DUNEDIN, Fla. — To understand how Luis Pineda went from 20 years old to 16 in 1995, he says, you have to understand the difference between baseball in the Dominican Republic and in the United States.

        “We don't have high school baseball,” he said. “They sign you when you're a kid. Some aren't ready. I wanted to play in the major leagues. I don't care how old I am.”

        Scouts want to sign 16- year-olds in the Dominican Republic, figuring 20-year-olds are too old to develop, so Pineda became 16. His birth certificate was altered, changing his birthday from Oct.17, 1974 to June 10, 1978.

        Pineda's true age wasn't discovered until he went the through the visa process to enter the United States this spring.

        The Reds thought they were getting a 23-year-old pitcher when they acquired Pineda, with Juan Encarnacion, for Dmitri Young from the Detroit Tigers.

        Pineda's arm may be older, but it's still a major- league arm. Pineda has shined this spring, pitching five shutout innings and allowing five hits and no walks with six strikeouts.

        “We're trying to find out if he's major-league ready,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “He's definitely got major stuff.”

        The Reds cut five pitchers before Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Pineda, Ricardo Aramboles and Ty Howington are three young pitchers the Reds kept for extended looks. Pineda never had pitched above Single A before last year. But he was so dominant in 2001 that he went from Double A to the majors. He was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 games with the Tigers, but his control abandoned him once he got to the big leagues. He walked 14 in 18 1/3 innings.

        “Last year helped me,” Pineda said. “I learned you can't make mistakes. If the catcher wants the pitch inside, it better be inside or you pay for it.”

        Pineda is benefiting from having his mentor/hero on the same roster. Pineda is from San Cristobal, Jose Rijo's hometown.

        “He's the man in San Cristobal,” Pineda said. “He's helped me a lot. I call him my Big Daddy. He's teaching all his stuff — what kind of pitch you can throw and what you can't.”

Clark named fourth outfielder Added years don't hurt Pineda Blue Jays 4, Reds 3

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