Michael Pineda Shoulder Injury: Were the Yankees Hoodwinked?

So maybe Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik is a lot more intelligent than previously thought.

The New York Yankees announced on Wednesday afternoon that starting pitcher Michael Pineda, on the disabled list since the beginning of the season with right shoulder tendinitis, will now likely be out for the remainder of the 2012 season after being diagnosed with an anterior labral tear.

Pineda, acquired from the Seattle Mariners in January for star catching prospect Jesus Montero, is scheduled for surgery to repair the tear on May 1.

This news seriously calls into question a couple of very key points.

However, to set all of this up, let's take a look at the background first. Pineda started out last season with the Mariners like a house afire, blazing off to an 8-6 start and 3.03 ERA in the first half, good enough for selection to the American League All-Star team.

The second half was a vastly different story, as Pineda limped to a 1-4 record and 5.12 ERA in 10 starts, and his velocity was clearly diminished.

Still, Pineda was considered a blue-chipper, and the Yankees certainly thought enough of him to trade off their No. 1 prospect in Montero.

When spring training started, it seemed apparent that Pineda was still having issues, struggling to a 5.68 ERA in six spring starts. Sure enough, it was announced that Pineda had right shoulder tendinitis and would start the season on the disabled list.

With today's announcement, it's now clear that Pineda's shoulder issues were a lot more than just mere tendinitis.

The Mariners were clearly concerned with Pineda's dropoff in the second half of last season. While just 23 years of age, it has to be a concern when any pitcher sees a drop in velocity. When the Yankees came calling on Jan. 23 to discuss Pineda, Zduriencik saw the opportunity and jumped on it.

It certainly helped that the Mariners have a great stable of young pitching prospects in Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton. In addition, the Yankees included 25-year-old RHP Hector Noesi in the deal, adding even more depth to the Mariners' young pitching staff.

First question: Were the Mariners aware of an issue with Pineda at the time of the trade?

Second question: Was the Yankees' due diligence enough? Was the physical given to Pineda at the time of the trade enough?

After today's news, either question would certainly be fitting to ask for Yankees fans.

I am not one to spit out accusations, and I won't with this article. However, I have no doubt that Yankee forums across the Internet will be filled with the same exact questions from devout fans.

Detractors will no doubt point to the fact that Pineda came into camp 20 pounds overweight and out of shape. While his work ethic could easily be called into question, so too could the above questions. Pineda's velocity still suffered during the spring nonetheless.

Calling anyone winners or losers in any trade just months after the fact is an exercise in futility. Only years from now will we know whether or not this particular deal worked out well for either the Yankees or Mariners.

But Seattle certainly has the upper hand at this point, and one has to think that Zduriencik certainly looks a whole lot smarter than Brian Cashman.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

Follow @Sports_A_Holic