Yankees News: Michael Pineda Arrives Early And Ready For Spring Training

Michael Pineda is raring to go, and he is so anxious to pay big dividends for the New York Yankees, that he has shown up early for spring training.

“I’m very excited for this year,” said Pineda according to NJ.com . “I like getting here early to make sure everything is OK.”

And he has good reason to be optimistic after his strong finish in 2014. For the season, Pineda posted a record of 5-5 with an ERA of 1.89 in 13 total starts. But it was his performance down the stretch that has the Yankees so excited. That strong finish was fueled by fabulous control. He struck out 44 batters and walked only four in his final 56 and 2/3 innings. [related category]

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild is thrilled that Pineda is anxious to get started. “He’s trying to make his way,¨ Rothschild said according to the New York Post. “He pitched really good last year when he was healthy, but it would be nice to have him for a full year and make sure he’s completely over the hump, because shoulders you just never know about. So far, knock on wood, he’s handled it pretty well.”

His full recovery is even more important because of the question marks with other Yankees starters. Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova also battled injuries last season, leaving their contributions in 2015 as mysteries. It would not be surprising to find Pineda as the ace of the staff at the finish of spring training.

And he appeared to be off to a fast start last season, until he was accused of using pine tar. “I don’t know that he realized exactly what the repercussions were, even though he was told before that ever happened,” Rothschild said also according to the New York Post. “I think he was shocked by the whole thing. We had shown him different things, what he could use as far as rosin and stuff like that and what he’s got to stay away from and he practiced it in the bullpen. It kind of was a crutch at that point.”

So it this the year that Pineda finally puts it altogether and finally returns to his rookie season form? He can´t wait to find out. And he is already at the Yankees spring training complex to do just that.

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