According to many reports, such as Joel Sherman’s in the New York Post, it looks like the Yankees will non-tender RHP Chien-Ming Wang. According to his agent, Wang will be ready by mid-April or May.
Within ESPN.com Rumor Central earlier this week, Keith Law had to say:
“If the Yanks can work something out to keep him, they should do so. It’s worth endorsement money to him to stay in New York, they need the depth, and I think there’s a good chance he pitches at his 2006-07 levels for at least a good chunk of 2010.”
Following Law’s logic, for endorsements it would be logical for Wang to stay in New York too, even if it meant for the Mets.
Signing Wang would be a measured risk-reward signing for the Mets. He does not have the upside of any of the triumvirate of Erik Bedard, Ben Sheets and Rich Harden. That said, those three pitchers will require a financial commitment that might not be prudent to dole out for the Mets considering the plethora of holes they need to fill.
It’s important to keep in mind a few things. Wang had a sub 4.00 ERA in both 2006 and 2007, with 19 wins in each season. Keep in mind that ERA is in the American League, and in the AL East.
Wang is far from a sexy pitcher. In his best season, 2006, he only struck out 3.1 guys per nine innings. To compensate for this, he does other things very well. In that same season he allowed only .5 HRs per nine innings. Prior to his season ending shoulder surgery this year, he was plagued by an alarmingly high rate, far from his career numbers: 1.5 HRs per nine innings. Perhaps, given time to recover and a removal from the bandbox in the Bronx, and he could return to his former self.
There are no guarantees, especially given somebody coming off arm surgery, but signing Wang would be an appropriate risk-reward signing for the Mets this off season.
Pete Lappin (3)
