Pineda Likely Out Until June or July

From Dayn Perry:

Pineda was initially expected back in spring training, however irrationally optimistic such a timetable was. Now, Yankees GM Brian Cashman says Pineda is not expected back until well into the 2013 season.

"We have to keep him off our radar for now," Cashman, appearing on Ian O'Connor's ESPN New York radio show, said of Pineda. "We're talking June of next year ... the second half of next year."

Some pitchers have been out for two seasons with this injury, so this is hardly unexpected.

Michael Pineda's First Season in Pinstripes Gets Worse

From SI.com:

New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was arrested early Monday morning for driving under the influence, reports the New York Post‘s Dan Mangan.

Pineda, who is out for the season after having shoulder surgery in April, ”had a fixed gaze and his eyes were bloodshot, watery and glassy” when he was stopped in Tampa, Fla., according to the arresting officer’s report. His blood-alcohol level was .128 and .125 in two tests, Mangan reports. He also reports Pineda was charged with DUI and released on bond.

I still can't understand how these athletes don't have the common sense to call a damn cab. Yes, I know, he's "ONLY" making $528,475 this year, but that should be more than enough to be able to afford cabs.

Pineda Sits Down for a Q&A with Sweeny Murti

Here's a little bit of the Q&A with injured starter Michael Pineda:

Q: How do you feel right now?

A: Right now I feel really good.

Q: How disappointing is it to be here (at Yankee Stadium) and not being able to pitch?

A: It’s a little hard for me, you know, because I was so excited in spring training to be coming to New York. It’s New York and I was so excited! But today I came here because I want to be here with my team… and I was excited today too because my father is coming with me to see the New York Yankees for the first time. So today is a big day for me.

Q: We were told the surgery went well. What did they tell you about your rehab and when you’ll be able to pitch again?

A: I need to find out today. The doctor is coming and talking to the trainer to see exactly when and where I do my throwing program.

Q: Is your hope that you’ll be ready to pitch next spring training?

A: Yeah, the doctor before the surgery, he told me, “Hey no worries. You can’t pitch this year, but I promise next year you’ll be ready 100 percent in spring training.” That’s what he told me before the surgery.

...

Q: Yankee fans were really looking forward to seeing you pitch here. Is there anything you’d like to say to them?

A: I want to say I’m real sad for the Yankee fans that want to see me. But don’t worry, I’m going to stay here. And I’ll come back real strong. I’ll keep working really hard for my rehab and I’ll be the same Michael Pineda from 2011.

There's a lot more from the Q&A here. He seems like a good kid, and I hope he can recover from this and start making an impact for the Yanks in 2013.

The Trade That Just Keeps Giving: Surgery For Pineda

So, what will the defenders of this deal say now?

Just to break things down for you, instead of A) trading Montero for Cliff Lee a couple years ago, or B) keeping your best hitting prospect, the Yankees traded him for a guy who had one good half of a season and is now headed for shoulder surgery. Fantastic!

No word yet on how long Pineda will be on the shelf, but I can only assume it will be a while. People are speculated that he'll be done for the year, and the only info I could find was that an injury like this normally takes 3-6 months to recover. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but what a great trade!

No News On Pineda After MRI

From Mark Feinsand:

Michael Pineda was examined by Yankees team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad Tuesday, undergoing a dye-contrast MRI on his injured right shoulder. The team did not release the results, as Pineda's agent, Fern Cuza, had already requested that his client be seen by arm specialist Dr. David Altchek, even before the MRI had been scheduled.

Joe Girardi was not disturbed by the fact that Pineda wanted a second opinion. He was already troubled by the fact that the pitcher had to leave his start Saturday early with shoulder pain.

"Coming out of the game was disturbing to me on Saturday," Girardi said. "We’ll find out what’s going on. Hopefully it’s good news.”

Given that the three weeks of rest wasn't enough to get Pineda past his tendinitis, Girardi figures that it will take longer than that for the pitcher to get back on a mound even if nothing else comes out of the MRI. That means a return to the majors no earlier than June, and even that might be on the optimistic side.

“It’s not what you want," Girardi said. "We thought we were going to get a power pitcher that pitched very well and we believed had a very huge upside. Right now, we don’t have him and right now I can’t tell you when we’re going to get him back. That part is disappointing.”

