Boston is terrible. It's ridiculous they were let back in the race anyway. Napoli can't hit and unless your dumb enough to put it on a tee for him Ortiz waves at any shit you throw up there.
Napoli has made a living hitting against the Yanks the past couple of seasons...it was nice to see Pineda come a bit up and IN on him and plunk him on the arm.
Clearly a case of the pitch NOT being "too much" inside but just inside enough for the ump not to suspect bad intent. An excellent pitch and it let Napoli know and realize THE PITCHER (Pineda) can command the high inside part of the plate.
This has been - imo- one of the reasons guys like Ortiz, Longoria...ect have feasted on Yankee pitching with damaging hits....and Ortiz has been HBP from Yankee pitchers just THREE times in his career.
This HAS to be a result of Yankee pitching generally not throwing enough
inside heat to him and keeping him honest. Surely if they threw many more inside fastballs just OFF the plate, a few more would've resulted in Ortiz getting brushed back, knocked down or plunked which helps establish both the inside part AND the outside part of the strike zone for the pitcher.
Basic stuff when it comes to handling dangerous hitters!
These guys (Ortiz, Longoria, ect) literally forsake the high inside portion of the plate as if it's highly unlikely Yankee pitchers will throw one in there more than once in a while..and they wait for the inevitable usual cookie out over the plate without fear or concern for inside HEAT.
Old schoolers used to call it -
getting in the batters kitchen.
Otherwise, the hitters feel very comfortable.
Not a good recipe for a pitcher's success.