Chien-ming Wang

At 44 years old, Chien-ming Wang has this physical status:

Chien-Ming Wang (born March 31, 1980) is a Taiwanese former professional baseball pitcher.

He competed in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals.

He has worked for the Taiwan national baseball team as well as being the current bullpen coach and assistant pitching coach. In 2000, Wang was signed as an amateur free agent with the Yankees.

He made his MLB debut in 2005 after working his way up the Yankees' minor league system for several seasons.

He was one of the best starting pitchers for the Yankees in 2006 and 2007, winning 19 games in both seasons and leading the American League in that category in 2006.

He suffered a foot injury in 2008 that limited his appearances and functionality, and a string of arm injuries cost him the bulk of the 2009 season and all of 2010.

Wang returned to major leagues with the Washington Nationals in 2011, playing 21 games over two seasons, before putting a strain on the disabled list.

In 2013, he signed with the Yankees but was released without pitching in the major leagues, then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and made six starts with limited success.

In 2014 and 2015, he played for various minor league teams in various franchises.

He returned to the major leagues as a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals in 2016. Wang was the third major leaguer from Taiwan, following Dodgers outfielder Chin-Feng Chen and Rockies pitcher Chin-Hui Tsao.

Personal life

Wang revealed that he is the biological child of the man he formerly believed was his uncle in a 2006 The New York Times interview. He refused to give interviews to Taiwanese media due to the media crazion created in Taiwan over this.

Wang has also been taught basic English. He has lived in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Edgewater, New Jersey. Wang is married to Chia-Ling Wu. J.J., born 2009, and Wellington, born 2013. Wang confessed to having an extramarital affair when recovering from a shoulder injury in 2009.

According to a news article in the Taipei Times, Wang's biological maternal grandfather, a man named Huang, 82, committed suicide in a park in Tainan, Taiwan, hanging himself with a piece of electrical cord. When Wang returned to Taiwan from time to time, he often visited this maternal grandfather.

In October 2018, a documentary about Wang, Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story appeared in theaters.

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Minor league career

Wang played for many minor leagues, including the Single-A Staten Island Yankees, who retired his #41 in 2006. Wang had a 1.75 ERA on Staten Island, the second lowest in franchise history. In 2003, he competed for the World Team in the All-Star Futures Game. Wang was recalled from the Columbus Clippers, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate. Wang returned to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate.

Major league career

Wang made his MLB debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30, 2005, pitching seven strong innings while allowing just two earned runs. In the Yankees' 4-3 victory, he had a no-decision. Wang played in 18 games, but he was forced to miss a portion of the season due to an injury. He went 8–5 with an earnings run average of 4.02. Wang set a new record for assists in a game dominated by a pitcher with nine. Wang pitched 623 innings and allowed four runs, with only one of whom was earned. The Yankees lost the game and the series.

Wang played 19 games (tied for most in the majors along with Johan Santana) and had a 3.63 ERA in 218 innings in 34 games (33 starts). In his first non-starting appearance, he earned his first save against the Baltimore Orioles on June 3. Wang threw two complete games, though the first on June 18 was bittersweet: against the Washington Nationals, he allowed a one-out, two-run, walk-off home run by Ryan Zimmerman to miss the game 3–2. At Yankee Stadium, his first complete game victory was on July 28, 2006, a two-hit, 6–0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In his next start, he threw eight shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, in which he had an outstanding 16 ground ball outs. Wang was particularly strong in the second half of the season, winning 10 of his 14 starts and a 3.13 ERA in 92 innings. He was selected to start the Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, winning as the Yankees defeated Detroit 8–4.

Wang limited batters to a.211 batting average in 2006, when games were tied, and a.205 batting average in games that were late and close. Out of four games to the Yankees that Wang pitched, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays batted just.159 against him, losing three out of four games against the Yankees. Despite Wang's low strikeout rate (3.14 strikeouts per nine innings and 76 strikeouts overall), he was still efficient, owing to his part to his having the fewest home runs per nine innings (0.5); he allowed only 12 home runs overall). Wang also led the league in ground ball percentage (62.8%) and had 2.84 groundouts for every fly ball out.

Wang came in second place in voting for the Cy Young Award at the end of the season. Wang received 15 second-place votes and 51 points. In the AL MVP balloting, he also received his ninth rank, which is good for two points. He was named as the best starter in the 2006 season by more than 47% of the fan vote in MLB.com's This Year in Baseball Awards.

Wang sat on the disabled list this season after straining his right hamstring during spring training. He returned from Tampa Bay on April 24. Wang pitched 713 runs on May 5, 2007, but the Seattle Mariners' Ben Broussard gave up a home run before falling five runs short of a perfect game.

Wang had a spectacular outing against the New York Mets on June 17, 2007, in which he threw 113 runs through 8 and 2/3 innings, met 10 strikeouts (a career high) and gave up just six hits in a dramatic outing. Wang struck a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning before handing over a single to Mike Lowell. Joe Barron and Edwar Ramrez were the two-hitters in the Rookies, and the Yankees defeated the Red Sox 5–0.