Between the arm issues Pineda is having and the lack of effectiveness of the back of the rotation, it sure would have been nice to sign someone like Wilson or Darvish in the off-season. If you saw tonight's 2-0 loss to Texas, Darvish sure looks like he's going to live up to the that hype.

The Montero Trade Just Keeps Getting Better!

From Matt Snyder:

Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda has been shut down again due to weakness in his right shoulder, manager Joe Girardi told reporters Saturday (including Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com). Pineda was scheduled to throw two innings in an extended spring training game. Now he's scheduled to see a Doctor Monday in Tampa.

"I can't tell you when we'll get him back now," said Girardi.

Pineda, 23, was the Yankees' big ticket acquisition this past offseason, as they traded promising young slugger Jesus Montero for him. But Pineda has been unable to get his shoulder into shape due to continuing "weakness" or "fatigue."

Meanwhile, as we get accustomed to our new damaged goods, Jesus Montero has started the 2012 campaign a bit slow, but hey, at least he's healthy.

Hoch: Pineda Likely Out Until Early May

From Bryan Hoch:

Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda will remain behind at the club's Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla., when the team goes north, and he's unlikely to pitch at the Major League level in April.

Pineda was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right rotator cuff tendinitis, retroactive to March 31, and he made about 25 tosses on flat ground during the Yankees' workout at Tropicana Field on Thursday.

"I think if he wouldn't have been able to play catch, we wouldn't have been too excited," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But he was able to play catch, and he felt pretty good."

Girardi is not sure when Pineda will be able to get back on a mound and said it is "safe to say" the hurler will be lost at the big league level for all of the season's first month.

George A. King III is reporting that the numbers of tosses was 43, but either way he's began his throwing program, which appears to be a good sign.

King also reported that after the throwing session, Pineda and Larry Rothschild worked on a bullpen mound without a ball, "concentrating on his setup and motion."

Pineda to the DL

From Pete Caldera:

Michael Pineda has tendinitis in the back of his right shoulder – a relief for manager Joe Girardi that it wasn’t anything more serious. Still, the 23-year-old right-hander will start the season on the disabled list.

An MRI taken this morning at Tampa confirmed the diagnosis.

“(We’re) very relieved, because the rest of the MRI came out good,’’ Girardi said at Kissimmee, where the Yankees are set to take on the Astros.

So, Freddy Garcia has made the rotation, with CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes the top four.

Well, at least the rotation is set. Either way, the more we get to know Pineda the less and less I like the trade.

Rotation Decision Coming Soon

From WFAN:

Hiroki Kuroda went seven innings for the Yankees, allowing two runs and a homer while striking out six. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has said that Kuroda has solidified his spot as the team’s No. 2 starter behind CC Sabathia.

“The other years, we were almost searching for the five starters,” Girardi said. “This year, I think we’ve got six quality guys.”

Girardi expects to set his rotation this weekend. Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and Michael Pineda are competing for three initial spots behind Sabathia and Kuroda.

“Somebody is going to be disappointed,” Girardi said. “That’s the worst part of this. And they have to get over their disappointment and help this team however we ask them to help us.”

Hughes and Nova are expected to make the rotation. That leaves Garcia and Pineda. The veteran versus the young gun.

“With a young guy, you think a little bit more about what he could be,” said Girardi. “With Freddy, we have a pretty good idea.”

Also, there's the question of what happens when Andy Pettitte is ready, but that's a question for the beginning of May.

Could Pineda Open the Season in the Minors?

According to George A. King III, it's definitely a possibility:

Paperwork might determine what the Yankees pitching rotation looks like, and it's not out of the question Michael Pineda could start the season at Triple-A.

Wednesday, for the second straight day, manager Joe Girardi mentioned minor league options and how they may factor into the four-arm competition for the three spots left after CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

"That's a possibility,'' Girardi said about a hurler being sent to the minors to start the season. "Some of the guys have options if that's what we need to do. But if it makes us a better team putting them in the bullpen we might do it.''

Phil Hughes has one option remaining, as does Ivan Nova, and Pineda has all three options left, so they can be sent out with fear of being lost. Hughes has 4 years and 113 days of service time. When he gets to five years (in 67 days) he can't be reassigned without permission.

