In a February 29th article by George King of the NY Post, it was reported that only Sabathia and Kuroda have guaranteed spots in the rotation. According to Girardi, Michael Pineda would have to prove himself if he wants to be a starting pitcher for the Yankees:
“He has to pitch. He has to stay healthy and he has to pitch,’’ Girardi said of Pineda, who was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 starts for the Mariners but won just twice after June 17 and reported to camp 10 pounds heavier than at the end of last season. “I am a big believer that nothing is given to you in life. There are no guarantees. You still have to do your work and do your job. We are just not handing things over.’’
Now, of course Joe Girardi is going to say these things. He wants Pineda to work hard and not take anything for granted. Surely though, King doesn’t take Girardi’s words at face value. He doesn’t really believe that the Yankees’ overmanager might banish the Yankees’ best young pitcher from the starting rotation, right?
Wrong.
A few days later, on March 5th, King wrote another full-length article on how Pineda might not make the rotation because he’s a bit chubbed up:
What we know of Michael Pineda in the brief time he has been with the Yankees can’t be viewed as encouraging.
The 23-year-old righthander arrived last month and immediately admitted he was 10 pounds heavier than the 270 he carried at the end of last year with the Mariners.
That speaks to poor nutritional habits or a lack of exercise, each alarming for his age…So, Pineda isn’t a No. 2 starter. Nor is he a lock for the rotation.”
Now it’s starting to look like King is not only credulously taking the bait, but becoming a bit obsessive about the topic. On March 14th, he authored yet another piece, this time saying Pineda could be sent to the minors because he has three options left:
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.”
And now King’s meme is spreading. ESPN NY posted an article by Andrew Marchand, who also speculates Pineda could be minor-league bound:
If Pineda doesn’t show control of 95-96 mph stuff, then wouldn’t the Yankees and Pineda be better served if he worked on things under the lesser microscope of the minors? It is one way for the Yankees to contain expectations, while continuing to foster Pineda’s growth.
Okay, let’s get this straight. There is no way Michael Pineda should be anything except a starting pitcher all year for the Yankees. Girardi, Cashman, Levine, and Steinbrenner all know this. Cashman did not trade the best prospect he’s ever had as General Manager for a pitcher to help out the homeless Triple-A team.
In order for Pineda to not be a starter out of the gate, Nova, Hughes, and Garcia would all have to leapfrog him on the depth chart. As starters, Nova and Hughes have xFIPs of 4.16 and 4.49, respectively. Michael Pineda is younger than both of those two and posted a 3.53 xFIP in his 171 inning debut. We respect our readers enough to not bother with an analysis of why Pineda should be in the rotation over Freddy Garcia.
Why some sports media outlets play dumb and try to convince their readers that there’s a real story line in a manager’s spoon-fed piffle is a mystery to us.
37 Comments
Brett Pedroia March 19, 2012 23:11
“We respect our readers enough to not bother with an analysis of why…”
Even me?
Charlie Murphy March 19, 2012 23:11
Amen bitches you finally speaking my language!
bartonbickle March 19, 2012 23:12
every report of the starts he’s made has mentioned his dip in velocity but also pointed out his effective slider and improving changeup. I think they can live with growing pains around a rotation that is potentially 7-deep.
SmartPerson March 19, 2012 23:24
Cashman did trade montero for him but the trade wasnt necessary about 2012, pitchers tend to have sophomore blues so it wouldnt be the worse thing to do to send him to AAA not only will that give him time to develop his changeup and go through his funks but it also helps the yanks have another year of control over him even if they keep him in AAA till may
of course everyone here will go in an outrage cause you all want everything now and arent willing to wait
Moshe Mandel March 19, 2012 23:34
Pineda needs to use a grogger
Rush Limbaugh March 19, 2012 23:35
Who cares. He’s not an American. Let his banana republic deal with him when he develops type 2 diabetes.
Nomaas posters with names like Limbaugh and Romney March 20, 2012 10:53
With The President’s approval numbers weakening and gas prices skyrocketing, we have to do anything to distract people from still massive unemployment, the promise to cut the deficit in 1/2 in the first term, no energy policy, a failed foreign policy, etc., etc., so here goes:
Limbaugh!!
Bain Capital!!!
Sluts! March 20, 2012 12:17
Don’t forget about the poor, innocent sluts!
OxyContin March 20, 2012 17:32
He’s my slut now.
Marshmellow man March 21, 2012 05:18
Maybe if you doubled up on yourself, he’d fall asleep and forget to breath.
Obama March 22, 2012 09:48
Tax these bitches.
