Pineda Deal Benefits Both Clubs

In a move that certainly surprised many people in the baseball community, the Seattle Mariners traded young pitching phenom Michael Pineda and prospect Jose Campos to the Yankees for young slugger Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi.

The deal is one that makes a lot of sense for both the Yankees and Mariners, particularly because they fill some of the most glaring needs of each club. Pineda gives the Yanks the top-of-the-rotation starter they've been seeking to complement CC Sabathia, while the M's add a young hitter with tons of upside to an anemic lineup.

Up until today, much of the talk of Jesus Montero potentially going to Seattle was centered around the idea of the Mariners giving up Felix Hernandez, or in a deal that nearly happened two seasons ago, Cliff Lee. Instead, GM Jack Zduriencik gives up righty Michael Pineda, who enjoyed a stellar rookie season that included an appearance at the All-Star Game.

The 22-year-old Pineda profiles as a terrific number two starter in the Yanks' rotation behind southpaw CC Sabathia. Though there may be some people who will worry about the big city flair of New York City potentially getting to a young pitcher, it seems like Pineda is well-equipped to handle pressure that comes his way. He is frequently lauded for his work ethic and determination, something that I witnessed firsthand when getting a chance to watch him pitch during spring training.

If there's one thing that may hamper Pineda's chance to succeed in the Bronx, it could be the development of his changeup. Pineda relied almost entirely on his fastball and slider in 2011, something that proved to be devastating to many hitters. He struck out 173 in 171 innings of work, but because his fastball and slider were so effective, he threw changeups for just 2.9% of his total pitches according to Fangraphs. He certainly has the ability to throw them, and I was able to witness him throw several good changeups when watching during his bullpen warmup session in spring training.

Pineda's transition to the big leagues was eased in part by pitching in spacious Safeco Field. Now that he'll be moving into the whiffle ball park that is Yankee Stadium, his ability to develop his changeup, or at the very least turn it into an average or fringe-average offering will be key to his success. I don't doubt that Pineda can have great success in New York, but when facing lineups that are predominantly left-handed like Boston, he'll have a much better chance of success with the development of a solid third offering.

As a side note, 19-year-old RHP Jose Campos, who enjoyed a great 2011 in single-A Everett, has plenty of upside himself and could end up being a big get for Brian Cashman and the Yankees when looking back at this deal in a couple of years. Campos touches the upper-90's with his fastball and could be a fast riser in the Yankees system, much like Pineda was for the Mariners.

For the Mariners, this deal should finally give a reason for fans to stop complaining about the Mariners' lack of activity so far this winter. They've watched the Angels hand out massive contracts to Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson, the Rangers win the posting of Japanese star Yu Darvish, and the A's be, well, the A's.

It's no secret that the Mariners came into the winter looking for offense. They were dead last in the American League in nearly every conceivable offensive category in 2011, and the restlessness of fans who are desperate for a winner on the field has only been getting worse. Here's a summary of the Mariners' wish list entering the offseason:

1. Offense
2. Offense
3. Offense
4. Season One of "The Wire" on Blu-ray
5. Offense
6. Offense

Jokes aside, getting a young hitter of Montero's caliber is huge for the future of the franchise. Though right-handed power hitters have usually struggled at Safeco Field, many believe that a 30 or 35-homer season is well within his reach. It's amazing to think that Montero had been repeatedly discussed as the centerpiece in a deal for both Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez, yet ends up in a Mariner uniform in a deal for Michael Pineda.

Having a hitter of Montero's caliber to plug into the middle of the M's lineup makes an immense difference, particularly because he'll be under club control for another six seasons. He's likely to spend most of his time DH'ing or playing first base, although how evenly that time is split could be dependent on whether or not Zduriencik decides to trade Smoak if the M's are able to sign that fellow by the name of Prince Fielder.

Not to be lost in the buzz of Montero is the acquisition of Hector Noesi. Even after losing Pineda, having Noesi to plug into the starting rotation will prevent the Mariners from having to go out and overpay for a starter in what is a weak pool of available free agent pitchers. Noesi doesn't have the same upside and likely won't be able to match the production of Pineda, but the move means that the M's are even more confident in their minor league pitching depth. Recent number two overall pick Danny Hultzen has the potential to make the team out of spring training, and Taijuan Walker and James Paxton are some of the most high-upside pitching prospects in baseball.

In the end, this trade works well for both teams. Both the Yankees and Mariners what were arguably the two most glaring needs on their respective rosters, and in the process are able to help themselves both in the long and short-term. Though the Yankees are clearly much better off in the short-term, and could have the potential to win 100 games next season with the addition of Pineda, the M's acquisition of Montero should give plenty of Seattle fans reason to believe that their future is undoubtedly getting brighter.