Wang becomes free agent after Yankees fail to tender new contract

"There's no doubt that we had to make a tough decision, " said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. "We are still hopeful that our relationship can continue, but those decisions are yet to be made."

The Yankees could re-sign Wang to a lesser, incentive-based deal, as many have speculated they will attempt to do, but Wang's agent, Alan Nero, said the right-hander will now engage all 30 clubs as a free agent and take all other options into consideration.

"I think it's difficult to rationalize a non-tender as further building a bridge with a team, but we'll see," Nero said.

Wang could be a relatively inexpensive addition for another club, and some believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers -- managed by Joe Torre, who managed the Yankees when Wang had his best years -- would have some interest.

Wang, who will turn 30 in March, earned US$5 million this season, becoming the highest paid Taiwanese player in any U.S. professional sport, but he could only manage a 1-6 record and 9.64 ERA in 12 appearances.

He has never been the same since injuring his foot while running the bases in a game in Houston on June 15, 2008. The injury forced him to miss the rest of that season, and he was obviously not fully recovered at the start of 2009.

After three disastrous starts, he was sent to the minors to continue his rehabilitation. He then returned to the Yankees in late May and seemed to be making progress until he injured his right shoulder.

Wang, who is eligible for arbitration, would have had to be tendered a contract of at least US$4 million, or no more than a 20 percent pay cut from his 2009 salary.

The Taiwanese hurler is not expected to pitch until sometime between April and June, and the Yankees obviously did not want to

risk committing US$4 million to a pitcher who may not be productive in the upcoming season.

Wang's mother-in-law said in Kaohsiung Sunday that all family members support Wang no matter what team he eventually joins.

She also said that Wang has not shown much emotion over the Yankees' latest move and that the family "will respect his decision."

Wang returned with his wife and their new born son to Tainan last month, but he couldn't reached as of Sunday afternoon.

Beset by injuries since signing with the Yankees in 2000, Wang was finally called up to the big league club in 2005, when he compiled a respectable 8-5 record and 4.02 ERA.

He had a breakout season in 2006, winning 19 games to tie for the major league with Johan Santana and posting a 3.63 ERA. He finished second to Santana in the voting for the American League Cy Young award, the most prestigious award for Major League pitchers.

He again recorded 19 wins in 2007 despite starting the season in the disabled list.

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