UPDATE 11:17 a.m.: It appears that commenter "The Big Wags" may have been right on with his prediction of a simulated game. Here's what Joel Sherman wrote about Wang on his blog today:
They are going to skip him this time around the rotation and one plan they had was to have him throw a full simulated game, possibly on the off-day Thursday. They want to do that so that literally during the course of the action corrections can be made to his delivery, plus they feel that Wang needs to throw 80-100 pitches after being knocked out so quickly in three straight starts.Sherman also said that he got the feel from "Yankee officials" that "Wang needs to show significant improvements in his next start or else he could be shifted to being the long man in the pen, and Phil Hughes will be called up to join the rotation."
As we know Wang has be just terrible this year. He's 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA, 4.83 WHIP, and he's given up 23 earned runs and 23 hits in just six innings pitched. But even after his third terrible start Wang insists that he's doing everything the same as he did last year. Here's more from the AP:
Joe Girardi has a bit of a different take on the situation:The soft-spoken 29-year-old from Taiwan said he has compared video of his performances from this season to last year, when was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts before injuring his right foot June 15, and doesn't see a difference.
"Everything is the same as last season," Wang said. "Nothing's wrong. Just keep working."
...
Wang's next turn in the rotation is scheduled for Boston on Friday, and his preference is to make the start and work on his motion during regular side sessions.
"I can pitch in that game. I want to pitch," Wang said.
Girardi and his staff met on Sunday morning to discuss the possibility of skipping that start, which they could do without shifting anyone out of turn thanks to an off-day on Thursday. But they have not yet addressed the issue with Wang, and have not yet come to a final decision.
"We have had a lot of healthy discussion over this morning," Girardi said. "We looked at a lot of video. We looked at where his hands were, the height of his leg kick, where his head is, if it's on line, the angle of his arm. We looked at everything. We just haven't had a chance to discuss it with him yet."
And now here's a little more from Girardi from the AP article:
I would skip him. I don't see how getting pounded at Fenway Park is going to be a good thing for Wang. I know there's a chance he could pitch well, but right now I think he needs a week off.Girardi believes Wang, who was 5-0 in April last year, deserves more leeway than an inexperienced pitcher, but he said the Yankees will have to make a decision about what to do with him soon. He said he hasn't spoken with Wang about it yet.
"It's just difficult to go through, and you got to fight your way out," Girardi said. "We really feel he is capable of doing that. We've got to help him."
I know we spoke about these the other day, but I'm wondering how everyone feels after a day of thinking abut it. So if you were Joe Girardi what would you do with Wang?
18 Comments:
I would skip him, have him pitch a simulated game or something, let the pitching coaches spend some more time with him.
Also, If I were Girardi I would pull a Lou Pinella and get kicked out of a game at some point to try to get the team fired up, because they just haven't had the intensity (except for Burnett anyway).
"Also, If I were Girardi I would pull a Lou Pinella and get kicked out of a game at some point to try to get the team fired up, because they just haven't had the intensity (except for Burnett anyway)."
Not a bad idea. It seemed to work for them when he got thrown out last year against the O's.
Without a doubt skip him. It's not good for Wong's head or the rest of the team to get humiliated again. They have to be pretty darn sure he's going to produce before we see him in his next start. And Johnny Damon was right on in his remarks. It's not like its just Wong, both CC and Joba don't look great in their outings either. Adjustments have to be made early enough for this season to go right.
"I can pitch in that game. I want to pitch," Wang said - Really? Maybe if we're up 10-0 in the 8th inning. He can be skipped over for next weekend in Boston. Let AJ, Pettitte , CC go to work. We don't need to be holding our breathe after every pitch again.
@big wags: I don't feel this team is suffering from apathy in any way. They've been great in close games, and have already staged 4 late-inning comebacks in a very short season.
As for Wang, I agree he should be skipped but mostly because the game is in Fenway. That place gives even the best pitchers nightmares. And the Yanks would almost certainly make a move prior to his start to get a long man in the pen. Both things could undermine his confidence.
