Morning Prowl: No Hits, Porcello's Pitch Count, Bell's Beer, and Mauer's Back

by Ian Casselberry on Mar 23, 2009 8:00 AM EDT in News Comment 4 comments

It's not that big a deal that the Tigers were no-hit in yesterday's game, is it? Okay, it's embarrassing. Fortunately, with Team USA and Venezuela both losing in the WBC semi-finals, its four best hitters will return to the team tomorrow and see game action on Wednesday.

How did Rick Porcello do against the Yankees on Saturday? In 2.1 innings, he allowed two runs on four hits, with a strikeout and a walk. Is the fact that he was on a pitch count (40-45 pitches) an indication that he's settled behind Nate Robertson in the fifth starter race or a precautionary measure by the Tigers?

As if I didn't already have enough reason to go down to Lakeland to watch the Tigers in Spring Training, Tiger Geist informs us that Bell's Beer is served at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Dave Cameron has been ranking each major league organization at FanGraphs, based on their ability to contend in the future. He has the Tigers at the #22 spot.

Trumbull and Michigan brings up a comparison that ThaWalrus9 mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago in an e-mail: Is Joel Zumaya the 2.0 version of Matt Anderson? Did you just shudder?

Although I agree with Sean that Zumaya is a better pitcher than Anderson ever developed into. Plus, Zumaya didn't play college ball at Rice, where Wayne Graham (allegedly) overworks his pitchers.

Joe Mauer admitted that he probably won't be in Minnesota's lineup on Opening Day, as he continues to struggle with lower back pain. Aaron Gleeman looks at how the Twins will get by without Mauer, while Tigers shortstop Adam Everett talks about his former teammate.

Carlos Pena sits down with Big League Stew for some Answer Man action. Pena really is an interesting guy. It's too bad we didn't get to see more of that while he was in Detroit.

Detroit4Lyfe laments forgetting about the fantasy draft for the BYB Guillen League on Saturday. (The Magglio League drafted last night, and the Grandy League goes this coming Saturday.) If somebody has a closer to give up, Bob would like to talk to you about a trade.

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5th pitching spot

If you haven’t already, it’s probably time to resign ourselves to the fact Nate Robertson will be the Tigers’ 5th starter pretty much by default. Now in Nate’s defense, he has actually pitched well in his last couple starts, which has allowed him to hold off Rick Porcello, but the question remains: how long before Porcello gets called up for good?

Personally, I think Robertson will be on a short leash and Leyland won’t hesitate to call up Porcello to take Nate’s spot in the rotation. I’d be shocked if Porcello isn’t in Detroit permanently by June 1.

by Todd1005fm on Mar 23, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs