Many American football fans were shocked last December when the Dinosaurs traded right-handed starting pitcher Doug Fister to the Nationals for infielder Steve Lombardozzi and left-handed pitchers Robbie Ray and Ian Krol. Ray happens to be the centerpiece of the financial transaction.

The Nats selected Ray from Brentwood (Tenn.) Secondary school in the 12th round on the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. Beam may have slipped in the Draw up following word that His seemed to be intent on attending the University of Arkansas.

Ray, who is Simply no. 1 on the Tigers' Top 20 Prospects list, is extra tall and thin at 6-foot-2, 195 fat. At 22, His may still have a bit of physical development remaining.

Ray has pitched with blended results in his career. His or she only pitched in one game in his rookie campaign in Class A Short Season Vermont in 2010. Ray remained in extended spring camp that calendar year and didn't get to experience opposing hitters much at all.

Ray's first full year came this season at Class Some sort of Hagerstown, when His posted a Three.13 ERA in Thirty starts. His gave up Seventy one hits in 89 innings, however his WHIP was inflated due to command and management issues. Ray walked Thirty eight and finished with a 1.23 WHIP, still good, nonetheless it could have been much better without the lefty's normal of just under four taking walks per nine innings.

Ray's 2012 period was one to forget. His or she pitched at Class Some sort of Advanced Potomac and made 21 starts, throwing 105 2/3 innings. Ray went more than four batters every nine innings, regressing from the previous time of year, and his velocity had fallen from the mid-90s to the high-80s. His also gave 122 hits.

Last year, things switched for the better when Ray's velocity increased to his school level of 91-93 mph. Upon his or her return to Class A Superior Potomac and at Double-A Harrisburg, his combined Age was 3.36, along from 6.56 this year.

During Ray's time with the Nationals, the club made some alterations in his mechanics. The net end result was maintaining the increased pace and improvement of his command.

After parts of five times in the Minors, Ray was promoted to Detroit on May well 6. His made his Important League debut as a replacement beginning for Anibal Sanchez in the Tigers' rotation.

Again, the outcomes have been mixed since the callup in order to Detroit. Ray has had some good innings plus some bad. The culprit has all over again been commanding his pitches and throwing strikes. A combination of big hits and too many walks have taken a toll.

There are times I have seen Jimmy search for a comfortable and reliable release point as His tries too hard to throw their fastball at increased velocity. On those occasions, His falls off sharply to the third-base area. Repeating a clean delivery through Ray's usual high arm slot machine is a goal for their continued development.

While with the Dinosaurs, Ray has basically utilized a combination of a fastball, a slurve-type curveball and also a changeup. I haven't seen a slider, despite the fact that his curveball would seem to be at least part-slider. There are times Ray lacks activity and zip on the fastball, causing him to get hit tough by big league players.

The inconsistency and command issues are standard for a young pitcher even now developing the pitches in the repertoire and working out kinks in their delivery. For me, Ray isn't quite a finished product.

Ray has been optioned time for Triple-A Toledo. His continues to work as some sort of starter, but I think there could be some merit in his performing exercises of the bullpen, using his great fastball and refining his extra pitches. Once Ray found rhythm with a complete selection, His may be more comfortable time for a starting role.

Because Lewis has a strong and loose arm, his current position is not as important as gaining self-confidence as part of his repertoire and throwing moves with all his pitches.

San Francisco, Fla. -- Michael Pineda has picked up the Yankees' fifth-starter competition, and after absent all of the past two seasons, the right-hander is finally prepared to throw his very first official pitches for the corporation.Robbie Gould San Francisco 49ers Jerseys KIDS | WOMENS Uniform >

Pineda, 25, beat out David Phelps, Adam Warren in addition to Vidal Nuno by going 2-1 with a 1.20 ERA in several Grapefruit League games (several starts). In 15 innings, Pineda allowed 14 hits, walked one particular and struck out Of sixteen.

'He threw extremely well,' supervisor Joe Girardi said. 'It was what we should wanted to see from him. His improved with each day out, and at times was prominent. We really liked what we observed.'

Girardi said that Pineda will stay back in camp to have one more spring tune-up in Sunday in San Francisco before traveling to make his Yankees debut on April Your five against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

'I'm so excited,' Pineda stated. 'I've been working so hard for the last 2 yrs to be in New York, to help my personal team, and today they made me personally happy. I'm working so hard all the time to be here.'

Pineda, a 2012 American League All-Star with the Ocean adventurers, was acquired with crusher Jose Campos in a four-player deal that mailed top prospect Jesus Montero and also right-hander Hector Noesi to Seattle in Economy is shown 2012.

The deal has not exercised swimmingly for either side to date, although that might change if Pineda recaptures the old form. Pineda showed up early in the year of 2012 out of shape and looking to manufacture velocity before sustaining a right labrum tear that expected surgery.

'I learned a lot,' Pineda explained. 'It's hard. I learned [from] many situations that happened when camping in the last two years. I'm a qualified player and I need to give attention to American football every day -- here, from the Dominican, in the offseason, whatever. I've got to continue my work daily and be ready all the time.'

The Yankees have been encouraged by Pineda's rate and poise this spring. Girardi provides often said that the basketball comes out of Pineda's hand quickly, something that they did not see coming from him in 2012, and mentioned that the Yankees will not have a great innings limit for Pineda.

'We will check out how he's doing as well as we'll make judgments on the we have to do,' Girardi explained. 'This is a guy that has been to be able to [171] innings before, so we know that he's capable of handling that. It's just, we will need to see how he's responding.'

Pineda said that His no longer thinks about his shoulder when His is for the mound; his focus is actually on making pitches and receiving outs. His beamed when asked exactly who His had shared Tuesday's good news using.

'I called so many people -- my friends in addition to my family and my mom,Inches Pineda said. 'Everybody's excited because they recognize I've been working hard for the last 2 yrs and I want to go back to the actual Majors. Today is a big day in my opinion.'

Phelps, Nuno and Warren will continue to be evaluated since relievers, Girardi said. Phelps and Warren seem to be locks for the big nfl roster, while Nuno could be from the bullpen or head to Triple-A as a nice.

Girardi said that the Yankees went into the spring with an start mind concerning all of their individuals, and that Pineda's performance exceeded their expectations.

'We weren't sure that which you were going to get from Michael,In Girardi said. 'You look at a lot of additional years, maybe one of those people makes it as your fifth, simply because they all threw extremely well.

'But Jordan, we thought, probably experienced the best spring. ... We claimed all along, we were likely to take who we feel will probably be the best in the rotation, and after that we'll figure out the bullpen.'