Joel Pineiro: Seattle's pitching future
doesn't end with Ryan Anderson, instead this 22-year-old righty is another
potential piece to an already solid Mariners rotation.
Drafted in
the 12th round out of Edison CC (FL) in 1997 draft, Pineiro began the 2000
season back at Double-A New Haven. He ended up making nine starts (2-1,
4.13 ERA, 52 IP, 42 H, 12 BB, 43 SO) before being promoted to Triple-A
Tacoma (7-1, 2.80 ERA, 10 G, 9 GS, 2 CG, 61 IP, 53 H, 22 BB, 41 SO) for
most of the rest of the season. In late summer, Pineiro made his major
league debut and ended up going 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA in eight games (1 GS,
19 IP, 25 H, 13 BB, and 10 SO).
Pineiro is a different style of
pitcher than Anderson. He's not the overpowering, intimidating type like
Anderson is. Instead, Pineiro is a four-pitch pitcher (fastball curveball,
slider, and changeup) with good command. His fastball and curve being his
two best pitchers.
Eventually, this righty could be a solid
middle rotation starter behind Anderson and Garcia. With the pitching
depth the Mariners have, If he makes the team out of spring training,
Pineiro may have to split time between the rotation and the bullpen so it
might be in the better interests of both to have him go back to Triple-A
to get in more innings as a starter. You should see Pineiro up by
mid-season at the latest and see him in the rotation for good by late 2001
or 2002.