Yankees name Wang as Opening Day starter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Yankees on Friday named Wang Chien-ming as their Opening Day starting pitcher on March 31 against the Toronto Blue Jays, launching the last season at the old Yankee Stadium.

A new Yankee Stadium, adjacent to the House That Ruth Built which opened in the Bronx in 1923, is scheduled to be ready for the start of the 2009 season.

Wang, New York's leading winner in each of the previous two seasons, had his hopes of starting last year's Opening Day dashed by a hamstring injury.

"He's earned it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters at the team's Spring Training camp in Tampa, Florida. "He's won 19 games the last couple of years and he's thrown the ball well the last couple of years."

The start will come on Wang's 28th birthday.

"I'm very happy," Wang told Web site www.mlb.com.

"This is my first time on Opening Day. For me, it's big. I'm very excited. It shows that the coaches trust me."

Wang said he planned to call his mother in Taiwan to relay the news.

Last year, the Taiwanese right-hander bounced back from his injury to post a 19-7 record with a 3.70 earned run average in 30 starts.