Major League Baseball

Wang to make spring debut for Nationals on Friday

Published Feb. 26, 2011 8:22 p.m. ET

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Chien-Ming Wang will make his spring training debut on Friday at the Washington Nationals minor league complex.

The 30-year-old right-hander will throw one or two innings in a game at the team's accelerated minor league camp.

Wang did not pitch in 2010 while he recovered from surgery in July 2009 that repaired a torn shoulder capsule.

''We're 16 months after that operation,'' Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. ''It's uncharted waters recovering from this operation. We're just being ultra conservative. We're not going to put him out there against somebody in the other uniform yet, where the adrenaline might be flowing a little harder. It's a little more of a controlled atmosphere to put him in.''

He threw live batting practice on Saturday and looked much stronger than when he first showed up for workouts. He even broke the bat of second baseman Danny Espinosa during the 10-minute throwing session.

''Today, I feel very good,'' Wang said. ''Everything was smooth. Each time, (I feel) better and better.''

Wang had good movement on his pitches Saturday and said the only one he's still trying to get a feel for is his change-up. Otherwise, the Nationals have been pleased with his progress, though there is no timetable yet for when he will face major league hitters.

''He hasn't been pushed back at all,'' Washington pitching coach Steve McCatty said. ''His ball had good movement, good sink. He had a good change-up, he threw some good breaking balls. He threw really well.''

Whether Wang pitches one or two innings on Friday will depend on how he feels and how many pitches he throws in that first frame.

''I know Chien-Ming would probably want to go two,'' McCatty said. ''We'll see when we get there. That's why we write everything in pencil. We have the ability, if he's throwing all right to say we'll go one more inning. One to two for me would be great.''

Riggleman said the team is being ''ultra-conservative'' with Wang's rehabilitation.

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