Wang was second in AL in wins (19), second in consecutive victories (19.731), ninth in wild pitches (9), and 10th in hit batsmen (8). He had a superb 1.000 field percentage. He had the lowest HR/9 innings pitch ratio in the AL (0.41; in 199+1, he allowed just nine home runs), was third in GB% (58.5%) and FB (2.11) and had the fifth-lowest strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (4.70, with 104 strikeouts overall), and third in GB% (58.5%) and FB (2.51).

Wang suffered in the 2007 postseason despite his regular season results. Wang appeared in two games against the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series, losing in both games. For a postseason ERA of 19.06, he pitched a combined 5 and 2/3 innings, giving up 12 earned runs. In four games, the Yankees lost the ALDS.

Wang was at the top of the Yankees' rotation and the ace with veterans Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte at the start of the 2008 season. Wang pitched 7.0 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in the final Yankee Stadium season opener, allowing only two runs and gaining his first victory of the season. In his first game against the Boston Red Sox in 2008, he pitched a one-run, two-hit complete game.

Wang defeated the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on April 22, 2008. Wang's 85th appearance made him the first Major Leaguer to win 50 games as a starter since Dwight Gooden, who played his 50th game against the New York Mets on June 29, 1986. Wang became the first Yankee to win since Ron Guidry, who did this in his 82nd debut.

Wang led the American League with a perfect 5–0 record in April, as well as Joe Saunders. Wang won by just one earned run over six innings over the Seattle Mariners on May 2nd, becoming the first six-game winner in the American League. Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians defeated Wang 3–0 on May 8, his first loss of the season. Wang allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings despite this loss. Wang had a six-starts with two losses and four no decisions since May 2, putting an end to his longest victory drought ever. Wang had the third highest winning percentage of all starting pitchers over the last three years (46–15, 754).

Wang was forced to miss an interleague match against the Houston Astros due to a right foot injury he sustained while running the bases, something he was not used to doing because pitchers do not bat in the American League. Wang was diagnosed with a torn Lisfranc ligament tear in the right foot and partial tear of the perpendicular longus of the right foot. Despite not requiring surgery, he was on crutches and wearing a protective boot. On July 29, the cast was withdrawn, but Wang was unable to pitch for the remainder of the season due to the extensive rehabilitation process. Hank Steinbrenner, the Yankees' part-owner, expressed disappointment with pitchers having to bat in the National League and said the league is "join the modern age." Wang and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed to a five-year contract on December 22, 2008. After losing in salary arbitration, Wang made $4 million in the 2008 season. He had applied for $4.6 million.

Wang made the first Yankee starting pitcher and first game winning pitcher of the new Yankee Stadium in the stadium opener exhibition against the Chicago Cubs on April 3, 2009. He started his regular season with an incredibly poor showing. Wang was off to a promising start in 3.2 innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his first start of the regular season. He was greeted with a one-inning appearance against the Tampa Bay Rays where he surrendered eight earned runs in less than a single inning. Wang was credited with eight more earned runs in 1.1 innings against the Cleveland Indians in New York on April 18, and Cleveland defeated the Cleveland Indians 24-6 in his third appearance in his third start; Cleveland defeated the Cleveland Indians in New York on April 18, but the Cleveland Indians won the game 22–4. Wang was 0–3 with a whopping 34.50 ERA in his first three appearances.

Wang's right foot injury during the 2008 season prompted him to compensate with the remainder of his pitching motion, which culminated in his 2009 losses. "We have some time," after the April 18 game manager Joe Girardi said. We have a day off, I suspect Thursday, and we'll have to decide what's best for Chien-Ming Wang and the crew." Wang's releasing point was five inches higher than that of the previous season, according to GM Brian Cashman at a Q&A at Southern Connecticut State University.

Wang was diagnosed with muscle weakness in both hips and sent down to Tampa, Florida, to address mechanical problems, and was placed on the disabled list. He was activated from the disabled list on May 22, 2009, and on his first day on the active roster, he was welcomed from the bullpen. Wang returned to the rotation after two more relief appearances, but he failed in his first and second attempts back. Wang won his first game of the season on June 28, 2008, and first since June 15, 2008, when he gave up two runs over 5.1 innings against the New York Mets.

Wang was placed on the disabled list on July 15, 2009, as a result of shoulder pain. After undergoing shoulder surgery on July 30, 2009, he was then out for the remainder of the season. Wang, a fan of the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, participated in the championship parade through the Canyon of Heroes, but admitted that it would have been "more enjoyable" if he had been healthy. The Yankees made the decision not to re-sign him on December 12, 2009, making him a free agent.

The Washington Nationals reported on February 19, 2010 that Wang had been hired as a free agent under a $2 million contract (more than $3 million in incentives). Wang is expected to return to the majors in late July or early August, according to rumors in June. Wang's recovery, on the other hand, had been patchy, and there was no set date for his return to the majors. Wang would not pitch in the majors at all during the season, but rather was preparing for the fall instructional leagues.

