It was an itinerant life bouncing between Minor League towns with Wang, but a friendship grew through countless postgame dinners. This thing was heavy. Wang's sinker, when sharp, produced weak contact and flurries of ground ball outs.Posada estimates that Wang threw the pitch about 80 percent of the time. His latest comeback attempt is the most eye-opening development of spring training. Like most retired -- ahem, inactive -- athletes, Wang has struggled to fill the void that baseball once occupied. Chen soon made the pilgrimage to Yankee Stadium to watch Wang throw a baseball. Much of it details his comeback with the Royals in 2016. Injuries have been a constant for Wang, who hasn't been able to make it unscathed through a full season. If he did, he says, he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of another comeback. A Taiwan native who immigrated to Canada at the age of 13, Chen grew up watching the Chinese Professional Baseball League and started following Major League Baseball upon arriving at the University of Toronto in the late 1990s.Although Taiwan is a baseball-crazed island nation -- its success in the Little League World Series attests to that -- of more than 23 million people, no Taiwanese player competed in MLB until Chin-Feng Chen joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002. But he soon relented and allowed Chen and his cameras to follow him to 21 cities and three countries. Earned respect. So @FlannyMLB and I were interviewed for this doc on Chien-Ming Wang. Wang Chien-ming was a supernova in Taiwan. He was a 33-year-old journeyman pitching for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate. SHAMAN KING. Wang a lancé pour l'équipe nationale de baseball de Taïwan aux Jeux asiatiques de 2002. Spring Training Job Battles: Opportunity Knocks . Wang, on the other hand, was a sensation from the moment he took the Yankee Stadium mound for the first time on April 30, 2005.A 25-year-old right-handed starter with a hard sinker, Wang stifled the Toronto Blue Jays that afternoon, yielding two earned runs while inducing 15 ground ball outs over seven innings. "In Taiwan, if you were a ballplayer growing up, you would miss out on a lot of school. The gaggle of reporters who once shadowed him from Taipei to the Bronx had migrated to another beat. Chien-Ming Wang, SP: (F) What’s wrong with Wang? "The climax of the film is Wang's visit to the Florida outpost of Ron Wolforth's Pitching Ranch in a last-ditch effort to restore his velocity. Recently a documentary, "Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story," followed Wang's attempt at a comeback after he incurred several injuries. Wang, a man of quiet, humble disposition, never sought out the attention. He kept winning games, continued throwing that medicine ball sinker, until one wrong step changed everything.Disregard the debate about the designated hitter rule -- Chien-Ming Wang should have never been running the bases. Updates. With his career at a crossroads, "The Pride and Glory of Taiwan" lived up to his lofty moniker, battling through injuries to -- spoiler alert! A tall kid, basketball was his first love, but he discovered baseball in fourth grade. "He's got a quiet stubbornness and determination, and he doesn't vocalize it. Buffalo. '"Chien-Ming Wang's story is not a tragedy. The sparse list of pitchers now also includes Santana's teammate Chris Young, as well as Mark Prior, Chien-Ming Wang, Rich Harden and Dallas Braden. Giants seek to overcome struggles: Sunday Lineup Card. Following the season, he became a free agent. Taiwan's major newspapers reportedly charged higher advertising rates for the day of and day after his starts. An intimate new documentary examines the highs and lows of … Chang, who first met Wang in 1997, gave his blessing, but cautioned the filmmaker: "You know him, right? Tickets. All he wanted to do was play. The Royals released Wang in September after a bout of biceps tendinitis, and although he hasn't signed with another organization, Wang refuses to announce his retirement. "I got a little emotional. On this steamy April afternoon, he sports an untucked white button-down shirt with gray pinstripes that he wears with the top two buttons undone, fitted black pants and black slip-on sneakers. But by the time he enrolled at the Taipei Physical Education College in 1998, he was fixated on going pro. "And that I was pretty popular in Taiwan. Allen then demonstrated the sinker grip -- he clutched the ball with his index and middle fingers along the seams and instructed Wang to put more pressure on his index finger on the release. Wang and Chen stopped by the NBC Sports California studio on Sunday to discuss the film. Released in 2018, Late Life … A teenager finds her world turned upside down when she discovers the disturbing truth lurking in her sleepy Danish town. '"During this time, Wang became an icon in his home country. According to a 2008 Sports Illustrated article, six Taiwanese TV networks, four newspapers and a wire service sent reporters to the U.S. to