I think that Wang should get the benefit of the doubt. We're talking about a two-time 19 game winner here and he's made just 3 starts this year. But, if his bullpen session this week is lousy, then they can start talking about skipping him.
I think you have to skip his next start and they will probably have to put him on the 15 DL. That way they can get him down to Tampa to get a better look.
Putting his recent problems aside I think there are bigger issues with Wang. His last 6 starts before he got hurt last year were not good and it was the same trend we are seeing here. The pitches have been elevated with little or no movement. To me it looks like opposing hitters and hitting coaches have figured out Wang. They avoid chasing that hard sinker which forces him into secondary pitches. Wang has never had an "out" pitch. When you have 19 wins and only 75 K's it's only a matter of time before that comes back to bite you.
I believe the Yankees were aware of this possibility and this is why they took a careful approach to his contract status, choosing arb over locking him up long term.
"As we know Wang has be just terrible this year. He's 3-0 with a 34.50 ERA, 4.83 WHIP, and he's given up 23 earned runs and 23 hits in just six innings pitched"
0-3 not 3-0. I would not play wang against Boston. Maybe if it was a different team but not Boston. I would skip him too or have Phil Hughes pitch.
lol good call Robert. I'll fix that now.
Frankly I don't know what Wang is smoking for him to say he's watched video and everything is the same as last year. MLB Network did a very nice job in that video showing just how horrible Wang's mechanics currently are. And anther website ran a comparison on Wang's release point and its completely different now compared to 07 and early 08. So Wang is on crack, and when players talk crack talk I suspect an injury.
IMHO no way Yankees should play him in any game, starting or relief, until in a simulation he shows executing mechanics that are the same as 2007. I've read he can not be optioned to SWB because he would be picked up on wavers, so he's stuck being on the roster. I would even consider putting him on the 15 day DL if he looks like shit in a simulation.
I want to see Wang throwing off that right foot with the mechanics and posture he used to have for 6 innings and throwing damn hard. When he can prove he can stand on that right foot then he can be used in a game. If he can't DL time and put him in more rehab - no sense in making an injury worse.
By the way for those saying Wang doesn't have an out pitch, his out pitch is his sinker. He doesn't have a strikeout pitch but he is not a strikeout pitcher.
He should be 3-0. I can see how you made that mistake. Who would have thought he would have this kind of a start?
I still think Wang is an great pitcher. He was our ace for awhile
I don't think u have to have a blow away fast ball to have ace stuff. Hed be the front man of the rotation on most of the teams in this league. Its all in his head he'll bounce back. I believe hes just having a confidence/rust issue. The kid can pitch bumps in the road happen coming back from injury.
Also i retract anything negative i said about the stadium finally went to a game Sunday the place is unreal. if u havent been get there get to a game!
Where'd you sit TopofNewYork?
I just made a POTY posting on Wang, Veras & Marte. Particularly on Wang, you need to give him a longer leash than the others and more innings. My thinking is that he has a better chance of correcting himself on the road. Maybe Girardi can figure that out with the Yankees' schedule over the next couple of weeks, although the schedule doesn't seem conducive to it, unfortunately. But if the guy throws well on the side, DL-ing him certainly isn't an option, and he can't be sent down.
I am listening to WFAN & Mike Francesa is complaining about Yankee Stadium, and how the games have been a joke. I have been calling it Cape Canaveral myself.
Alright Greg,
I did it. I dropped Wang. haha after crunching some numbers, the guy could pitch 6 CG shutouts in a row and his ERA would be 3.45... and we know thats not gonna happen. I will bestow him on some other owner, cause this situation isnt gonna go away right now. This post is evident of that. Go Glen Perkins! lol
SteveB,
There's an article on AccuWeather.com about how the stadium is built and how that might be causing all these homeruns. They're saying that when the wind comes in from the west, like it has been this week, that the balls are going to fly out of there.
Luckily, they also said that this should only be an issue during late spring and mid-to-late fall... I'll post something about it later.
As a baseball traditionalist, I am very dismayed, I gotta be honest.
YS can't turn into Coors Field. Some of those HRs were a joke, Francesa is right about that.
I'll read that article, thanks.
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