Thursday, April 24, 2014

Dunce Cap Award: Michael Pineda

Wednesday's Yankees-Red Sox game was enough of a marquee attraction by itself, but then, the story quickly became one of an act of utter stupidity.

Yankees starter Michael Pineda, down 2-0 in the 2nd inning, went back to the mound with an odd, gooey substance on his neck, later identified as pine tar. With 2 out, and Boston's Grady Sizemore at the plate, Boston manager John Farrell asked home plate umpire Gerry Davis to check Pineda for some kind of foreign matter. Pineda beat the Red Sox two weeks ago at Yankee Stadium, but it was clear he had something on him then, too, as there are pictures of him with a similar, gooey substance, which he claimed was dirt, on his hand. How could he be that stupid to play this same card again, this time on another body part, where it could easily be detected?

The media says it was a blatant act. Let's just call it what it is, an act worthy of a Dunce Cap. Pineda was ejected from the game, and will face a fine and suspension from Major League Baseball. If I'm Pineda, who had to wait more than 2 years to pitch in a game for the Yankees, I'm not wasting time with an appeal. The evidence is overwhelmingly obvious against him.

Oh, by the way, Boston won, 5-1, and Pineda was tagged with the loss.

In hindsight, on a cold night, Pineda would've been better served keeping the rosin bag they keep at the mound in his pocket until the inning was over. Enjoy your Dunce Cap, Michael. Wear it well.

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