TAMPA — Pitching into the lips of a howling wind at the minor league complex, Chien-Ming Wang refused to use the difficult conditions as an excuse for lackluster numbers.
Yet, catcher Jorge Posada said the wind was so strong it not only carried fly balls beyond fences but physically moved Wang on the mound.
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“It was terrible,” Posada said. “Even his delivery was messed up; he was fighting with the wind. He had a good sinker and slider when the wind wasn’t blowing.”
Wang, who gave up a homer on the first pitch and two in the opening inning, went five frames against the Pirates’ Triple-A team. He gave up nine hits, four earned runs a walk and fanned three.
“Sometimes the wind pulled me back a little bit,” said Wang who was pleased with his velocity and slider. “It was hard to find the strike zone.”
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Brian Bruney threw two perfect innings against the Pirates’ Double-A team and fanned four.
“I would like to be throwing harder,” explained Bruney, who said he was clocked at 94 to 96 mph. “I think I am overthrowing right now. My velocity is there but I am trying to throw too hard. Less is more.”
Bruney, who is being counted on to set up Mariano Rivera, admitted he has been wired.
“I need to calm down, I am getting too excited,” Bruney said. “I want to make every hitter look stupid and strike them out. When you have four months off you get too excited.”
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Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 and walked against the Pirates’ Double-A club. Posada went 1-for-4 with a double and threw out a runner trying to steal second in a Triple-A game.
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The Yankees are going to limit Joba Chamberlain‘s innings to about 140, but manager Joe Girardi doesn’t envision skipping the right-hander every time there is a chance.
“He will be pretty much starting every fifth day,” Girardi said of his No. 5 hurler.
Due to off days and rainouts, Chamberlain will likely make 30 starts instead of the normal 34 to 35 starts a healthy pitcher would make.
“Maybe at the All-Star break he gets 10 days off,” Girardi said. “You can’t build your rotation around one guy.”
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Girardi would like to have his roster announced today, but if it takes until tomorrow he can live with that.
While the starting center fielder has been the hot topic, it’s not the only one. Girardi has to choose between Angel Berroa and Ramiro Pena for the utility infielder spot.
“We have two guys playing well,” Girardi said.
Berroa, the 2003 AL Rookie of the Year with the Royals as a shortstop, started yesterday’s action batting .380 (19-for-50) and looked smooth at second base. He is 32.
Pena, 23, is also a shortstop and learning second base and has never played above Double-A. He was batting .312 (15-for-48).
Neither is on the 40-man roster.