推 Maia:Torre's love affairs with Wang XD 愛將就是了 09/28 19:42
※ [本文轉錄自 CMWang 看板]
作者: yyhong68 (come every now and then) 站內: CMWang
標題: [外電] Wang's the man (Newsday)
時間: Thu Sep 28 15:49:50 2006
YANKEES 16, ORIOLES 5
Wang's the man
Torre selects him to open ALDS; Moose gets nod for Game 2
BY ANTHONY RIEBER
Newsday Staff Writer
September 28, 2006
In the Joe Torre era, starting Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs
previously has been an honor given to a veteran pitcher, like David Cone
or David Wells or Orlando Hernandez or Roger Clemens or Mike Mussina.
Those five pitchers, who have totaled 121 games of postseason experience,
have been on the mound for all 10 Yankees Division Series openers since
1996, Mussina the last three.
This season, Torre is trying something a little different: a pitcher who
has one game of postseason experience. The Yankees manager announced
yesterday what had been expected, that Chien-Ming Wang will start Game 1
of the ALDS against either Minnesota or Detroit on Tuesday at Yankee
Stadium.
The news wasn't a surprise, as Wang has been the Yankees' best pitcher
this season. But it's a measure of how far the 26-year-old righthander
from Tainan, Taiwan, has come in his second big-league season.
Asked if was excited, Wang said, "Maybe a little." Asked if he thought
he would be starting Game 1 when the season began, he said. "No, I
never thought that."
Wang (19-6) went six innings last night in his final regular-season start
in the Yankees' 16-5 win over the Orioles. He allowed 10 hits and four
runs, but was backed by the Yankees' 18-hit, five-home run attack. He
improved to 11-3 at home; in a league without Johan Santana, he probably
would win the Cy Young.
"We're real excited for him," Johnny Damon said. "He's pitched well
all season to deserve this honor."
Torre chose Wang over Mussina, who will start Game 2, and the ailing
Randy Johnson, who hopes his sore lower back improves in time for him
to start Game 3 on the road. Torre declined to name either Jaret Wright
or Cory Lidle to pitch in Game 4, saying, "Game 4 we're not sure yet. We'll
talk about that. If there is a Game 4."
If the Yankees use four starters, the Game 1 pitcher will be in line to
start a deciding Game 5, so Wang could be the only Yankee to start twice
in the series. Mussina, who will make his final regular-season start
tomorrow, would be available in the bullpen on three days' rest for a
Game 5, which is one reason Torre chose him over Johnson to start the
second game.
"My feeling is with the back situation, I want one good game out of him,"
Torre said of Johnson, who has been shut down for the rest of the regular
season.
Torre's love affair with Wang began last season, when he started the
then-rookie in Game 2 of the Division Series in Anaheim. Wang allowed
four runs (one earned) in 6 2/3 innings and was the losing pitcher in
the Angels' 5-2 victory.
The Yankees handled Wang carefully early this season, mindful of the
shoulder woes he suffered late in 2005. That, plus the presence of Mussina
and Johnson, makes even Torre recognize how unlikely it would have seemed
in April for Wang to be starting Game 1.
"Not when you have Randy and Moose here and especially with taking care of
Wang the way we did right from spring training and what had happened to him
in the second half last season," Torre said. "However, we saw how he handled
what he had to handle last year. But no, I don't think you could ever dream
of that being the case."
How did Wang handle the big news when pitching coach Ron Guidry filled
him in?
"Gator told him and he sort of shrugged his shoulders," Torre said. "I'm
sure there'll be some butterflies on Tuesday when they start introducing
people. This kid doesn't let you know how he's feeling, but he certainly
has behaved well on the field."
Coming of age
Joe Torre named Chien-Ming Wang the starting pitcher for Game 1 of the ALDS.
Wang, 26 and in his second season, is easily the least experienced pitcher
to start the first game of the postseason in the Torre era:
Season Pitcher Age Opponent
1996 David Cone 33 Texas
1997 David Cone 34 Cleveland
1998 David Wells 35 Texas
1999 Orlando Hernandez 29 Texas
2000 Roger Clemens 38 Oakland
2001 Roger Clemens 39 Oakland
2002 Roger Clemens 40 Anaheim
2003 Mike Mussina 34 Minnesota
2004 Mike Mussina 35 Minnesota
2005 Mike Mussina 36 Los Angeles
Tonight
Orioles at Yankees
7:05 p.m.
TV: YES
Radio: WCBS (880)
http://0rz.net/e31X0
http://0rz.net/5a1TC
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