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Injury-free Wang returns to Taiwan

Baseball star Wang Chien-ming holds up a photo collage given to him by sponsors at a press conference yesterday in Taipei. PHOTO: CNA

New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民) and his wife returned to Taiwan yesterday morning for a two-month vacation, with the star hurler saying the right foot injury that forced him to miss the last four months of the season was completely healed.

Wang, who suffered the foot injury while rounding third base in a game against the Houston Astros on June 15, had to delay his return to Taiwan for several weeks to rehabilitate his foot in the US following the end of the baseball season.

Known as the “Pride of Taiwan” for his stellar 19-win seasons in 2006 and last year, Wang opened the 2008 season with an 8-2 record before being sidelined with a sprained Lisfranc ligament and torn tendon in his right foot.

Although the injury did not require surgery, Wang was restricted to wearing a cast that was removed on July 28.

Speaking at a press conference in Taipei yesterday, Wang said that he felt “no regrets” about suffering the injury, pointing out that “injuries are a part of an athlete’s life.”

“It wasn’t easy to watch the games from the bench,” Wang said, recalling the time when he was injured, “you want to play, and you feel terrible for not being able to work hard for the team.”

no jogging

Wang said the Yankees have arranged a special training program for him during his time in Taiwan to help strengthen his foot, with the program including cycling and weightlifting exercises, but no jogging.

Since being diagnosed as completely healed, Wang said, he has thrown three times a week, including one session last month where he threw 50 pitches and “felt really good” afterwards.

The hurler said that the injury would not affect his pitching ability in the least, and he hoped to win 20 games next season and capture a Golden Glove Award.

Wang also said he hoped to be the Yankees’ opening day starter next year.

When commenting on Yankees team manager Joe Girardi, who took the helm in place of Joe Torre this year, Wang said he is a bit “serious” and was strict in training practice.

Asked whether he would pitch for Taiwan in next year’s World Baseball Classic, Wang said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman believed the pitcher would not be able to regain his top form in time for the competition and therefore did not want him to participate.

The tournament’s Asian qualifier will be held in Tokyo in March. Taiwan will be competing with teams from China, Japan and South Korea to secure a place in the competition’s final eight teams.

T-shirt

The soft-spoken Tainan native received a T-shirt from his sponsors with his last name written in Chinese on the front and “Proven Ace” written on the back from his sponsor as a token of appreciation for his outstanding achievement on the baseball diamond.

In addition to the T-shirt, Wang was presented with a photo collage made up of pictures of fans with various signs cheering on their sporting hero and wishing him well in his career.
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