WANG GETTING EDUCATION FROM A.J. By GEORGE A. KING III Last updated: 2:31 am March 19, 2009 Posted: 2:04 am March 19, 2009 KISSIMMEE, Fla. When A.J. Burnett talks pitching, Chien-Ming Wang's ears are wide open. However, if the heavily tattooed Burnett attempts to get Wang interested in body art, Wang will cut his new teammate off. "My mom would kill me," Wang said. When the subject is hurling, Wang likes what he hears from Burnett, who took years to learn that sometimes less is more. "He talks to me about changing speeds," Wang said after mixing in more change-ups and sliders than usual yesterday in a 4-1 win over the Astros at Osceola County Stadium. So, has Burnett suggested Wang alter the velocity on his signature two-seam fastball that hits 95 mph on the speed guns? "I can't change that," Wang said of the turbo sinker that has vaulted him into the elite group of AL hurlers. In 2006 and 2007, Wang won 19 games each season. A year ago he was 8-2 in the middle of June when he suffered a season-ending foot injury. That's 46 wins in 2 1/2 seasons. Since he will be 30 on March 31, it figures that Wang is entering the prime of his career. And, yet, thanks to the Yankees importing free agents CC Sabathia and Burnett, Wang has been pushed out of the "ace" role. "I feel the same pressure," said Wang, who could work the second game of the regular season behind Sabathia and in front of Burnett. "With them I can learn more." That education has been underway with Burnett. "A.J. is a very good pitcher," Wang said. "He can throw a lot of pitches and the fastball is still good in the ninth." Wang's $5 million one-year deal is dwarfed by Sabathia's seven-year, $161 million and Burnett's five-year, $82.5 million. Yet, his ego is asleep. "I feel good because they are good pitchers," Wang said. "And they will win a lot of games here." If healthy, Wang should win plenty of games, too. Yesterday he estimated he threw "about eight to 10 changeups" and "maybe seven" sliders during a 58-pitch outing in which he allowed a run and three hits, and was much sharper than the previous outing. "It was better than the last time," said Wang, who allowed seven runs and six hits in 1" innings against the Red Sox on March 13. "The slider and change-up were good." After the Red Sox debacle, pitching coach Dave Eiland told Wang to speed up his arm and slow down the body. "He made adjustments in this game, too," manager Joe Girardi said. "Early, the sinker was down and then it was up. The last three innings he was great, excellent." With Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees figure to have the premier rotation in baseball if they stay healthy. Sabathia and Burnett got the big money, Pettitte is a Yankees icon and Chamberlain was a cult figure from the second he arrived in The Bronx. Then there is Wang. The language barrier limits his give-and-take with the media, but teammates talk about his sense of humor among them. And there are those 46 wins in 2 1/2 seasons delivered by a right arm that, like the rest of his 6-foot-3, 230-pound body, is devoid of tattoos. [email protected] http://tinyurl.com/cf7d65 --

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