Washington Nationals finalise deal with Chien-Ming Wang – MLB Update
The Washington Nationals, aiming to instil stability and strength into the roster, made their first significant move towards the next season on Thursday, November 3.
According to a ballclub source, a one-year 4-million-dollar deal has been finalised with Chien-Ming Wang, but both parties have yet to sign the deal. The right-handed pitcher is struggling to recover from a shoulder injury, which halted his career with the
New York Yankees in 2009 and the Nationals have since been supporting Wang for a comeback to the Majors.
Prior to this, the Nationals signed 2-million-dollar contract with Wang in 2010, paying him the full amount, even though he did not throw a single pitch in his first year at the ballclub. After his injury broke out in 2009, Wang returned to the Majors in
July this year, starting 11 games to bag four wins and three losses at a 4.04 ERA. He proved his versatility from the mound, coming in handy when the Nationals needed him the most.
The Nationals failed to perform in the first half of the season, but bounced back dramatically after the All-Star break, winning 40 games as opposed to 43 losses from a total of 83 games under new manager Davey Johnson. The manager asserted that the team
could have produced better results, but the roster was not exactly matched to his desires and thus an improved performance is expected in 2012, when the club is expected to land a few top-quality free agents.
As for Wang, the contract was a milestone in his recovery from the torn shoulder muscle capsule. This will be his first full season after 2009 and he will want to make full use of this opportunity. Wang earned praise from Nationals’ pitching rehab co-ordinator
Mark Grater, who said, “I don’t think anybody has had this surgery and been able to throw a baseball competitively, the way he did last year. He’s a unique individual. His work habits, his thought process. He would arrive 9 o’clock, and he’d be leaving the
ballpark at 2:30. You don’t see that too often.”
The Nationals now have a formidable starting rotation and can count on their existing staff to earn them a postseason qualification. However, the Nationals will be at an advantage if they manage to land a quality starter in their rotation.
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