Joba on NPR
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 23, 2008 
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NPR’s Only A Game program has some some great stories on sports. One of their topics last week was the role of Native Americans in baseball. Have a listen here.
That link also includes an interview with Albert Chen of Sports Illustrated, who wrote a feature story on Chien-Ming Wang.
If you want to hear the entire interview with Joba, you can download it here. It’s interesting to hear him talk about his heritage.
Thanks to David Sommerstein of North Country Public Radio for these links. David conducted the interview with Joba at the Stadium earlier this month.
The kid’s got his head on straight.
Thanks Pete
It’s nice to see a young kid embrace his heritage like that. Very rare, indeed.
I can’t listen till I get home
Here’s hoping he is like another great Yankee with Native American blood who also started and relieved….# 22, Allie Reynolds.
Nice to see Joba is aware of the attention he generates and manages to stay humble, he truly is the real deal.
Joba seems really grounded, doesn’t he? And he has a keen sense of what he means to his family and his heritage, and seemingly so unaffected by all the attention and accolades that have been thrown his way, all at once.
I didn’t know Jacoby Ellsbury was of Native American descent as well; that was interesting to learn.
Pete,
Thanks for posting this. He almost seems too good to be true. I’m cynical about athletes these days, but he seems to really care about his family & people outside of the baseball world. I hope this is truly his day-to-day personality.
Thanks for the audio link on Wang. It was very interesting!
That is awesome!
We should connect Joba with the Conscious Alliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nsxh2ufsCs
SOME IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS FOR WANG:
Chien-Ming Wang has started 85 games. He’s 50-18 w/ 17 no-decisions, one save in two relief appearances. In 565.2 IP he has a 3.75 era. The New York Yankees are 59-26 in games Wang has started!
Wang has 4 complete games and one shutout in his short career.
Wang is 28-9 pitching in Yankee stadium (45 starts) with a 3.16 era.
Wang is 16-6 (27 starts) pitching in Aug & Sept with a 3.76 era.
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2005: Wang made 17 starts (one relief appearance, coming in BOS where Wang replaces Mussina & pitched 4.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 earned runs.
Wang’s record in those 17 starts: 8-5
Yanks’s record in those 17 starts: 11-6
No-Decisions: Wang had 4 no-decisions this season. Wang went 7 innings in all four of those starts, allowing 2 runs twice & 3 runs twice!
Note: Wang pitched at least 6 innings in 15 of the 17 starts (4, 5, IP in the other two starts). In 13 of the 17 starts he allowed 3 runs or less. Wang went 7+ innings in 9 of the 17 starts.
Post Season: Wang pitches 6.2 innings in LA allowing 1 earned run (a solo HR), 6 hits, 0 BB… A crucial Arod error costs Wang the win.
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2006: Wang made 33 starts (& even picked up a save in his lone relief appearance )
Wang’s record in those 33 starts: 19-6
Yanks’s record in those 33 starts: 22-11
No-Decisions: Wang had 8 no-decisions this season. Of those eight starts, Wang had 2 gems (7 IP, 2 runs & 8 IP, 2 runs)… In three of the other six no-decisions, Wang went 5 IP w/ 3 runs or less. The other 3 no-decisions (4.2 IP, 2 runs, 4 IP, 5 runs, 6 IP, 5 runs)
Note: Wang pitched at least 6 innings in 24 of the 33 starts. In 22 of the 33 starts he allowed 3 runs or less. Wang went 7+ innings in 18 of the 33 starts.
Post Season: Wang pitches 6.2 innings picking up his 1st post season victory beating DET in NY. Wang allowed 3 earned runs, 8 hits, 1 BB… All 3 runs came in the 5th with Yanks leading 5-0. A solo HR, single & 2 doubles do the damage.
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2007: Wang made 30 starts (& even picked up a save in his lone relief appearance )
Wang’s record in those 30 starts: 19-7
Yanks’s record in those 30 starts: 21-9
No-Decisions: Wang had 4 no-decisions this season. Wang went 6+ innings in all four of these starts. One of these starts a gem, 7 IP, 1 run.
Note: Wang pitched at least 6 innings in 27 of the 30 starts. Of the three starts where he didn’t go 6+, Wang pitched 5.2! Only one clunker (2.2 IP @ Tor). In 21 of the 30 starts he allowed 3 runs or less. Wang went 7+ in 14 of the 30 starts
Post Season: Wang was T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. Not only could he not best the rocky AL Cy Young winner (CC Sabathia), Wang couldn’t even go 2 innings and best CLE’s 4th starter (Paul Byrd). Wang was 0-2 w/ 12 earned runs in 5.2 IP!
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2008: Wang has made 5 starts so far.
Wang’s record in those 5 starts: 4-0
Yanks’s record in those 5 starts: 5-0
No-Decisions: Wang has one no-decision this season, coming against BOS when he failed to hold a 7-3 lead getting knocked out in the 5th. Yanks won anyway.
Note: Wang pitched 6 innings in 4 of the 5 starts. Wang allowed 3 runs or less in 4 of the 5 starts. Wang has gone 7+ in two of the five starts.
this is fabulous that he is bringing out awareness for native americans! WHat a well rounded guy at only 22 years old! (Not to mention an awesome pitcher!!)