Pineda makes his third exhibition start Thursday against the Nationals and the Yankees will be looking closely to see if the large right-hander's velocity starts to climb.

The article did go on to mention that options might not even be an issue because the guy who doesn't earn the rotation spot could always be added to the bullpen. But options aren't the entire story either.

When 23-year-old Pineda arrived in camp and admitted he was 10 pounds above the 270 he ended last season, the Yankees weren't too concerned because they really didn't know him. Now, they are staying the course when it comes to arm strength, an issue with Hughes last spring that led to a nightmare of a season and may have been the reason he missed significant time with an inflamed right shoulder.

"Some guys are a little bit slower coming along than others,'' Girardi said. "We haven't had him in spring training to really know how he is. We don't want him to conserve but we also want him to be ready to throw 95 to 96 when he is doing it. I don't want him going out there and just airing it out just so he can hit 95, 96 on the gun.''

Girardi is taking into account Pineda's age and one year of big league experience that consisted of a strong first half last season and a drop off in the second.

"You have to see how a guy does and how he responds,'' Girardi said. "This is not a kid who is 27 or 28 years old. Some of these springs are uncharted for him, too. As long as he is going in the right direction, that's the important thing for me.''

It's very early so I wouldn't make THAT much of this. Girardi is probably just covering all his bases, it's spring training, it's what he has to do.

Something To Pay Attention To: Pineda's Velocity

While Michael Pineda's spring debut went well, there was one thing that surprised some scouts in the audience:

Today's News: Pineda's Debut, Nunez Hurt

- Michael Pineda made his spring training debut today for the Yanks against the Phillies at Bright House Field and pitched well. Here's a breakdown from Pete Caldera:

Here’s how he did in the first inning…
Jimmy Rollins: Ground single up the middle (2-2 count)
Placido Polanco: Fielder’s choice groundout (3-2 count)
Shane Victorino: Strikes out (1-2 change-up)
Jim Thome: Strikes out (1-2 fastball)

Second inning:

Hunter Pence: Pops to first (1-1 pitch)
Ty Wigginton: Grounds out, catcher to first (1-1 pitch)
Domonic Brown: Lines out to third (1-1 pitch)

Pineda’s line: 2 IP, 1 hit, 0 BB, 2 K, 30 pitches, 19 strikes.

Afterward, Pineda was asked if he were nervous for his first time out as a Yankee: “Hell, no,” he said.

Pineda, 23, said he was “very confident now…very excited.”

According to Jack Curry, he also used that changeup everyone is banking on and said he was comfortable with the pitch. Nice outing, but there's a lot more to go.

The Yankees also don't seem too concerned that he came into camp 10 pounds overweight.

- As for Eduardo Nunez, he left today's game after being hit on the right hand by Austin Hyatt (who?) in the fifth. Nunez was got precautionary X-Rays and the Yanks are saying he has a contusion.

Pineda Talks About Joining Yanks

From Christian Red:

For Pineda, who is an imposing 6-7 and who can fire mid-90s heat, the change of address came as a shock (the deal will be officially finalized when the players pass their physicals and when visa paperwork is completed). But once the news sank in, Pineda started to envision the galaxy of stars that will play behind him.

“It’s a tremendous team, with good pitching. It’s very exciting for me — for the first time in my life, I’ll have the pleasure of playing with Alex Rodriguez, a huge star, and Derek Jeter, one of the most well-known players ever. And Mariano Rivera, (Robinson) Cano, (Mark) Teixeira, Rafael Soriano,” Pineda says in Spanish, his voice trailing off as he sifts through the Yankees’ roster. “I never thought in my life that I would be in this situation.”

Pineda’s father, however, is keenly aware of the bigger draw for a player who slips on the pinstripes.

“The Yankees, they are known for making the playoffs almost every year,” the elder Pineda says. “I guess, maybe, they were looking for some more pitching. But hopefully (Michael) can help win some more rings.”

...“I’m not scared. I’m always focused, working very hard every day,” says Pineda, whose gold earring spelling his name sparkles in the late-evening sunlight. “I don’t think about anything else on game days. I’ve never pitched in New York or at Yankee Stadium, but I’m dying to. We’ll see what happens. I’m going to work very hard to do my job.”

