Chien-Ming Wang Progressing Well In Return from Injury

A big part of the reason why the Yankees only won 89 games in 2008 and missed the playoffs for the first time since Buck Showalter was managing was because Chien-Ming Wang went down midway through the season with a foot injury.

Even with new additions to the pitching staff in CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, the Yankees are going to rely on Wang to do big things for them again this season. Which is why it is imperative for his foot to be feeling well early in spring training.

Well, Wang pitched two scoreless innings for the first time since his tragic base running accident against the Houston Astros yesterday. Afterwards he said that everything was fine.

“I feel good,” Wang said. “Nothing wrong.”

He threw 23 pitches, 12 for strikes, and was even tested on a bunt. Afterwards Wang said he felt about the same as before the injury. Although his pitches are not where he wants them this early in spring training.

“A few times the sinker was not sinking down enough,” Wang said. “It was flat. That’s normal for this time of year.”

But as far as his manager Joe Girardi is concerned, as long as he’s feeling healthy everything is alright with him.

“I think when you have an injury like that, you watch how they push off and he looked the same as before he got hurt,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “That means he’s comfortable with the way he feels. If he’s comfortable with the way he feels, we’re obviously a lot more comfortable.”

It’s good to hear he is feeling fine, but it will be important to watch how he feels during the spring as this is the first time since the injury that he will be testing it for an extended period of time. He is scheduled to pitch again on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.