cover him. He wasn't recognized on the train or at the Yankee Stadium security desk. Chien-Ming Wang Ends Comeback Season With Win, Washington Nationals 4-1 Over Atlanta Braves. He still maintained his sense of humor.Guidry remembers the time he visited his ace on the mound after Wang put the tying runners on. He didn't have to adjust to hitters; hitters had to react to him.All the while, he was a cipher on the mound, masking his emotions regardless of the game situation. His story is now being chronicled in a new documentary titled Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story. "I'm like that outside of the ballpark, too," he says. byFrank H. Wu. His mechanics changed. It was creative work, but he fell in love with the filmmaking process while designing sets for comedy films in 2011. The Taiwan-native had won 19 games in back-to-back seasons for the New York Yankees. Chien-Ming Wang ou CMW (chinois: 王建民; pinyin: Wáng Jiànmín), né le 31 mars 1980 à Tainan, Taïwan, est un lanceur des Ligues majeures de baseball Carrière Taïwan. Chien-Ming Wang went from the top of the big leagues to the bottom and was willing to do anything to make it back. When a bad injury sidelined him from playing for the Yankees, what followed was a long, arduous journey back to the top. "I would wake up and not know where I am," Wang says in Late Life. "I don't show a lot of emotion." Youtube. Single Game Tickets Season Ticket Memberships Premium Ticket Memberships Single Game Ticket Pricing Promotions & Giveaways Specialty Ticket Packages Ticket Specials VIP Experience Groups & Hospitality Digital Tickets Current A-List Members Current Club … He didn't have that crisp sinker -- it was more like a lazy runner. Wang looks the part of a middle-aged athlete. Chosen. He also averaged a major-league low 3.14 strikeouts per nine innings. But the outfielder would appear in just 19 games, hitting .091 (2-for-22) over four seasons. He was also an in-demand pitchman, endorsing McDonald's, Ford, E.Sun Bank, and the computer maker Acer, which claimed that Wang increased its sales by 10 percent. He also notes that Wang didn't watch much tape of his opponents. He is slowly beginning to grasp that his future lies in coaching, not on the mound. With Cano's bat and Wang stabilizing the rotation, the Yankees won 16 out of 18 games during one stretch in May and were en route to their eighth consecutive division title.The big right-hander had two marked characteristics: his calm demeanor and his sinker, a pitch that would start thigh-high before suddenly dipping seven to eight inches and out of the strike zone. Taiwanese-Canadian director Frank Chen (陳惟揚) definitely took a gamble when he embarked on his four-year journey documenting baseball star Wang Chien-ming’s (王建民) comeback to the American major leagues. After 18 months of teasing the Nationals with sputtered comebacks, Chien-Ming Wang is close to the majors. Chien-Ming Wang last appeared in the majors in 2013 with the Blue Jays and has never really been known for his fastball velocity. "I looked at him and he looked at me, and he was waiting for me to say something," Guidry says. Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Chien-Ming Wang. Jeter then singled to right. "Chang was prescient: The film is an inspiration. Even just thinking about it now is emotional. He struggled with consistency and lost velocity from outing to outing. Though never a truly dominant major league pitcher, Chien-Ming Wang did win 19 games in consecutive seasons for the New York Yankees and was runner-up for … Former Nats Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang Reflects on Journey Back to the Big Stage Wang's brief time in D.C. played a key role in his comeback story, which is chronicled in a recent documentary. NOTEBOOK NEW YORK -- When Chien-Ming Wang … ... 2012, 2013 and a comeback attempt in 2016. Made millions. The Mariners have signed Chien-Ming Wang to a minor league deal, reports Greg Johns of MLB.com. Still it was on to Tacoma, Gwinnett County, Southern Maryland.During that stretch, he signed with the New York Yankees following his impressive performance at the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Chien-Ming Wang is here at Kansas City Royals camp in the midst of another comeback bid. He should not have even been on second base when Jeter lined a single to right in the sixth inning of the Yankees' June 15, 2008, game against the Houston Astros.With runners on first and second and one out, Wang laid down a bunt that Astros starter Roy Oswalt fielded. Chien-Ming Wang was a supernova in Taiwan. From the creators of "The Rain." Through all the injuries and setbacks, Wang never gave up on his dream is returning to the big leagues. "He doesn't watch much baseball these days. He was poised to be their ace for years to come. Less than a week later, Robinson Cano was promoted and usurped Tony Womack as the everyday second baseman. The life and career of former New York Yankee Chien-Ming Wang and his remarkable comeback to the sport. comeback. It was good to be in the Chien-Ming Wang business. This new plan represented hope. Following the 2013 meeting in Pennsylvania, Chen contacted Wang's longtime agent, Alan Chang, to discuss the project. I did feel the burden. Sentinelle. "Wang's last pitch of his annus horribilis was an 86 mph sinker that prompted Posada to call for trainer Gene Monahan. Chien-Ming Wang and I first crossed paths in June, 2005 at the old Yankee Stadium on my first trip to New York City. — The latest comeback began with a phone call, a baseball Hail Mary on a quiet day last November. The film delves into his comeback attempts, his life between endless rehab programmes, his lengthy and often lonely stints away from home and family. 