...He’ll also be tested by the change in ballparks: He’s leaving spacious Safeco Field — a pitcher’s park — for the smaller Yankee Stadium dimensions, including the short right-field porch that lefty hitters such as Boston’s David Ortiz find so inviting.

“I’ll just keep it low,” says Pineda, switching to English briefly as he stands near the driveway of his home. “Keep it low and everything will be fine.”

Yea, let's hope so or else he'll quickly learn about the old Bronx Cheer.

More Trade Reactions and Analysis

Fangraphs says the Yankees did not pay retail for Pineda:

Pineda is the third quality young arm to get traded this winter, following the trades that shipped Gio Gonzalez to Washington and Mat Latos to Cincinnati. Given that both pitchers come with one fewer year of team control and lack Pineda’s dominating fastball, a strong case could be made that the Yankees new starter is the most valuable asset of the three guys that were moved. However, compared to the other two packages surrendered, the Yankees didn’t really pay much of a premium to get Pineda, and one could even make an argument that they gave up less value overall than what the Reds surrendered to get Latos.

Then there's this from Mark Simon:

In obtaining right-hander Michael Pineda, the Yankees got a pitcher who looked very promising early in the season, then statistically faded at the end of 2011.

Pineda was 8-6 with a 3.03 ERA prior to the All-Star break, 1-4 with a 5.12 ERA after the All-Star break. The primary culprit was his home run rate, which went from one allowed every 11.3 innings to one every 7.3 innings afterwards.

Pineda was also considerably better in Safeco Field, a pitcher-friendly park. He was 5-4 with a 2.92 ERA and .182 opponents' batting average there last season, 4-6 with a 4.40 ERA and .234 opponents' batting average on the road.

Pineda’s fastball averaged nearly 95 mph, tied for the fifth-fastest average velocity among starting pitchers in the majors. Hitters missed on 20 percent of their swings against that pitch, also the fifth-best among starters.

That helped Pineda to 173 strikeouts, the most by a pitcher in his age 22 season or younger (in other words, for pitchers who were 22 before June 30 of that season) since Kerry Wood struck out 233 hitters in 1998.

It also helped Pineda hold right-handed hitters to a .184 batting average, the best of any pitcher who faced at least 200 right-handers last season.

Pineda made nine starts against the AL East last season and he got hit pretty hard, posting a 4.73 ERA and allowing eight home runs in 53 1/3 innings.

See, it's those things in bold that scare me about this deal..... Anyway, moving on...

Here's what Kieth Law said about the other major piece to the trade coming back to the Yanks, highly touted prospect Jose Campos:

Jose Campos is the lottery ticket in the deal, and could very well turn this deal into a steal for the Yankees four or five years down the road. He's an extreme strike-thrower with an above-average fastball that will touch 95, and a slider that shows above-average but isn't consistent yet. Campos needs to work on his changeup and has yet to pitch in a full-season league, so he's several years away from the majors. He's also young enough that the injury risk is still significant, and I'd like to see him get over his front side better as he finishes his delivery. But he won't turn 20 until July, and if he were in the draft this year he'd be a first-rounder, so for the Yanks it's almost like getting an extra draft pick in the deal. For some context on what Seattle gave up, he would have been No. 5 in my 2012 organizational ranks for the Mariners.

Law also gave the slight edge in the trade to Seattle.

On the other hand, Frank Piliere called it was a narrow win for the Yankees

Jayson Stark says the deal one of the most fascinating in years, and thought both teams won in the deal.

Kevin Goldstein also likes the deal for the both teams and called Cashman a ninja sever times on Twitter tonight. He also said there is no pitcher in the Yankees system with more upside than Pineda.

Speaking of Cashman, there was this interesting quote that came via Sweeney Murti:

Yanks Trade Montero for Pineda ... Ummm, seriously?

I'm not a big fan of this trade.

Pineda is a nice young pitcher, but Montero is the best hitting prospect in the game, and as we saw last year it wasn't just hype. So unless they were getting King Felix in return I really didn't want to see Montero traded. Another thing that scares me is that Pineda is a fly-ball pitcher which doesn't always work out too well at the bandbox in the Bronx.

Hopefully this isn't a deal the Yankees end up regretting for a very long time.

... Oh, and who the hell is going to DH now?