Yankees’ Chien-Ming Wang Struggling
April 20, 2009 by Stephen Kersey
Filed under Stats and Analysis
Sometimes pitchers get roughed up. However, Chien-Ming Wang of the New York Yankees is struggling at a historic level. After three starts, Wang has a 34.50 ERA. The 29-year-old from Taiwan insists that everything is okay. The numbers, though, suggest otherwise.
Chien-Ming Wang, New York Yankees (Image: Newscom)
In his first start of the season, Wang gave up seven earned runs in 3.2 innings. In that outing, which was actually his best outing of the season so far, he gave up nine hits and walked three batters.
In his second game, Wang gave up eight earned runs in one inning. In that showing, he allowed six hits and three walks. In his last outing, Wang gave up eight earned runs in 1.1 innings, while giving up eight hits.
On the season, Wang has allowed 23 earned runs in six innings. He’s given up 23 hits and six walks while only striking out two batters.
In the last three seasons, Wang has been the Yankees’ best starting pitcher. He had back-to-back 19-win seasons in 2006 and 2007 and last year had eight wins in only 15 starts. Prior to this year’s debacle, Wang’s career-high ERA was last season’s 4.07.
The Yankees haven’t announced any plan of action to try to get Wang back on track. Sources close to the team think that the Yankees may opt to have him miss a start while they review film and do a medical checkup.
