Jesus Montero, Michael Pineda & Is It Safe to Declare a Winner NOW?

Since January 23, 2012 fans of the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners have been discussing a certain trade between the two clubs trying to find, as we fans tend to do, a winner and a loser. At the time Michael Pineda was a top pitching prospect fresh off a strong rookie year in Seattle while Jesus Montero was fresh off making his MLB debut as a September call up in the Bronx. Yankees fans had waited patiently, or rather impatiently at times, for Montero’s arrival and he arrived in a big way in New York hitting his first home run almost immediately so it left a bitter taste in some people’s mouth when he was traded for Pineda on that day in January of 2012. Ever since then the fans have bantered and argued over who the winner is, is it safe to finally declare the Yankees the winner now?

Both players have been suspended with their new teams, Pineda for blatant use of pine tar against the Boston Red Sox and Montero for illegal steroid and PED use, and both players have been injured as well, Pineda’s shoulder that cost him two seasons and Montero’s left knee, but it has been Pineda that has made an impact at the major league level. Both players have reportedly come into spring training camp overweight and out of shape but only one has attempted to attack a scout for offering him an ice cream sandwich on a hot day in the minor leagues, which was Montero. That’s before you factor in WAR which has Pineda at 4.4 and Montero at -0.8.

Montero has not been able to crack a struggling offense desperate for power, especially right-handed power, with any sort of consistency in Seattle while Pineda has become a staple in the New York Yankees starting rotation. Pineda has shown flashes of brilliance and dominance, see the Mother’s Day game against the Baltimore Orioles and all those strikeouts for an example of that, while Montero is looking to platoon, not start, at first base once again for Seattle this season. Montero was traded when he was a catcher optimizing his value, his value as a soft hitting first baseman is little to none in terms of WAR, trade value or projections.

This is not a post to prop up Pineda, he will do that on his own, nor is it a post to dog on Montero, I like Montero and I wish him nothing but the best, but it is a declaration of victory in my eyes for the New York Yankees. Remember, a blog is a place for opinions and this is mine. As Pineda enters his prime he is seemingly getting better and better while Montero is simply just holding on but remember, in some eyes Brian Cashman doesn’t have an earthly clue what he is doing. 

BREAKING: Pineda Will NOT Use Pine Tar Tonight

phot courtesy of NoMaas.org

When asked by reporters in New York Michael Pineda answered the question that I think every Yankees fan wanted to know, will he use pine tar. Pineda's answer was a very emphatic "no" followed by a death stare. First person to blame a bad inning on the lack of pine tar loses on Twitter and in life tonight.

Michael Pineda Cheats & So Do The Angels... Meme

I don't really want to hear another thing about Michael Pineda, cheating, or pine tar this weekend especially from the Angels. I mean come on guys, you were the ORIGINAL cheaters no? Replace this kid, who was too busy making out with Scarlett Johannson, with a "rally monkey" and the same principal applies.

Michael Pineda Gets 10 Game Suspension For Pine Tar Gate II

Major League Baseball has announced that Michael Pineda will receive a 10 game suspension for putting pine tar on his neck. This was just two starts removed from having a half a can on his right pitching hand against the Red Sox. 

Pineda is either dumb or a special kind of stupid. 

Michael Pineda Presents Pine Tar Gate Part II

Did Michael Pineda learn nothing from the last edition of Pine Tar Gate? He is back at it again but this time he has the pine tar on his neck. Pineda never claimed to be intelligent, and I wouldn't agree with it anyway after his DUI, but this is just stupid. At least TRY to hide it Pineda, try. I smell a suspension or a fine this time around, especially if Major League Baseball talked to him after his last start against Boston like they said they would.

Michael Pineda has been ejected from the game in the second inning against the Red Sox. Wow.

Quick Hit: What Will Boston Fans Whine About Now

The Boston Red Sox organization and players may have not made a big stink about Michael Pineda and Pine Tar Gate but their fans did, especially on Twitter. I heard many ignorant ramblings that basically said that Pineda was only good because of the pine tar and that Boston would have won had Pineda not cheated. While they are entitled to their opinion it doesn't necessarily make them right, especially when MLB players former and current are saying that pine tar does NOTHING to affect the pitches and the pitcher. You grip the ball better just like you use pine tar to grip the bat better. Anyway, I digress...

What will Boston fans complain about now after Pineda dominated the Chicago Cubs last night? The Cubs don't have the offense that Boston has, that's a given, but they are still a Major League team capable of scoring runs at any time. Oh yeah, the Yankees still have Alex Rodriguez. Carry on.

Preview: New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs 4/16 Game Two

The New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs are back at it today at Yankee Stadium in the night cap of their split double header. The Yankees will send Michael Pineda, presumably with a clean hand, to the mound to face off with Travis Wood for the Cubs. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on MY9, MLB Network, on the computer with MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

All the talk will be about Pineda and the "dirt" that was on his right pitching hand. Everyone will ignore that the Red Sox did not make a stink about it or that he pitched well after the gunk magically disappeared. The first time Pineda throws a ball or gives up a hit or a home run ESPN will be all over Pineda for being a cheater, right it down. Pineda shut down ESPN's beloved Boston Red Sox in his last start striking out seven in six plus innings of one run ball. Pineda looks to do it against the Cubs tonight.

Wood is a left handed pitcher who is coming off a career high nine strikeout game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in his last start. Wood has never pitched at Yankee Stadium, old or new, so this will be a first for him. With Wood being a lefty I expect Scott Sizemore, Alfonso Soriano, Derek Jeter, Yangervis Solarte, and possibly John Ryan Murphy getting starts as they are right handed. Hopefully the Yankees can jump on Wood... no pun.... early and often and get out of town with a victory.

Go Yankees!!

Michael Pineda & Pine Tar Gate

Is it pine tar? Is it dirt? Is it cheating? Does it matter? You decide.... You have to remember though this guy has a DUI so his intelligence, in my opinion, will always be under the gun.