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How do you properly prepare a young phenom to have a long, stellar career as a major league starting pitcher? You see flashes of brilliance, dominance, and potential at a young age. How long do you groom him? There comes a point in his career, and in terms of need for the parent club, that he gets the call to stay.
The Detroit Tigers have found such a diamond in the rough, they feel, with 19-year old Rick Porcello. Drafted out of high school this past June, he received the highest bonus ever paid to a player right out of high school, $7.28 M and a major league contract. Thus, he has participated in spring training with the big boys for the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, FL. Not only participated, but contributed well.
In his 3 outings, he pitched a total of 5-2/3 innings and allowed 1 run. In 2 of these appearances, he retired all six of the hitters that he faced. Sure, he is not facing perennial All-Stars in each at-bat. Just yesterday against the Cleveland Indians, he faced 6 hitters. Four are regular major league hitters. The 5th was prospect Andy Marte. The final hitter was minor leaguer Meau Mills. What impressed the Tigers' brass was how Porcello is managing the hitters. He is not simply throwing heat. He is pitching. Against Mills, after missing with the first pitch, he struck him out with two change ups and a curve ball.
It was announced this morning that Rick Porcello has been assigned to single-A Lakeland as his first minor league gig. He was among 11 other players designated for assignment by Detroit. Given the nervousness of the fans in Detroit of the pitching staff, in particular over a dominant closer, the knee-jerk reaction is to get anyone who can throw strikes up to Motown on the mound. Management and player development people see it through a different perspective. So, with Porcello, how do you balance his present abilities with his need for growth? Do you bring him up in September for a brief stint to get the feel for things? How long do you keep a potential phenom like this in training on the minor league level? The jump and talent level difference from Single-A to Triple-A is huge. As we have all seen, it is a universal jump from Triple-A to the big league parent club. Some players seem to be "professionals" on the minor league level, never able to stick with the parent team for any length of time.
Observing how this young pitcher performs and develops while with Lakeland will give all of the indications as to what his abilities are in comparison with his peers. Balancing the need to let him progress and not pushing beyond his readiness is a tricky skill that requires patience. For Tigers fans, it would be excellent if his major league usefulness exceeds by several seasons the "flash in a pan" that described Mark Fidrych.
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