Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest » Blog Archive » Yankees Finding New Ways to Kill Young Pitching

So reports indicate that Michael Pineda is pitching for a rotation spot today. What I thought was a silly media meme to make it through the demands of spring training news content has become a reality.

Apparently the velocity concerns of the media are also shared by the Yankees. Despite the wicked slider and changeup, the 89-93 mph fastball is concerning the brass.

I always hate when team’s put too much emphasis on one start or game for players. You can’t judge a pitcher, positional player or manager in such a small sample. In spring training it’s ludicrous. Without the energy and adrenaline of games that count it’s impossible to make something of most outcomes. Never mind the fact the opposition doesn’t usually play to win. The process certainly can be examined, but are the Yankees just looking for another 2-3 mph? If Pineda cranks a few fastballs north of 95, is that enough?

The Yankees traded a very serviceable arm (Hector Noesi) and their top positional prospect (Jesus Montero) for Pineda and Jose Campos. Everyone keeps saying the Yankees will regret the deal because Montero could be the next “Miguel Cabrera.” If Montero isn’t, he better turn into an above average offensive catcher or else this could be a steal for the Yankees; especially if Campos lives up to the potential that has some Yankees personnel believing he could be the best pitching prospect in the system.

If Montero becomes what I believe he will- a DH who mashes lefties and hits about 15 HRs a year – then Pineda just has to become a serviceable number 3 starter to justify the deal. With the way the Yankees are introducing him to the Bronx I believe they are setting him up to fail.

We all knew the pressure would be on Pineda. He is coming to a team that has seen Carl Pavano, A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez fizzle in recent years. Yankees fans seem to believe any hard-throwing young pitching import with upside is doomed to fail. The short rope Pineda has been given makes it inevitable he will be a victim of the infamous Yankee Stadium Bronx cheer.

How does he overcome it? By pitching well in the rotation, not the bullpen. Let him go out there every 5 days and do his thing. The team is deep enough where he can’t do much to hurt you a fifth starter. Everyone forgets that tons of veteran players didn’t get off to auspicious starts in pinstripes. Roger Clemens struggled for over a year. Tino Martinez took a couple of months to get going (remember the Donnie Baseball chants?), I even remember hysteria after Mariano Rivera blew a save the first season he took the closer duties from John Wetteland. This is a silly town that has become sillier with the 24/7/365 news cycle.

So putting Pineda in the bullpen accomplishes what? Gives Freddy Garcia an opportunity to showcase his 6 inning/3 run arsenal that everyone knows about? Are they grooming Pineda to replace Rivera? Do they want to develop the next great middle-innings reliever? The next great mop-up guy?

This is Joba Chamberlain all over again, but worse. They actually traded assets for the opportunity to screw up someone else’s property. At least Chamberlain was their prospect that cost only a signing bonus.

Maybe all this talk of Pineda to the bullpen is just one last gasp by the mainstream media to generate page views. Perhaps this column looks “chicken little” in a few days.

History tells me there is a great chance the Yankees do the wrong thing by Pineda.

That’s why I fully expect it.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com

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Tags: Michael Pineda, New York Yankees

10 Responses to Yankees Finding New Ways to Kill Young Pitching

Steve H
March 30th, 2012 at 8:38 am
Wow. Bad.

Solution: The Yankees should not employ any pitchers.
Marit
March 30th, 2012 at 8:57 am
I’m sorry, but where in King’s article does it say that the Yankees have said, publicly or privately, that they are planning to putting Pineda in the bullpen? I couldn’t seem to find it. All I found was a lot of speculation from King (what else is new?).
Mike Silva
March 30th, 2012 at 9:28 am
Marit

King may be writing it in that type of manner, but he isn’t doing it speculatively. King is one of the most respected writers on the beat and has many connections in the Yankees organization.

Where there is smoke, there’s fire, and history tells me the Yankees are skirmish about giving the kid a rotation spot over a veteran.
Brien Jackson
March 30th, 2012 at 9:37 am
“So reports indicated that Michael Pineda is pitching for a rotation spot today. What I thought was a silly media meme to make it through the demands of spring training news content has become a reality.”

God I do enjoy a good self-refuting paragraph.
Chuck Johnson
March 30th, 2012 at 11:39 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/sports/baseball/yankees-michael-pineda-flashes-his-fastball.html

“Nobody throws hard in spring training,” he said, “because it’s spring training. You work on what you need to. Now I’m focusing a little more on making a good pitch.”
BrooklynPaulie
March 30th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
I think we have to wait and see what the Yanks announce. Anyone who’s watched Pineda this Spring has to be heartened by the fact that his secondary pitches look great. I think the media will do whatever they can to incite panic where it’s not warranted. Sadly, this is what draws readers in.

The fact that this kid has sacrificed velocity in games that mean nothing in order to develop pitches that will help him during a long season is a testament to his devotion and maturity.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Brian Cashman when it comes to evaluating and handling pitching, but the guy isn’t a total idiot either. Let’s hope he’s learned from past mistakes. I also think Girardi holds a lot of sway over the decisions that are made regarding the composition of the pitching staff. If they somehow screw this up, I’ll be as pissed as the next person, but let’s see how it plays out first.
R
March 30th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Came in expecting to agree, left disagreeing.

Oh Mike, somehow you always make up stories and expect everyone to believe your sources.

Remember Cain to the Yankees rumors? Good times. What happened to that?
Mike Silva
March 30th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
R

Where is there a rumor in this piece? I cited George King, who I respect, as someone who believes this could happen. Also, every Yankees beat writer is discussing it? I don’t understand where Matt Cain or a made up rumor comes into play- explain
Michael Maggi
March 30th, 2012 at 11:29 pm
If Pineda’s shoulder has serious damage, Cashman’s head will be on a post. This could be very bad for him. Let’s hope it’s a little soreness from overthrowing and not Johan Santana 2.0. Losing Cabral also sucks. Kid has a great arm.
Raul
April 4th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Solid work, Mike.

The criticism of the franchise is warranted with its long history of mismanagement.