Joel Piñeiro

Infobox MLB player
name=Joel Piñeiro
team=St. Louis Cardinals


width=150
number=35
position=Starting pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|9|25
debutdate=August 8
debutyear=2000
debutteam=Seattle Mariners
statyear=July 13, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=68-64
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=763
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=4.47
teams=
*Seattle Mariners (by|2000-by|2006)
*Boston Red Sox (by|2007)
*St. Louis Cardinals (by|2007-present)

Joel Alberto Piñeiro (born September 25, 1978 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is 6'1" tall, and weighs 200 pounds. His name is pronounced "Joe-El". He is right-handed, and made his major league debut on August 8, by|2000. Although he has had early success, his career has been plagued with control problems and inconsistency.

Joel Piñeiro began the by|2004 baseball season as a promising starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. The previous two years he started in 60 games, won a total of 30 games, and produced a 3.52 ERA. 2004 though, turned into a dismal year with Piñeiro posting a 4.67 ERA and the first losing record of his career (6 wins – 11 loses). Piñeiro suffered another problem when he was placed on the disabled list July 27, 2004, with a sore elbow [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=1847693 Mariners place Pineiro on 15-day disabled list] ] and subsequently missed the remainder of the season. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1867092 Mariners not pushing Pineiro after elbow injury] ]

Piñeiro continued his struggles in by|2005 and was optioned to AAA Tacoma on May 14, 2005. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2060495 Reliever Mateo will start vs. Yankees] ] He returned to the majors and started in 30 total games; however he was unable to return to his previous form and posted a 5.62 ERA for the year.

In by|2006, Piñeiro was pulled from the starting rotation again on August 26, and placed in the bullpen. [ [http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/archives/105873.asp Pineiro loses spot in rotation; Woods will take over] ]

Following the 2006 season, the Mariners declined to tender Piñeiro a contract offer, making him a free agent. [ [http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061212&content_id=1760228&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea Mariners non-tender pitcher Joel Pineiro] ] On January 3, by|2007, he reached a preliminary agreement for a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2718865 Red Sox, Pineiro agree to preliminary $4 million deal] ] where he struggled as a member of their bullpen. On July 22, he was designated for assignment in order to clear a roster spot for Jon Lester. Piniero cleared waivers and accepted an assignment with the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston's AAA affiliate, where he returned to the starting rotation.

On July 31, 2007, Pineiro was traded to the Cardinals, with cash considerations, for a player to be named later (minor league outfielder Sean Danielson). [ [http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070731&content_id=2120044&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos; Sox ship Pineiro to Cardinals] ] [cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/index.jsp?c_id=bos&year=2007&month=11|title=Boston Red Sox Transactions: Nov 2007 |author= | publisher=MLB.com|date=|accessdate=2008-08-05] In his debut start with the Cardinals on August 4 vs. the Washington Nationals, he pitched 5.0 innings, giving up 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1 home run while taking his second loss of the year in the Cardinals 12-1 loss.

In his debut home start with the Cardinals on August 9 vs. the San Diego Padres, he out-pitched Chris Young, giving up only 4 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and earning 4 strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 4.50 for the year in winning his second game with the Cardinals in their 5-0 win.

References

External links

baseballstats |mlb=334492 |espn=4485 |br=p/pineijo01 |fangraphs=1094 |cube=P/joel-pineiro]
* [http://stlcardinals.scout.com/a.z?s=321&p=8&c=1&nid=3273780 Joel Pineiro's page at stlcardinals.scout.com]