I concur
December 26, 2008, 6:34 pm
From PA:
Dave Eiland referred to Chien-Ming Wang as the No. 3 starter in a story Pete Caldera did for The Record. Labeling starters is a fruitless exercise. But it’s further evidence of how little respect the Yankees give Wang.
The Yankees took Wang to arbitration last year to avoid paying him an extra $600,000. And now Eiland is dismissing him as a No. 3 starter. Memo to Eiland: Wang is 46-15 with a 3.74 ERA since the start of the 2006 season. Burnett is 38-26, 3.94. Wang’s career ERA+ is 117. Burnett is at 111.
Wang is a better pitcher than Burnett. Plus it could make a lot more sense to put him between Sabathia and Burnett to give teams a different look rather than using two power pitchers in a row.
In time, people will figure out that Wang’s sinker makes him the exception to the idea that a great pitcher has to strike a bunch of guys out. If the Yankees don’t, another team will once he becomes a free agent.
I totally agree with Pete’s assessment, here. How can you NOT have Wang as your second starter? I thought that was a foregone conclusion, not worth debating. If you had to hand the ball to either Wang (your own homegrown product) or Burnett against the rival Red Sox, I don’t think the numbers bode well for Wang, but I don’t have to look at the numbers. I’d take Wang in that spot, regardless, at least until Burnett can prove himself in a Yankee uniform.
How many times have we heard people say “Wang is not an Ace because he doesn’t strike people out”?
Now they slot the Wanger as No.3 because AJ’s got more strikeouts.
I think it’s plain stupid to judge a pitcher’s “aceness ” by his strikeout numbers.
Just ask youself: Which pitcher do your team need more?
The one with more strikeout?
Or the one with more wins who also beat Halladay, CC and almost threw a perfect game at Fenway Park this season?
Baseball people(players, coaches, and fans alike) are simply too obsessed with strikeout numbers.
2 weeks ago Wang expressed in Taiwan, he is targeting on 20 wins by 2009, what about Burnett his goal? No pain and injury or….
IMO, Wang is competing with CC the No.1 next season, Chamberlain is possibly reach to the No.3 by the 2nd half.
What is AJ gets injured again? That’ll leave cc and Wang as the vets, and two inexperienced guys at the back end (although Joba shouldn’t be considered “inexperienced”, maybe just Young). Pettitte is a solid choice to protect the back end of the rotation, and I’d like to see him win another ring in 09 with Jeter, Posada and Mo.