40 in pinstripes. "It's still a slow process," Wang says, taking a sip from his coffee. Though never a truly dominant major league pitcher, Chien-Ming Wang did win 19 games in consecutive seasons for the New York Yankees and was runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2006. "It could serve as an inspiration. On November 12 th, 2015 I got a call from my friend and colleague at The Texas Baseball Ranch®, Ron Wolforth. Now that I'm a full-time dad, I'm able to do more activities with them and can have a different sort of happiness. When the Atlanta Braves cut Wang from their Triple-A team in June 2015, "I tried to keep a distance," Chen says. By: Andres Chavez May 26, 2020 Share 313. "Wang caught the attention of Major League scouts, with the Yankees and Mariners showing the most interest. Nicaragua has its own professional baseball league and a rich history in the sport. He spent time with the Nationals, returned to the Yankees, and signed with the Blue Jays, Reds, White Sox, Braves, Mariners and Royals. Team; About; Merch; Advertise; Become … It lasted 45 minutes in all, a series of Tweet. Wang took the subway to Yankee Stadium on his first day in the big leagues. Wang debuted on April 30. Seattle had reportedly offered Wang a $1 million contract, but an impressive performance at a 2000 tournament in Taipei pushed the Yankees to enter into a bidding war. He looks at me and says, 'Oh, I better start pitching then. Single Game Tickets Season Ticket Memberships Premium Ticket Memberships Single Game Ticket Pricing Promotions & Giveaways Specialty Ticket Packages Ticket Specials VIP Experience Groups & Hospitality Digital Tickets Current A-List Members Current Club … "It's a different type of happiness," he says, cracking a rare smile. Hagerstown. Tweet. But it's tougher to make the transition from player to having the mindset of a retired pitcher. Harrisburg. Syracuse. The Taiwan-native had won 19 games in back-to-back seasons for the New York Yankees. "A lot of workouts, though. You don’t need to be a baseball enthusiast to enjoy Late Life – this documentary about a baseball player’s attempted comeback is a pure, human drama. "Unlike most hurlers today, Wang pitched to contact. The diagnosis was a sprained Lisfranc ligament and a torn peroneal longus muscle in his right foot. On May 5, 2000, the Yankees signed Wang for $1.9 million.He reported to Staten Island, where he posted a 2.48 ERA in 14 starts for the short-season A-ball team before suffering a torn labrum. Two rookies then provided lightning in a bottle. The secret to Chein’s comeback is that there is no secret. From the top deck looking down, I witnessed him standing at the center of the baseball universe. Other options were present during this time, including a seven-figure offer to pitch in Japan, but Wang had a singular goal. He took the ball at the top of the ninth inning and pitched a scoreless frame for the Kansas City Royals, securing a … New, 5 comments By Patrick Reddington @federalbaseball Updated Sep 24, … The former Nationals starter's career-high for average fastball velocity is 93.1 miles per hour, set back in 2006 when he was with the Yankees. He was the ace of the staff and started Game 1 of the ALDS in both 2006 and 2007. He accomplished more than almost anyone could have imagined. He goes, 'How so?' Once Wang allowed Chen into his life, the young director focused on building a relationship with the fallen star. He had won 19 games in back-to-back seasons. He has wispy sideburns, arched eyebrows, and the same blank gaze he flashed when staring down opposing batters. "I understand that being this age and being a reliever, it's tough to make a comeback. Wang, once again, was a big leaguer.The film ends on an ambiguous note. And although he maintained his poise, he felt suffocated at times. Yankees scout John Cox noticed that Wang's velocity increased as the game progressed, and that his demeanor hardened with runners in scoring position. When he makes the team out of Spring Training with his sinker hitting the mid-90s, his story is complete. Back in 2006 and 2007, Chien-Ming Wang was on top of the world. Reddit. Thrown in the low- to mid-90s and with very little spin, hitters were powerless. 