After Chien-ming Wang had pitched for eight innings, Yankees pitching coach Ron Guidry came to talk to him.
Wang was told that he had only one more inning to prove his worth.
Under great pressure, Wang gave it his best shot on the mound.
That night, he tossed a two-hit shutout to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-0.
It seems that extra stress always fuels him.
In 2006, at the age of twenty-six, he was one of the best young pitchers in Major League Baseball.
Back in 2000, Atlanta offered Wang more money than the Yankees.
Instead of signing with Atlanta, however, Wang chose to sign with the Yankees.
His reason was simple.
He just wanted to be close to his childhood idol, Roger Clemens, a Yankees pitcher.
Another episode also reveals Wang’s simple personality.
Once John Cox, the scout for the Yankees, paid Wang a visit, and asked what he could do for Wang.
To John’s surprise, Wang only asked for a rice cooker.
Critical Thinking: Do you think it was unwise of Wang to refuse Atlanta’s money offer only to get close to his idol, Roger Clemens?