News column: Framing the Rick Porcello debate

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch would like to resign Anibal Sanchez. If the Tigers do that, is there really room for Rick Porcello in Detroit? And what might that role be?

Your gut answer probably falls into two categories:

1) Of course there's room for Rick! He's been a key member of the Tigers' rotation for four years, and you're not really asking for much at the bottom of the rotation anyway, are you?

2) Heck no, there's no place for Rick. He's a fifth-starter at best. He's proven he won't find the elusive out pitch. Drew Smyly not only gives the Tigers a left-hander in the rotation, but he's better! Time to jettison Porcello before his salary goes up.

(A third category might be deciding to put Porcello in the pen, though I haven't seen that one come up too often and didn't write about it myself.)

So, go read my column today, and tell us what you think about Porcello's future.