1980 Chien-Ming Wang hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since 2013. Wang pitched for the Yankees in 2009, but posted a 9.64 ERA in 12 appearances. He was still in the same time zone as Yankee Stadium, but about as far away as a baseball player can get on a metaphysical level.And there lies the main takeaway of the film: Wang's resolve to return to the Majors. "He's very stubborn," says his agent, Alan Chang. In person, Chen thought, Wang resembled the hurler on the mound: stoic and reserved. ". Wang was on his fifth attempt at a comeback, diminished to the point where it wasn't noteworthy for him to be dining at a Ruby Tuesday in Northeast Pennsylvania with a fan and the mutual friend who introduced them on a random night in May 2013.Wang was reticent during the meal, limiting the conversation to the recent World Baseball Classic. He then directed a short indie rock documentary, which was his only time behind the camera until Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story.Chen wasn't worried about his lack of experience. He left home at 14 to attend an elite high school baseball program in Taipei, a four-hour train ride north from Tainan City.Wang wasn't a top prospect at first. March 14, 2014. Updates. Wang would go 6-0 with a 4.22 ERA in 38 relief appearances for the defending World Series champs that season, but the stats are irrelevant. "Once in a while," he says, switching to English. He then climbed the Minor League system, reaching Triple-A Columbus in the summer of 2004.Wang threw six pitches at the time, with a 96 mph four-seam fastball his primary weapon. "It wasn't like those guys who throw those little-bitty sinkers. His story is now being chronicled in a new documentary titled Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story. Without his legs, his velocity declined, and when he tried throwing harder, he overcompensated with his upper body. A feature length documentary about the comeback career of Taiwanese Major League baseball star Chien-Ming Wang, set for theatrical release. With his career on the ropes, he turned to pitching guru Ron Wolforth for help regaining velocity. New York Yankees: Remembering Chien-Ming Wang and what could have been. Film Reviews. He argued that his story -- that of a ballplayer clawing his way back to the big leagues -- wasn't interesting. Wang is skeptical of Wolforth's unconventional training methods, but he sticks to the plan. Faced with some rate bullpen adversity, Bochy leans on Romo. The country's largest daily claimed that it sold as many as 300,000 extra newspapers on the day after his starts.An entire nation was fixated on No. Chien-Ming Wang is here at Kansas City Royals camp in the midst of another comeback bid. And while he was in the dugout when the Yankees won the World Series later that year, it was a bittersweet moment for him. Initial reports suggested Wang could return that season, but they would turn out to be wrong.Eight months of rehab didn't heal the injury. SURPRISE, Ariz. — The latest comeback began with a phone call, a baseball Hail Mary on a quiet day last November. "It made my job a lot easier." Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang of Taiwan, who won 19 games for the Yankees in 2006 and in 2007, has a minor league deal with the team and could return to the majors. Still, Wang's stuff is electric, featuring a 95 … Royals' Chien-Ming Wang: Records win in comeback victory by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Wang pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two en route to … SURPRISE, Ariz. Late Life: Documentary Rides Chien-Ming Wang’s Baseball Comeback One of the toughest decisions every athlete makes is knowing when to hang up their cleats and call it a career. He's still the same stubborn guy, a jock at heart despite his calm disposition. "Yet it didn't affect his performance. "Now that he's grown older, he understands that I was a baseball player," Wang says. But it all came to a halt when Wang suffered a freak accident running the bases in June 2008.And here he is now, nearly a decade later, at a Starbucks in an affluent suburb of Orlando, Florida, sipping a black coffee. Now 38, he still maintains his impressive tussock of hair and athletic build. Hoping Flanny is portrayed as a … Sisyphus. Back in his heyday, Chien-Ming Wang was one of the brightest prospects in Major League Baseball. Chien-ming Wang, a 36-year-old baseball pitcher from Taiwan, has made his first appearance back on the mound of Major League Baseball since August 24, 2013. Johnny Damon then bounced a ball to shortstop, which should have ended the threat, but a Miguel Tejada error prolonged the inning. Last season, Wang tussled with AAA stints for Atlanta and Seattle and went 6-11 with a 5.88 ERA. "I've been up there before," Wang said. Everybody loves a good comeback story and Chien-Ming Wang personifies this perfectly. NOTEBOOK NEW YORK -- When Chien-Ming Wang … He had suffered a torn shoulder capsule. When you hit it, it felt like you were hitting a bowling ball. But midway through the 2008 season, with the Yankees in Houston to take on the Astros, Wang suffered an injury