SABATHIA ON PINEDA: "HE'S ELECTRIC!"

You have to love Michael Pineda. He showed up to Spring Training 1 week early and Russell Martin says the kids got amazing stuff. Thank God. Sure, it’s way early and we’re just getting warmed up, literally, but you always want to hear good things about your New York Yankees and when a 23 year old kid comes into spring training willing to show results through hard work, how much do you want to embrace this guy?

According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, read HERE, Girardi was pretty impressed with Pineda’s fast ball and slider. CC Sabathia was impressed with how Pineda handles himself on the mound as well and here’s his quote about him:

“He’s electric. To be that young, throw that hard and be able to throw the ball over the plate is impressive.”

Hoch went on to talk about how Cashman believes that work still needs to be done with Pineda and Rothschild is working on Pineda and his change-up a bit. George King III wrote in his piece HERE, that CC has plans to talk with Pineda about a change up, but was quick to say: “If he wants to talk about it, I will talk to him... I don’t want to force it on him. It’s hard to trust [the change] when you throw as hard as he does."

Cashman believes that while Pineda can be a superstar in the Bronx, he’s not going to just wake up in April and be the Yankees number 2 starter. I found that interesting and you know what? It makes sense. People tend to forget that this kid is 23 years old and while he throws hard, don't forget, by the end of last season he broke down no doubt due to his age, innings increase and fatigue:

Before the All-Star Break in 2011: 8-6, 3.03 ERA

After the All-Star Break in 2011: 1-4, 5,12 ERA

Think about it, Pineda’s only pitched 1 full season in the major leagues. So the idea of just throwing him into that #2 role is possible but if you have someone like Ivan Nova or Hiroki Kuroda, why force it? All I'm saying is you don't HAVE to throw a guy that age in there and expect him to throw 200 innings in his second year in the majors. That being said, Pineda appears to have the talent. Even Russell Martin had said how impressed he was by Pineda and the way he carries himself this spring so far. Good... things are changing in Yankeeland now that AJ Burnett has made a home in Pittsburgh...maybe now we can all move forward... damn that's exciting to think about.

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