Wang happy to be back where he started - 棒球

Wang happy to be back where he started
Righty had 19-win seasons for Yankees in 2006-07,
believes he can be effective again
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 3/25/2013 11:52 A.M. ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tugging on a Yankees cap, Chien-Ming Wang said on Monday
that it felt just like old times to go through the paces of a workout at
the club's Minor League complex.

Wang returned to the Yankees last week, having shown enough promise
during his World Baseball Classic stint with Chinese Taipei to warrant
a Minor League contract. He is expected to start the season with
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"It's like back in the day," Wang said through an interpreter.
"This was my first team. This is where I started. I feel great."

Wang played catch and took fielding practice at the club's Himes Avenue
complex across the highway from George M. Steinbrenner Field.

He expects to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, and he said he
selected the Yankees from a group of "four or five" interested clubs,
all of whom offered Minor League deals.

"It was an easy decision for me, because I never wanted to leave," Wang
said.

Wang, who will turn 33 on March 31, was 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 109
games (104 starts) with the Yankees from 2005-09, including back-to-back
19-victory seasons in 2006 and '07. His 46 wins from 2006-08 were tied
for the third most among all American League pitchers, trailing only
Roy Halladay (52) and Josh Beckett (48).

His career was derailed when he injured his right foot running the bases
in a June 2008 Interleague game against the Astros in Houston.

After struggling through an injury-marred 2009 with the Yankees, going
1-6 with a 9.64 ERA, Wang missed all of 2010 with the Nationals while
recovering from right shoulder surgery before resurfacing in the big
leagues in 2011. He went 6-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 21 games (16 starts)
with Washington in 2011-12.

"He was a very good pitcher for the New York Yankees," manager Joe Girardi
said last week. "It's unfortunate that he's had some injuries that have
cost him. He was really good."

Wang made two starts for Chinese Taipei during the 2013 Classic, logging
a victory and holding opponents scoreless over 12 innings. He said that
his health is "much better" this year, and that he looks forward to
pitching every fifth day in a rotation.

He represents a depth acquisition for the Yankees, who project to have
CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Andy Pettitte, David Phelps and Ivan Nova
in their rotation to open the season. Phil Hughes is expected to join
the group for the second turn through the rotation, taking the spot of
either Nova or Phelps.

Wang said that his phone buzzed with some familiar numbers when his deal
with the Yankees was officially announced.

"That day, Joba [Chamberlain] and Pettitte called me," Wang said.
"They said, 'Welcome back.'"

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch
and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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