The Yankees agree, though they're willing to wait on the details. As Wang's arbitration hearing nears, the team's most successful starter over the past two seasons admitted on Tuesday that contract talks haven't gone in quite the direction he had hoped.

Wang asked for a long-term deal. The Yankees told him it's "not the time."

"I want to [work out a long-term contract]," Wang said after working out at the team's Minor League complex in Tampa, before admitting that the Yankees have led him to dismiss that hope.

The team's reasoning, according to Wang, was that it's difficult for pitchers to stay healthy, so there's little incentive to sign a young starter to a long-term deal.

Especially not one like Wang, who won't be a free agent until 2011. With no competition for his services for another four seasons, the Yankees don't have much reason to lock him up with a long-term deal. Waiting may cost them some money if Wang continues to improve, but it also effectively voids the risk of injury.

Still, the Yankees seemed to set a precedent last week by signing second baseman Robinson Cano to a four-year deal instead of heading to arbitration. In reality, that may have simply been an exception.

And so Wang, who has won 38 games over the past two seasons, will likely head to an arbitration hearing on Thursday. He's asked for $4.6 million this season, while the club countered with an offer of $4 million. Either way, he's set to make substantially more than the $489,500 he earned last season, and he could yet settle at some point in between. History has shown that teams generally avoid arbitration cases with their players when the difference in salary figures is that minimal.

Wang, for his part, said he "hopefully" can work out a deal with the team before Thursday.

News and features:

• Legends Field renamed to honor Boss

• Jeter's homer not enough in loss to Bucs

• Yankees ponder final roster cuts

• Pettitte to pitch in Minors game Sunday

• Matsui's secret marriage stuns teammates

• Despite flu, Damon returns to Yanks' lineup

Multimedia:

• Hoch on Pettitte's health  400K

• Va. Tech galleries: Pregame | Game action

• Yankees visit Va. Tech  400K

• Billy Crystal's at-bat  400K

• Crystal photo gallery

• Yanks-Rays incident  400K

Spring Training info:
• MLB.com coverage  |  Schedule  |  Ballpark  |  Tickets

All those numbers and figures represent perhaps the only uncertainty surrounding Wang this spring. He's been the one rock for a pitching staff that has struggled with consistency, and now must anchor a rotation that's set to include some combination of youngsters Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.

Wang's regular-season resume says he's ready for the challenge, but some October struggles -- he posted a 19.06 ERA in two starts against the Indians -- have provided evidence to the contrary.

Wang attributed those woes to nothing more than fatigue.

"I was tired," Wang said, "and my arm dropped down."

Now he hopes he can hoist it back up -- for good. Wang reported to Spring Training early -- pitchers and catchers aren't scheduled to be in Tampa until Thursday -- after spending two weeks working out in Arizona. Regardless of what happens with his contract in the future, right now, Wang remains as critical to the Yankees as anyone.

And he knows as well as anyone that if the wins continue to come, the money is sure to follow.