Unlike Tuesday’s loss against Boston, the Yankees – or at least Mark Teixeira – did show a little fight last night, but the end result was still the same. And Sox fans can still gloat over their team being undefeated against the Bombers. If the Yankees don’t win tonight, we’re going to hear an awful lot about that record over the next few months. What joy.
What was the quote from Mark Teixeira earlier this year – that the Yankees kept on finding different ways to lose each night? Unfortunately, every time Chien-Ming Wang starts, the result is the same way each time – he puts them in a big hole early. And unless the Bombers can score a whole heap of runs, they are going to lose.
Granted, the Yanks were 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and left 10 runners on base last night. But their starting pitching was the number one reason they lost.
One of our Facebook readers noted that even though Chien-Ming Wang gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings, his ERA actually went down last night. How sad is that?
I feel terrible for Wang – he looks like a broken man out on the mound – and it’s shocking and sad to see somebody who twice won 19 games look so terrible.
However, according to the Journal-News’ Peter Abraham, Jorge Posada said Wang deserved another start due to those two 19-win seasons.
And given that Wang’s next start would be against the Nationals, writers like the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner think that Wang should get one more chance.
I disagree. If I thought that all it would take is one good start to put Wang on the right track, I’d agree that it was worth it to give him a shot against Washington, the most woeful team in baseball. But what if the Nationals beat up on him? What happens to Wang’s already fragile psyche then?
Some think that the Yanks made a mistake in calling Wang up too soon after Joba Chamberlain got hit by a pitch. I don’t think it really mattered. Remember, Wang was looking decent in the minors, and was expected to only make one more start then. And the Yanks would have been in the same situation.
So what now? In today’s New York Post, Joel Sherman jokes about fake injuries for the Yanks to claim for Wang, like “sprained right eyebrow,” “contusion of the left pinkie nail,” or “hyper-extended ERA.”
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Yanks put Wang on the DL for an anxiety disorder, the way Dontrelle Willis, Zack Greinke, and Khalil Greene were. It would actually make a certain amount of sense.
Sherman goes on to say:
There is no acceptable answer for sticking with Wang. Hughes may not be perfect. He still may have a lot to learn. But he is at least competitive. Wang, on the other hand, is making Kei Igawa look good by comparison.
Other than the homer to Kevin Youkilis, Hughes impressed me last night (incidentally, what is up with Youkilis’ booty-shaking at-bats? He has one of the weirdest batting stances ever!)
while Hughes’ overall record of 3-2, 5.26 ERA could be called middling mediocrity, he’s had some great individual starts. And he’s shown a lot of potential.
What potential has Wang shown in any of his starts this year – the potential to give up a lot of runs?
The Yanks can’t afford to throw Wang out there, until he starts throwing well again. And I’m guessing getting him right is going to be a long journey.
Should the Yankees give Chien-Ming Wang another shot as a starter? Leave us a comment!
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