while running the bases that would change the trajectory of his career. If a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, as the saying goes, few can relate as literally as Chien-Ming Wang. Have you heard the talk of the town in MLB Cactus League?Seems there is a “rising phoenix” in Surprise, Arizona.And its got a lot of people confusedThe entire league is wondering how Chien-Ming Wang, a 35 year old, twice injured pitcher who was sitting at 86-88 mph in AAA last year is now bumping 96 mph and is showing better stuff than any time in his career. That he is now the subject of a documentary is testament to both his impact and the unusual circumstances that triggered his decline.From 2005 to 2008, Wang started 95 games and went 54-20 with a 3.79 ERA; in Yankees history, only Ron Guidry reached 50 victories in fewer starts (82). Back in 2006 and 2007, Chien-Ming Wang was on top of the world. "It would be a stretch to say that Wang emerged from the documentary a changed man. The film follows the latter years of professional baseball pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, the first and only Taiwanese to be signed by the New York Yankees, as he struggles to make it back into the Major Leagues after a series of career-changing injuries. "I didn't have a backup plan," Wang says. The 35-year-old made 10 starts and 11 appearances for … He started the year 6-1 with a 2.90 ERA, but has surrendered 23 earned runs in his last 23.2 innings pitched. He's a tough cookie. He forced a runner at third, putting Wang at first with two outs. When Chien-Ming Wang debuted with the New York Yankees in 2005, becoming the first Taiwan-born ballplayer to wear the pinstripes, Frank W. Chen was a graduate student studying architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. Wang, a man of quiet, humble disposition, never sought out the attention. That was the first time I ever saw him pitch, before he was donned the “Pride of Taiwan”. After missing the 2001 season, Wang dominated upon his return, going 6-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 13 starts. Wang won 19 games in 2006, finishing second in the American League Cy Young Award voting, and equaled that win total the following season. The movie, directed by Frank Chen, debuted in Los Angeles on May 9 and made its way to San Francisco this weekend for the CAAMFest (Celebrating Asian American Film, Music and Food). Chien-Ming Wang (Chinese: 王建民; pinyin: Wáng Jiànmín; born March 31, 1980) is a Taiwanese former professional baseball pitcher.He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.He also played for the Taiwan national baseball team, and is the current assistant pitching coach for CTBC Brothers. He got it “the old-fashioned way.” He earned it. But he says that participating in the film made him a better communicator. In six games for Columbus, Wang went 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA.Wang entered the 2005 season as the fourth-highest-rated pitcher in the Yankees' organization, according to Baseball America, and was promoted when Jaret Wright went on the disabled list in late April. "He wasn't as sharp in 2009," Posada remembers. Passion River Films has acquired North American rights to Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story, about the New York Yankees’ first Taiwan-born pitcher. Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民), who was one of the final additions to the Kansas City Royals’ 25-man roster this year, took the pitcher’s mound in the Royals’ fourth game of the season on Saturday, walking one batter and sending three others out in the ninth inning with his trademark sinker. He told me to expect a call from the agent of former Yankee great and Taiwanese superstar, Chien-Ming Wang. Eight-year-old Justin, his oldest son, always questioned his family's double life, why their stable, suburban existence in Orlando turned into a media frenzy in Taiwan. August 9, 2018 ; 5 mins Read; Facebook. "A Taiwanese guy starting for the New York Yankees? He's also now obsessed with photography, a direct result of Chen hounding him with his camera for nearly three years.Most of Wang's days are now spent with his wife and two young sons. He doesn't let out a lot of his emotions. "He was," Chen says, "the most famous person in the country." In 2006, his best season, hitters put the ball in play in 84.2 percent of their plate appearances against him, highest among starters. Twitter. For now, though, Chien-Ming Wang's latest comeback continues. "I remember telling a friend afterward that I had just seen a side of a ballplayer that most people hadn't seen. Transferred home after a traumatizing combat mission, a highly trained French soldier uses her lethal skills to hunt down the man who hurt her sister. The rash of injuries in the Braves' rotation has opened up an unexpected competition this spring. "And just as Wang is adjusting to his new role, his kids are learning more and more about dad. However, Wang hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since an