[新聞] Yankees willing to put their trust in Wang

[xiemark (aisinjuro)]

Yankees willing to put their trust in Wang
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/3/06
BY PETER ABRAHAM
STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK — Chien-Ming Wang's first bit of baseball notoriety came in 1998
when he was chosen to play for a high school all-star team in Taiwan.

But he was only the second-best pitcher on the team.

Wang marveled at Hong-Chih Kuo, a stocky 17-year-old left-hander who had
scouts watching every start he made.

"I was just one of the pitchers," Wang said. "He threw gas."

Kuo signed with the Dodgers shortly after the tournament. Wang went to
college, signed with the Yankees two years later and tonight will start Game
1 of their American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers.

Kuo will be in the stands at Yankee Stadium watching. He is scheduled to
start for the Dodgers against the Mets on Thursday night in the National
League playoffs.

"This is new for baseball in Taiwan," Wang said. "It's important for my
country. A lot of people will watch the game."

Wang was escorted into the interview room after Monday's workout and asked,
of course, whether he was nervous. Looking out at a room filled with
reporters and cameras, the 26-year-old right-hander smiled.

"In the field, no," he said. "In here, yes."

Once he got back in the relative safety of the clubhouse, Wang admitted he
was "a little nervous."

"This will be the biggest game I've pitched," he said. "I was surprised they
wanted me (to pitch Game 1) but it gave me confidence."

Wang was 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA. In two starts against the Tigers he was 1-0
with a 3.86 ERA.

"He just has to approach it as a ball game. There's enough fanfare and hype.
You just have to take it as a game," said Mike Mussina, who will start Game 2
Wednesday.

Wang was 8-5 for the Yankees last season and pitched well in his one division
series start against the Angels, allowing one earned run in 6 2/3 innings.

The Yankees protected Wang in spring training, limiting his innings because
of concerns about his shoulder and keeping him behind Mussina and Randy
Johnson.

"Nobody expected him to be at the top of the rotation. That's a nice way to
approach the season," Mussina said. "He was basically in his first full year.
 He just went out there and did what he does. You get to the high-profile
games because you earn it. He's in a high-profile game now because he's
proven he can handle the situation."

As the Yankees chase their 27th title, Wang is a central character. Not since
Andy Pettitte have the Yankees asked so much of a young pitcher.

"There's a lot of faith in the guy," Derek Jeter said. "He has been as
consistent as anybody on our team and anybody in the league. That's why you
play the season, to see who your best guys are."

Joe Torre said a few days ago that he had no hesitation putting Wang ahead of
his more veteran pitchers.

"He's something special and if we need him he could come back later in the
series," Torre said.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061003/SPORTS/610030422/1002


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◆ From: 219.84.29.27
※ 編輯: xiemark         來自: 219.84.29.27         (10/03 20:48)
推 Boyzone:這篇不轉王郭版不行啦  太感動了...
推 xiemark:我已轉Kuo版，可以幫我轉王版嗎?
推 ymaq:已幫轉　^^"
※ 編輯: xiemark         來自: 219.84.29.27         (10/04 06:35)