Yankees Birthday of the Day: Chien-Ming Wang

Ming Wang 40 of the New York Yankees winds up during a game with the Cleveland Indians on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at Progressive Field in Cleveland https://www.newyorkfanoutlet.com/Mel_Stottlemyre_Jersey 
,  York won Wang0812245 Photo by: Diamond Images Diamond ImagesIf you watched any of the Little League World Series in the late 2000s, you will recall the number of times you saw ChienMing Wang listed as a favorite legend began 4years ago today in Taiwan's oldest city, long before he became a household name in New York or a symbol of pride across his home WangBorn: March 31, 1980 Tainan City, TaiwanYankees Tenure: 200509Wang's path toward the major leagues started to take shape in 1999, when he helped lead Taiwan to a silver medal at the World Port posted a 1.59 ERA in the event, allowing just six hits and striking out six over 5.2 innings, a performance that caught the attention of MLB Yankees saw enough to invest, signing him in May of 2000 for a reported $1.9 million the time he was not viewed as a future ace, and no one from Taiwan had ever made it to the fact, Wang was not considered one of the top amateur players in his own country at the he became was gradually built one wormburner after surgery derailed Wang's second season with the club, so he really jumpstarted his journey to the Bronx in worked his way methodically through the Yankees' minor league system, refining the pitch that would ultimately define his the help of Yankees instructors, he developed a heavy sinker that transformed him from a conventional pitcher into something far more Wang worked his way through the system, his identity was clear: He was not going to overpower hitters; he was going to overwhelm them with movement, forcing contact and turning atbats into identity carried him to the majors in he did not arrive made his MLB debut on April 30, 2005, becoming just the third Taiwanborn player in MLB history after Dodgers bench outfielder ChinFeng Chen and Rockies pitcher Chinhui fired seven innings of tworun ball against the Devil Rays, grinding them , Wang quickly proved he belonged, going 85 with a 4.02 ERA across 17 starts, recording a 1.24WHIP, a 0.7 HR9, and a 63.9percent groundball rate second in the majors among all pitchers with at least 100 innings to only the next year's NL Cy Young Award winner, Brandon gave the Yankees exactly what they needed in that moment, innings, stability, and a glimpse of something broke out in 2006 https://www.newyorkfanoutlet.com/Austin_Green_Jersey 
, going 19with a 3.63 ERA across 218 innings in 33 starts, tying for the Major League lead in wins and finishing second to Twins ace Johan Santana in AL Cy Young did it with just 7strikeouts, relying instead on elite contact led the Junior Circuit in groundball rate at 62.8 percent and allowed just 12 home runs all season an MLBbest 0.5 HR9, a reflection of how dominant his sinker truly a rotation that included Hall of Famers Mike Mussina and Randy Johnson and big money Carl Pavano, Wang became the kid was not just part of the rotation; he was leading he backed it up in again won 19 games, going 197 with a 3.70 ERA, allowing just nine home runs all season, good for a 0.4 HR9, and continuing to dominate with his sinkerheavy those two seasons, he went a combined 3813, establishing himself as one of the most reliable and valuable pitchers in was just unfortunate that the Yankees were a dynasty in twilight and consigned to three consecutive ALDS losses, so the postseason resume was not didn't help that he looked worn down by the end of 2007, when Cleveland pummeled him twice in a fourgame ALDS , Wang's strategy for success was clear: he did not overpower controlled heading into 2008, it looked like more was opened the 2008 campaign in dominant form, jumping out to an 82 record and once again anchoring the Yankees' became the fastest pitcher to reach 50 career wins in decades, doing so in just 85 starts, and looked every bit like a pitcher entering his felt felt as repeatable as Wang's smooth hands over head felt like as long as the infield defense could remain steady behind him a legendary career was , during interleague play in Houston on June 15, 2008, everything of the era might want to avert their eyes:Wang was allowed to reach base on an ineffective bunt that led to a force out https://www.newyorkfanoutlet.com/Christopher_Veach_Jersey 
, and he later scored on a Derek Jeter after crossing home plate, the Yankees' ace hopped in pain, reached for Robinson Can's baggie jersey, and as his hand rested on his knee every fan held their , Wang needed help to get off the diagnosis was severe: Wang suffered a sprained Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of a tendon in his right sparked a wave of calls for the universal designated hitter, but it would be more than a decade before that rule would be put into years after this, Houston joined the American League and there never would've been a pitcher batting there initially felt like a fluke injury became the turning point of Wang's missed the rest of the 2008 season began a long rehabilitation that altered his mechanics and eventually led to shoulder and arm attempted to return in 2009, but the effects of the injury were immediate and difficult to 12 starts, he went 1with a 9.64 ERA, as the command never fully returned and his sinker flattened pitcher who had built his success on precision and movement suddenly could not replicate the end of the season, the Yankees made the difficult decision to nontender him, bringing his chapter in the organization to a ace was gone as quickly as he had , Wang went out with a ringa teastament to all the hard work and quality innings he gave them in the years before '09and the organization has not secured one since.