2006 and 2007) before suffering injuries the past two seasons. He is
55-26 for his career, with a 4.16 ERA.

Wang went 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games for the Yankees last summer.

Buster Olney is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Information from
ESPN.com's Jayson Stark and ESPNLosAngeles' Tony Jackson was included in
this report.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4902366

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