"I will try my best to secure a return to Major League Baseball (MLB) , and my first choice would be the Yankees though it would be ok for me to pitch for any other MLB team," said Wang upon his arrival at the airport with his wife and newborn son.

Wang, whose contract with the Yankees expires this year, is expected to become a free agent next season should the Yankees choose not to offer him a new contract.

"I have been recovering and rehabilitating better than expected from my shoulder surgery, and will begin practicing throwing on Dec. 1," Wang said.

Asked whether he could transfer to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wang said "it's would not be a bad idea" since he and the incumbent Dodgers manager Joe Torre had a very good working relationship when they were in the Yankees.

On the recent wave of scandals involving local professional baseball, which has so far involved nearly 20 players for throwing games in collaboration with a gambling syndicate, Wang said it was regretful "this kind of most undesirable event had happened." Wang returned to his hometown in southern Taiwan later in the day for a reunion with his parents and is scheduled to be back in the U.S. by year-end.

Wang rose through the New York Yankees' minor league system, In 2005, Wang was called up from the Yankees' AAA affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, starting his brilliant career in the MLB.

In 2006, Wang won 19 games (tied for the most in the majors along with Johan Santana), and posted a 3.63 ERA (earned run average), at the end of the season. Wang finished second to Johan Santana in voting for the Cy Young award, the most prestigious title for the MLB pitchers.

He again recorded 19 wins in 2007 despite starting the season in the disabled list and returning on April 24 that year.

In 2008, Wang was stopped from finishing the season due to a right foot injury he suffered in an inter-league game against the Houston Astros, though he did quite well by finishing in April with a perfect 5-0 record.

Wang struggled in 2009 as a result of his right shoulder injury, and ended the season after undergoing a surgery on July 30. (By Bien Chin-feng & Bear Lee)