Wang struggles again

Chien-Ming Wang turned in another sub-par start tonight against the Minnesota Twins.

In 5 1/3 innings, he was charged with five earned runs, while giving up nine hits, striking out four and walking three. He was given a 3-2 lead in the third and gave up a run in the bottom half of the inning. After he was given a 6-3 lead, he struggled again, and the lead shrank to 6-5.

In his last five starts, he has given up 21 earned runs in 33 1/3 innings (5.67 ERA). The team is winless in his previous four starts (this game remains in the balance).

I've never thought Wang was an ace, but that doesn't mean he's a bad pitcher by any means. He has a great sinker, but when that doesn't work, he struggles mightily. He has shown flashes of a slider, but he still depends on the two-seam fastball.

Whether you feel he's an ace or not, he obviously needs to turn this around. In his young career, he's never had a stretch as poor as the one he's currently in.