Jesus Montero March 19, 2012 23:57
Let me get this straight. According to Andrew Marchand and the like, you traded ME for a pitcher who’s supposedly headed to the MINOR LEAGUES?! ….
Ca$hmoney March 20, 2012 09:32
Woops.
David in Cal March 20, 2012 04:13
xFIP is one statistic; ERA+ is another. There’s also the question of whether lifetime record as a starter is the best basis for predicting. Setting aside the velocity issue, and ignoring Pettitte, it’s possible that Pineda might really be the sixth best SP on the staff.
1.03 = 2011 Pineda ERA+
1.47 = 2011 Sabathia ERA+
1.21 = 2011 Kuroda ERA+
1.19 = 2011 Nova ERA+
1.22 = 2011 Freddy Garcia ERA+
1.03 = 2010 Hughes ERA+
1.23 = approximate first half 2010 Hughes ERA+. (I know this is cherry picking my basis, but so far in spring training Hughes looks like he did in the first half of 2010.)
If all these guys pitch this well, it’ll be a high class problem!
John Sterling March 20, 2012 07:39
Ah but you can’t predict baseball.
Mitt Romney March 20, 2012 22:48
I actually have several mediums on my staff, who DO predict baseball,
Brian March 20, 2012 07:54
Well said. This is getting ridiculous.
Brian S March 22, 2012 09:48
I know.
Brian S March 24, 2012 00:32
Fuck off, the both of you
Hiroki-san March 20, 2012 09:34
You are arr assuming that I wirr bring my stats from NR west to AR east. That big ASSumption!
George King Can Eat a Bag of Dicks March 20, 2012 12:58
Just another data point on how baseball writing has evolved into professional trolling for major media outlets.
Call me Crazy March 20, 2012 15:53
…but I’m guessing George King’s sensationalistic articles got more click-throughs than this rational, well thought out blog post did.
They’re not playing dumb. They’re playing smart. They don’t care if you leave thinking “That George King guy really knows his stuff” or “What the fuck is George King smoking!”. All they care is that you clicked through or bought a copy of the Post.
Sensitive RAB Guy March 21, 2012 11:46
i said the same thing in 8 words and got voted down
potatoes March 20, 2012 16:15
You, Vizzini, are clearly bad at economics. Just because he traded Montero (a steep price) for Pineda does not mean that Pineda will be a dominant 2.0 ERA from Opening Day to the World Series. Nor should he be…he’s 23 years old with a ton of growing room. Montero is a sunk cost and should not be considered in what is best for the 2012 Yankees starting rotation.
When Nova got sent to AAA last season, many argued he was undeserving of the demotion. Granted this may have been a true argument, he further developed his arsenal and became a better pitcher because of it.
Pineda’s slider and changeup may be amazing this spring, but a 91-92 mph fastball is less than adequate. Spending time in the minors may not be the worst thing in the world for him or for the Yankees.
Your argument should have been, “Given the rotation competitions of the past two seasons, it follows logically that Pineda will be grandfathered into the rotation unless he just sucks that badly.”
Marshmellow man March 21, 2012 05:21
Are you new?
potatoes March 21, 2012 13:31
Do you mean new as in reading this site for a year now? Then, that’s a no.
Do you mean new as in wanting to eat a marshmallow? yeah, i totally want a marshmallow now.
Malcolm March 21, 2012 18:31
Don’t know if this is what he means but I once worked somewhere, that used new as another word for retard.
I think he was asking if you ride the short bus.
Just the messenger.
Joe Páwlikowski March 22, 2012 09:49
I have a man crush on you. Just a tiny one. Hug me gently.
Sensitive RAB Guy March 20, 2012 17:45
Sad to see NoMaas taking George King’s bait
Fangraphs March 22, 2012 04:34
leave it to NM to make a story out of a non-story.
Come to our site for real Yankee analysis & humor.
Fucker March 20, 2012 17:46
Better than watching them take his balls
Mitt Romney March 20, 2012 22:46
I had some fellah like this Pinedo taking care of my lawn, but when I found out he was illegal, I fired him. I like to fire people like that. Actually, he told me he was glad, grateful to be sent back to his own country. So it doesn’t mean I don’t have a heart. I actually have several.
Malcolm March 21, 2012 05:23
I have a heart too, pecker wood. I just keep mine in the freezer so it’ll stay nice and cold.
SmartPerson March 21, 2012 12:03
I want gary wallace back!
Little bird March 21, 2012 13:52
Send him a message on Twitter. @gw_nomaas
Ki m Last March 22, 2012 15:41
Lumps back
BEXY March 22, 2012 09:50
I NEED A BURRITO!