After the 2010 season, Wang was non-tendered. Wang re-signed with the Nationals on December 16, 2010, receiving $4 million in potential performance rewards. He began a formal rehabilitation program with the Hagerstown Suns on June 27, allowing two earned runs while leaving out three out three and walking none as part of his injury recovery. Despite the fact that his speed hit 90 mph, it was mostly sat between 86 and 88 mph. Wang pitched four shutout innings in his second start with the Potomac Nationals on July 2nd, allowing two walks when striking out two out two. In his last inning of work, 63% of his 38 pitches were strikes, while his velocity hit 91 mph.

Wang made his Nationals debut on July 29 after a rough start to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs on July 24. Wang finished the season with 11 starts and a 4.04 ERA. In his final game of the season against the Atlanta Braves, he hit his first hit and first RBI in the majors on September 24.

Wang was granted a free agency on October 30, 2011. Wang re-signed with the Nationals on November 4 for a one-year, $4 million deal.

Wang sustained a left hamstring strain on March 15, 2012, placing him on the DL.

Wang played in the majors for the first time since being on the disabled list. In his first victory of the season, he went three innings. Ross Detwiler was then brought on to the team's starting rotation by Wang. Wang went 1–3 with an ERA of 6.10 and 11 strikeouts in just four starts.

Wang's rookie Yovani Gallardo was killed in his first double against Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo on September 23, a rookie pitcher.

Wang signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on March 22, 2013. According to his lawyers and Taiwan's EETV, his children's deal is worth US$35,000 a year, but could make more money go to $2.5 million per year, with an additional $2.2 million in bonuses. However, if he did not land a major league deal by the end of April, he had the ability to revert to free agent status. On June 7, 2013, Wang opted out of his job.

On June 9, 2013, Wang signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. On June 11, he was called to the Chicago White Sox's roster, his first pitching appearance as a starter. Alex Anthopoulos, the general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, said that the team promised Wang one start and would decide on further appearances based on the success of his first appearance. In a game against the Texas Rangers on June 16, Wang won his first game as a Blue Jay, pitching seven shutout innings. The victory gave the Blue Jays their first four-game sweep on the 2013 season and the Rangers' first four-game sweep in Arlington in Blue Jays franchise history.

The Blue Jays went on an 11-game winning streak from June 11 to June 23, the date Wang was added to their roster. Wang appeared in three games during the streak, bowling at least six innings per game and totaling a 2.18 ERA. Wang continued his winning streak by playing two games in which he was unable to make it out of the second inning. Wang pitched 123 innings against the Boston Red Sox on June 27, surrendering six hits and seven earned runs. He started only 123 innings and gave up eight hits and six earned runs to the Detroit Tigers on July 2, just 123. Wang had been scheduled for assignment ahead of the Tigers' game, according to Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. Wang was expected to accept a bid to Triple-A Buffalo, but he was refused to Buffalo on July 5. Wang was called to the Blue Jays roster again on August 24, and was scheduled for assignment on August 26. He was then outrighted to the Buffalo Bisons after clearing waivers. On October 1, he became a free agent.

Wang signed a minor league deal on December 19, 2013, which gave him the opportunity to spring training with the Cincinnati Reds. He started the 2014 season with the Louisville Bats of the International League, but opted out of his contract on July 13. Wang signed a minor league deal with the White Sox on July 17 and played for the Charlotte Knights of the International League.

Wang signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves during the 2014-2015 offseason. Wang was assigned by the Braves to the Gwinnett Braves of the International League. Wang had a 2–6 record with an ERA of 6.10 before delivering the most hits in Triple-A up to the month of June in ten starts and one relief appearance, while surrendering the most hits in Triple-A. He was born on June 19 and was released on June 19.

Wang signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a separate baseball league, on June 24. He made three appearances for the Blue Crabs, winning all three and pitching to a 2.49 ERA. Wang signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners on July 12, 2015. He was drafted by the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League to the Tacoma Rainiers.

Wang signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals on January 7, 2016. He made the Royals' opening day roster for the 2016 season as a relief pitcher after a solid spring training. Wang threw a scoreless ninth inning in a 7-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on April 9, 2016. This was his first major league game since August 25, 2013. Wang played for the Royals 38 times over the years, going 6–0 with a 4.22 ERA. On August 31, he was listed on the disabled list with right biceps tendinitis and was scheduled for transfer on September 17, 2016. He was released on September 22.

Coaching career

Wang joined the Fubon Guardians of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League in June 2018 as a guest coach. He stayed with the team through the 2019 season. Wang became the pitching coach for the CTBC Brothers in 2020 and concentrated on improving pitching prospects on the Brothers' farm team. Wang had signed a new deal during the offseason in 2021 and committed to stay with the team as coach for three years.

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