Michael Pineda Injury: New York Yankees Were Given Plenty of Warning Signs

Michael Pineda's season-ending injury is just the latest problem in what has been a troubled beginning to his New York Yankees tenure. With the price of a top-prospect riding on his every pitch, Pineda won't even get to make one in 2012, and the questions about the trade that brought him here have every right to exist.

The young right-hander has a tear in his throwing shoulder that will require surgery and could keep him out for a full calendar year, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

So, just how many warning signs were there?

Well, it's never easy to tell in the moment and of course, hindsight is always 20/20; but there were indications that this could happen.

It began with a slow second half of 2011 that saw the then-Seattle Mariners All-Star struggle on the mound and pitch to an ERA far above what he had become accustomed to early in his career. In addition, his velocity wasn't as impressive: Instead of being in the mid-90s for most of the game, he seemed to become a low-90s pitcher later on in the season.

Everything from extending himself in starts to trying to improve his control were given as reasons why the fire-baller was cooling off. But in the end, Pineda was shut down for the rest of the 2011 season by the Mariners.

Fast-forward to 2012 and the blockbuster deal that brought Pineda to the Bronx for prized prospect, Jesus Montero. The Mariners were looking for power; the Bombers were looking for an inexpensive but talented arm.

Disregarding his second half and seemingly ignoring his velocity drop, Yankees GM Brian Cashman pulled the trigger anyway. Interestingly enough, when Pineda's velocity drop became clear as a member of the Yanks, the Bombers' GM seemed shocked that this was happening.

Makes me wonder if Cash had done his homework. All the reasons given for why Pineda had a drop in velocity were, in my opinion, never valid. In fact, I believe it was the beginning of eventual arm troubles that spanned back to 2011.

Even the biggest Pineda supporter has to have that dreaded feeling that a pitcher they were riding high on might be the next big bust. We've seen it happen time and time again, so it isn't crazy too think it could happen again.

It will be a long, grueling road to recovery for Pineda, but if he can't get all the way back and become the All-Star he was in the first half of his rookie season, it might be Jose Campos who Yankee fans have the high hopes for.

I'd say that thought process has already begun.

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