=== Change and/or Splitter ===

Felix, when he was in the minors, was rumored to have an 88 mph slider that was better than his other four pitches.  This turned out to be the case.  Felix still, to this day, throws the slider for an automatic strike whenever he wants.

Pineda is reported to have some weird 88 mph change/split that is untouchable.  I think I saw it a couple times, once to blow away Deeds in the 5th, the bottom just falling out and dropping way under his bat.  The other time may have been for a called strike first pitch to Allen in the 4th.

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As a general rule, if you have a Nolan Ryan or Brandon Morrow arm, you're going to find some way to spin the ball.   I mean, Jeff Clarke can't make a ball curve in the air at 60 mph.  But with the kind of arm that can put 97 mph on a baseball, you're going to be able to make it curve some way or other.

We never worried about Pineda's offspeed stuff, not whatsoever, and it's a pleasure to find that his offspeed stuff is actually electric.

...................

Pineda often chose to throw his hook in clutch situations, and frequently threw it 3-4 times in a row.  Who said he didn't have a slider?  Here are the final two AB's of the night, to end the 6th:

Roberts up

• 96 mph fastball, 0-1
• 86 mph curve, taken, just misses, 1-1 (back off the curve now?  no....)
  
• 82 mph, best curve of the night!, taken 1-2 whooooooo
• 97 mph challenge FB, tipped back
• 85 mph, 2nd-best curve of the night, garbage swing, 6th strikeout

Here's the last batter, Rogers:

• 95 mph misses, 1-0 count
• 79 change-curve taken, 1-1
• 85 mph curve crackles over, 1-2 count
• Smooth 83 curve snaps right over at the knees, boom, 7th strikeout

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=== Command ===

In and out.  A good number of pitches, you'll see hit the mitt, even at 96.  But there are indeed a verrrrrrrrrry high percentage that miss out-and-over. 

That's part of being 21, and part of the difference between a master craftsman and a talented young pitcher.

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Pineda is both (1) quite raw, and (2) overwhelming in his embryonic stage.

If the command clicks in like they say it will -- and that's a huge if -- he's got a shot to be a Pedro Martinez type.

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Enjoy,

Dr D