Joel Piñeiro
Born: September 25, 1978 (1978-09-25) (age 31) Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 8, 2000 for the Seattle Mariners
Career statistics (through August 27, 2009)
Win-Loss	85-76
Earned run average	4.38
Strikeouts	883
Teams
Seattle Mariners (2000-2006) Boston Red Sox (2007) St. Louis Cardinals (2007-present)

Piñeiro with the Red Sox in 2007.

Joel Alberto Piñeiro (born September 25, 1978 in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is currently a Free Agent. 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, 2000. Although he has had early success, his career has been plagued with control problems and inconsistency.

Piñeiro began the 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^[1] and subsequently missed the remainder of the season.^[2]

Piñeiro continued his struggles in 2005 and was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on May 14, 2005.^[3] 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 2006, Piñeiro was pulled from the starting rotation again on August 26, and placed in the bullpen.^[4] His 6.36 ERA was the highest in the major leagues.

Following the 2006 season, the Mariners declined to tender Piñeiro a contract offer, making him a free agent.^[5] On January 3, 2007, he reached a preliminary agreement for a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, ^[6]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 Triple-A 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). ^[7][8]

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. For the rest of 2007, Pineiro showed some flashes of promise but general inconsistency, finishing with a record of 6-4 and posting an earned run average of 3.96 for his new St. Louis club.

2008 was a season typified by inconsistency and a trip to the DL, as Pineiro allowed 22 HRs and 180 Hits in 148.2 IP, posting a 7-7 record and 5.15 ERA. However, leading into 2009, Pineiro reinvented his approach, utilizing a sinking fastball to pitch to contact and concede more ground balls, while limiting the number of home runs allowed ^[9]. Through 25 games started, Pineiro had only allowed 6 HRs and possessed an 84:18 K:BB ratio, with a 13-9 record and 3.11 ERA, his best season yet, since 2003.

After the 2009 Season Pineiro filed for free agency.

[edit] Personal

Piñeiro resides in Rio Padres, Puerto Rico with his wife Shirley and children Joel Jr. (Born April 7, 2003), Juliana (born November 2, 2005), and twins Adrian & Fabian (born September 18, 2008).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Joel Pineiro's page at stlcardinals.scout.com