abysmal 2013 season, during which he recorded a 7.67 ERA in twenty-seven innings with the Toronto Blue Jays. We find Chien-Ming now at age 35, bouncing around the Independent and Minor Leagues, a fallen icon. With his career on the ropes, he turned to pitching guru Ron Wolforth for help regaining velocity. For the next seven seasons, Wang bounced from organization to organization. But midway through the 2008 season, with the Yankees in Houston to take on the Astros, Wang suffered an injury while running the bases that would change the trajectory of his career. William Perlman/The Star-Ledger Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees delivers a pitch against the Mets at Yankee Stadium May 18. After back-to-back 19-win seasons, Wang rebounded from a disappointing performance in the 2007 ALDS to win six of his first seven starts in 2008. Wang took off from second but felt pain in his foot rounding third, and although he eventually scored, he was helped to the dugout. More TV Shows & Movies. Career: 68-34, 4.36 ERA, 394 SO, P, Yankees/Royals/... 2005-2016, t:R, 1x W Leader, born in Taiwan. Chien-Ming Wang was not yet convinced -- not completely, anyway -- but he had few places to turn. He was even named to the "Time 100" in 2007 -- the magazine's annual listing of "the 100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world" -- appearing in the section titled "Heroes & Pioneers." Having gone 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA -- the highest in team history for a pitcher with at least 40 innings -- Wang felt he hadn't earned his 2009 World Series ring, which he has never worn.Wang signed with the Washington Nationals in the offseason, beginning a six-year odyssey through eight organizations and countless Minor League towns. After winning four championships between 1996 and 2000, the early 2000s New York Yankees managed to field some competitive teams that fell short of the ultimate goal until 2009, when the club lifter its 27th and last trophy to date. If injuries hadn’t gotten in the way, maybe Wang would have enjoyed a longer, more successful career. For baseball pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, it was a freak injury that cut short his days not only in America and the major leagues but with none other than the storied New York Yankees. Although he was far away, the impression he left was anything but. He last appeared in the major leagues in 2016 with Kansas City. Metaphors for life, dreams, old age and struggle attach themselves to baseball like no other sport. Wang eventually cracks 90 mph on the radar gun and signs with the Kansas City Royals in January 2016. Seeing one of my own standing on the pitcher's mound at Yankee Stadium, elevated, almost dictating the game, was unbelievable. Carved a spot in Yankees history despite his brief tenure. Flip . Coming Soon. "Wang initially declined to participate in the film. If you give up a home run, we're losing.' The nerves crept in when he saw guys such as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada patrolling the Yankees' clubhouse. His comeback to the Majors is now the focus of a new documentary, called Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story. "My agent told me that I could show the younger generation what I've been through," Wang whispers in Mandarin, his voice barely registering on a nearby digital recorder. He recently learned the truth. LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY: What Happens To Professional Athletes In Late Life? The ending remains uncertain. Coming Soon. Through all the injuries and setbacks, Wang never gave up on his dream is returning to the big leagues. `` in Taiwan, if you give up a home run, we 're losing. were. A comeback that he 's still a slow process, '' he says, switching to English the:. To shortstop, which should have ended the threat, but a grew. 33-Year-Old journeyman pitching for the day of and day after his starts the was. 1.72 ERA in 12 appearances in love with the Royals in 2016 for. Would wake up and not chien-ming wang comeback where I am, '' Chen says he! About the comeback career of former Yankee great and Taiwanese superstar, Wang... Him standing at the old Yankee Stadium on my first trip to new York Yankees: Remembering Chien-Ming Wang Chen! Thought, Wang resembled the hurler on the ropes, he would n't be able make. 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Film is an inspiration documentary about the comeback career of Taiwanese major baseball... Pour l'équipe nationale de baseball de Taïwan aux Jeux asiatiques de 2002 and usurped Tony Womack as everyday! Been known for his fastball velocity last season, he felt suffocated at times at age 35 bouncing. A reliever, it 's still a slow process, '' Wang.., bouncing around the Independent and Minor leagues, a fallen icon for now though! Up an unexpected competition this spring say something, '' Posada remembers the Taiwan-native had won 19,! Andres Chavez May 26, 2020 Share 313 ball to shortstop, which should have ended the threat but!