Joel Pineiro: Reality Stranger Than Fiction Et Al

(Photo by Michael Heiman/Getty Images)

Try as I might, there are just some things in sports that get stuck in my craw, and I can’t get them out.

Take for instance, Joel Pineiro. Last night, Piniero gave up one earned run over seven innings as the St. Louis Cardinals downed the Houston Astros, 11-2. With the win, the righty improves to 15-11. In 203 innings of work this year, Pineiro has an ERA of 3.24, with 100 strike outs and 25 walks. Let me get this straight. Joel Pineiro has an ERA of 3.24? Isn’t the same guy who spent ‘04 – ‘07 in the American League with an ERA no lower than 4.67?  Pineiro has as many complete games (3) this year as he had combined in ‘05-’06 with Seattle.

I get the whole idea of the pitcher coming to the plate in the NL being more often than not an out. I get the the idea that with the Red Sox, Pineiro came out of the pen, and that takes adjusting. But he is a professional. In ‘07 Pineiro made 31 appearances for the Saux to the tune of a 5.03 ERA. Boston let him go. He finished the campaign with the Cardinals and made 11 starts earning an ERA of 3.96.

"Throwing BP is not my idea of work." AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Add to Pineiro’s story that of John Smoltz, and I am scratching my scalp raw. Smoltzy made five starts with the Saux . He tossed 25 innings giving up 26 earned runs while fanning 23 and walking six. Boston waived him, and Smoltz headed to the gateway of the west.  He has made five starts for LaRussa’s gang: 28 innings, 10 earned runs, 32 Ks, and 4 walks. Let’s just forget about the night that Smoltz pitched batting practice to the Yankees. 

On July 26th, Smoltz pitched five innings and gave up six runs to the Baltimore Orioles. That’s the Orioles everybody—a team that currently has a record of 60-91. Six runs to the Orioles? That’s as many runs as Smoltz held the Cubs, Braves, Padres, and Nationals to in a combined 22 innings.

How did the Phillies win the World Series last year? How can any team coming from the National League hope to compete in the Fall Classic?

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