Michael Pineda - Seattle Mariners’ spring training prospect
Many will wonder what will come out of the spring training tenure with the Seattle Mariners. However, nothing can be said in definite terms as prospects are making their way to the camp. One particular youngster happens to be Michael Pineda. The large athlete
is 22 years old, and has played for the Triple-A club, Tacoma, last year. He’s also ranked 13 in the top prospects’ list put forward by Major League Baseball. He hailed with figures 3 wins and 3 losses, with a 4.76 earning runs average in 12 starts.
Michael Pineda was more than willing to talk about his role in this year’s spring training participation. He told the press that he had always dreamed about reaching the Major Leagues. The youngster, who grew up in the sugarcane fields of Yaguate in the
San Cristobal Province of the Dominican Republic, was excited about his future. He thanked God for giving him the strength and the opportunity to prove himself in front of his peers.
Mariners’ General Manager, Jack Zduriencik, was also vocal about Pineda. He said that the 6-foot-5, 245 pound player had the skill to deliver a 100mph fastball in the starter’s role. He backed up the young ball thrower by saying that Michael had all the
qualities of a top order rotation player. With spring training around the corner, one has to ask when that moment can come.
Mariners’ starter, Jason Vargas, also commented on the player. He had seen Pineda throw a few times, and he ranked his pitch high. Vargas highlighted his figure pitching throw as quality assets. He talked about Pineda’s exhibition match in San Francisco,
last year. The one thing he took out from that game was Michael’s confidence. Vargas said that was all that was required to pitch in the game these days.
"He's not going to come here and be the saving grace. He's not going to be Felix (Hernandez) or that huge reliable 250-inning workhorse that he might eventually end up being. He's going to have to take his lumps with everybody else. But the stuff that comes
out of his hand and the body he has makes him a durable-looking guy."
A fellow top prospect, Dustin Ackley, was also available to comment on Pineda.
"He's unbelievable," Ackley said. "He's going to be a special player. He's a guy that throws mid-upper 90s consistently and he's got good breaking stuff. I mean, he's just a presence. He's 6-6 or whatever he stands. He's got the body, he's got the look,
he's got all the pitches. It's only a matter of time with him."
The question now is can Michael Pineda bewilder his peers in spring training? Only time can tell.
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