Wang "The Pride of Taiwan" Chien-ming (
The 25-year-old right-hander from Tainan, who took the city of New York and Taiwan by a surprise with a respectable 8-5 record in his rookie season with the Yankees, was warmly by fans and the media after his remarkable achievements this year.
When his little league coach, Kao Ying-jeh, was introduced as a special guest, Wang flashed a big smile and gave his childhood mentor a long embrace.
PHOTO: NIKE
"I would like to thank each and every one of you who have supported me over the years through some good times and some tough times," Wang said. "I would not have gotten to where I am without help from all of you. Thank you."
Wang also responded to questions about his arm injury in mid-season, confidently indicating that he was completely healed and he was ready to engage in an offseason conditioning program that was prescribed by the Yankees trainer.
Wang said that he intended to work on his control in his planned two-month stay in Taiwan, and perhaps come up with an out pitch to complement his fastball and sinker, as he was certain that the big-league hitters would be studying him more closely in preparation for next season.
"There's no question that I can improve on my control and my splitter [split-finger fastball], so I will do my best to work in these two areas," Wang said.
No press conference of this kind would be complete without someone tossing the "What's your goal for next season" question at Wang, and this one was no exception.
"I would like to make sure that I can reach the 10-win mark next season and remain in the big leagues for as long as I can," Wang said.
Following the press conference, Wang headed straight back to the airport to catch a flight back to his hometown of Tainan, where he will likely spend most of his time during this homecoming.
Other than a few carefully screened events, the newest-and-hottest celebrity in town will not be available for any appearances or interviews, according Alan Chang, Wang's agent.
Seattle's Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, Minnesota outfielder Torii Hunter and Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez won their fifth straight Major League Baseball Gold Glove awards on Tuesday.
Boston catcher Jason Varitek, Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira and Toronto second baseman Orlando Hudson were first-time winners of the awards for being the best defensive player at their position in the American League, while New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells won for the second straight season.
Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers won for the fourth time overall and second in a row.
Hudson was surprised he beat out Baltimore's Brian Roberts.
"I would have bet anything that he was going to win," Hudson said. "This has always been a goal of mine, so I've accomplished one of my goals already."
Gold Gloves, presented since 1957 by St. Louis-based Rawlings Sporting Goods Co, are voted on by managers and coaches before the end of the regular season. They may not select players on their own teams, and they vote only for players in their own league.
National League Gold Glove winners will be announced today.
Asian Series
Chiba Lotte manager Bobby Valentine says he's flattered by reports he is the target of Major League Baseball teams, but his current focus is on getting the Marines ready for a regional tournament.
"I'm very flattered if that is the situation," Valentine said yesterday in Tokyo, referring to reports that both the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers have short-listed him for their vacant managerial posts. "Right now, I'm under contract to manage (the Marines) through the Asian Series."
The Asian Series, also known as The Konami Cup, features the league champions from Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea and will be held Nov. 11-13 at Tokyo Dome.
Last week, Valentine's Marines won the Japan Series for the first time in 31 years.
Valentine, who formerly managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets, is in his second stint in Japan with the Marines. He is just completing the second year of a three-year contract, which reportedly contains an option to extend for two additional years.
But Valentine acknowledged that his future was still undetermined.
"There has been no contract signed for next year," Valentine said, when asked if he would be back to honor the third year of his deal with the Marines. "That's all in the works."
On Tuesday, it was reported that the Devil Rays had made Valentine one of three finalists to fill their managerial opening, along with departed manager Lou Pinella's top assistant, John McLaren, and Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon.
It has also been reported that Tommy LaSorda has been lobbying Valentine to take over as manager of the Dodgers after the departure of Jim Tracy.
It was also announced yesterday that Valentine was named the recipient of the Matsutaro Shoriki award, which is given annually to the person judge to have contributed most to the development of Japanese baseball.
The four-member selection committee, including former Yomiuri Giants managers Tetsuharu Kawakami and Motoshi Fujita, commended Valentine for his leadership and dedication to the fans. He will receive US$50,000 for the award.
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