Wang's Future as a Yankee Uncertain

Peter Abraham from The Journal News checks in on Chien-Ming Wang:

Chien-Ming WangChien-Ming WangChien-Ming Wang

, who had shoulder surgery in July, hopes to travel with the Yankees during the postseason even through he cannot play. "This is a great team. We can win the

World Series

," he said. "I want to see that." In his first public comments since the surgery, Wang said he hopes to start playing catch again in January and believes he will pitch in the major leagues at some point in 2010. But he realizes that may not be with the

Yankees

. Wang had a $5 million contract this season and is eligible for arbitration. There is virtually no chance the Yankees will offer him arbitration before the December deadline. That would leave Wang a free agent. "I would like to stay in New York," he said. "But I don't know what will happen." One possibility is that the Yankees could offer Wang a minor-league contract. Or another team could sign him to a major-league deal and hope that he returns to form. "That's something we won't even think about until November," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "Those are issues for another day." Wang has twice had surgery on his shoulder, the first time coming in 2001. There is far less certainty that a pitcher can return to the same level of performance after shoulder surgery than there is after elbow surgery. ... Wang believes the foot injury led to his poor performance this season and subsequently the shoulder injury as his mechanics were thrown off. "Everything has been bad since I hurt my foot," he said. Wang believes the time off this summer has helped his foot fully heal. Only 30, he is not ready to give up on his career.

Wang shouldn't give up on his career.  Up until this year, he's been a very good pitcher for the Yankees and, with a little luck and a lot of work, he could be a very good pitcher again. The bigger question is whether that will happen with the Yankees. The economics of baseball make situations like this difficult for both the player and the team.  As Abraham said, the Yankees definitely won't offer arbitration because Wang would likely accept and earn at least the $5 million he earned in 2009 to pitch horribly while injured. $5 million shouldn't be that much for the Yankees, but even Brian Cashman doesn't want to spend that much on a pitcher who may barely touch the major leagues next year.  And if he does, there is no telling how well he would pitch. Ideally, the Yankees would want Wang on a minor league deal with some performance incentives if he makes it back.  The problem is,

someone

will give Wang a contract that will pay him a bit more than the Yankees will because they need pitching.  He probably wouldn't get another $5 million, but he'll get paid if he wants to. And why shouldn't he?  Chien-Ming Wang has no idea what is left of his career.  To date, he's earned just under $10 million dollars.  Certainly not chump change. But Wang is thirty years old.  He could probably turn his celebrity status into something profitable in his native Taiwan, but how long will that carry him? Wang would be foolish to take a minor league deal with the Yankees that paid him minor league wages if there are better offers out there. I'm sure all of us, even Brian Cashman, would love to see Wang back in pinstripes and pitching well for the next couple of years.  Sometimes, fate has other plans.