MLB

Pineda had the same ‘dirty’ palm last week

Michael Pineda won’t face a suspension because of the foreign substance seen on his right hand Thursday night against the Red Sox, but he received plenty of indirect advice Friday: Don’t be a pinhead.

Following Thursday’s revelations, when cameras captured what appeared to be a sticky-looking brown substance on his palm, review of his previous start in Toronto showed he had similar markings on his hand during that start. And that’s despite the roof of the Rogers Centre being closed, making conditions ideal.

When asked why he would do the same thing while indoors as he did Thursday in the cold, Pineda said: “I told you [Thursday] night. I’m sweating in my hand, I put dirt on it and that’s it.”

Joe Torre, MLB’s executive VP of operations, said Friday: “The umpires did not observe an application of a foreign substance during the game and the issue was not raised by the Red Sox. Given those circumstances, there are no plans to issue a suspension, but we intend to talk to the Yankees regarding what occurred.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged he heard from Torre later Friday and called it “a resolved issue.”

But it won’t be completely resolved until Pineda takes the mound again, scheduled for Wednesday against the Cubs.

Pineda initially said he wouldn’t have anything on his hand the next time he pitches, but later added he wasn’t going to change anything. And he couldn’t explain why his hand was clean by the fifth inning on Thursday.

The consensus around baseball was pitchers using some kind of substance for a better grip is generally accepted, however, Pineda went too far.

“It was obvious what was going on,” said Boston’s Shane Victorino, who sat out Thursday’s game and didn’t face Pineda. “I’m sure every pitcher does it for the purpose of getting a better grip or whatever, but last night to me was just flat out blatant.”

As a former MLB pitcher and coach said: “The majority of pitchers do it, they just don’t get caught. You use it indoors to combat sweating and it helps the slider. That SOB had a whole pine tar rag on his hand.”

Another scout said he believed more than half of big league pitchers use something.

“Infielders use it all over their glove,” he said. “[Pineda] made it too obvious. Get a black glove and put the stuff on there. Use your head.”

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Both Cashman and manager Joe Girardi said they had no plans to talk with Pineda about the situation.

“I still haven’t spoken to Michael about it,” Girardi said. “I talked to him to see how he felt today. That was my concern. Because my concern is to get him ready for his next start and make sure that a guy coming off an injury that he’s coming off of, that he feels good the next day and is able to make his next start.”

Girardi believes the rules may need to be looked at.

“The way we’re addressing rules now, we could probably address that and get some clarity on it,” Girardi said. “It probably would be helpful.”

Boston manager John Farrell, who defended Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz when they were questioned about using foreign substances on their arm or glove last season, again declined to rip Pineda.

“I wouldn’t say every pitcher uses something and I think that’s where we have to be careful with this,” Farrell said. “The one thing I will say is Pineda is a talented guy and to get a little added grip, does that change the outcome of last night’s game? I would say absolutely not.”

In the end, Cashman tried to make light of the situation.

“Maybe we’ll put up those signs, ‘Employees must wash their hands’ — like you see in restaurants,” Cashman said. “If that’ll make everybody feel better, then we’ll play around with that. Otherwise, it’s not an issue.”

Additional reporting by Joel Sherman, George A. King III, Ken Davidoff and Fred Kerber