Rushing Porcello?

by wobatus on Mar 14, 2009 1:59 PM EDT

Rotoworld talking about Porcello posibly coming to the majors if Bonderman not ready for opening day. This may just be a rumor, and Bonderman may be back on track, but surprised they would do it even if Bonderman isn't ready.

I would love to see the community projection on Porcello coming right to the majors. You'd get a wide range of opinions I'd bet. Anyway, I'd want to see him pick up his k rate in, say, AA. Don't the Tigers have any cannon-fodder sps at higher levels?

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=4971

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Seems like a pretty bad idea

by alskor on Mar 14, 2009 2:16 PM EDT reply actions

Bad idea

I own Porcello in my keeper league. I’m against it for the same reason that the Tigers should be. He is 20, hasn’t pitched above A ball, could crush his confidence, his development while unlikely being terribly effective.

The Tigers don’t have the greatest options but let those play out. Give Jackson, Robertson and Willis the first shot at the #4 and #5 spots. If they struggle and Porcello is blowing away AA hitters then make the call after Memorial Day. Anything before that seems foolish to me.

by mg050369 on Mar 14, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions

If at barely 20 years old, never pitching above A ball, he put up league average numbers, I would be shocked while the Tigers would be thrilled and quite justified in dropping him in the rotation now.

by mg050369 on Mar 14, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

Cannon fodder?

Dontrelle Willise?

by Fanon on Mar 14, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions

+1

We think we’re going to be in contention this year- that’s why Dombrowski/Leyland want to move Porcello up. I could see using him for a spot start or two- what’s the worst that could happen in that case? But we’ve got Verlander/Gallaraga/Jackson/Robertson/Miner/Robertson to absorb starts.

by David Tokarz on Mar 14, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

That rotation...

looks potentially EXPLOSIVE.

by DrunkIrish on Mar 15, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah...

They’ll be eating innings with an incredibly poor result. I can see the desire for Verlander/Bonderman/Jackson/Porcello/Galaraga, but I don’t think anyone outside of the Tigers thinks Porcello is truly ready,. and I don’t know what we’d do with Robertson or Willis.

by David Tokarz on Mar 15, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Porcello v. Bonderman

Did they not learn anything from Bonderman’s failure to develop? They rushed him, he came up and got creamed, and he doesn’t look like anything better than a back of the rotation innings eater who can get some Ks. With his talent, he should be a hell of a lot better, and I have a hard time believing that his lack of time in the minors had something to do with that. Now the Tigers are going to replace him and do the same thing to another young pitcher.

by Fanon on Mar 14, 2009 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

Injuries

He’s a very good starter when healthy, but his blood clot screwed up the end of his 2007 season and his entire 2008 season. This is a kid who had posted an ERA around 4 in 2006 and his first half numbers in 2007 were enough to have him merit consideration for the All-Star team.

by David Tokarz on Mar 15, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Poor decision making

Yup

join the cause: www.weplaygreen.org

by gore51 on Mar 14, 2009 7:41 PM EDT reply actions

Porcello replacing an injured Bonderman would be a particularly amusing bit of irony

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Mar 15, 2009 12:54 AM EDT reply actions

+1

by David Tokarz on Mar 15, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Bondo development

I kinda blame bondo’s lack of performance thus far to his lack of a third pitch. He has an absolutely devastating slider, but when he can’t command his fastball, he has nothing else to show the hitter. There’s always talk of him going to a change-up, but he demonstrates a complete lack of confidence in the pitch.

by reefer on Mar 15, 2009 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

a lot easier to develop a third pitch in the minors than in the majors

by larry on Mar 15, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you hit it on the head, indirectly

A lot of people like to talk up the lack of an effective third pitch as being Bonderman’s biggest issue, but as you noted, his fastball command is maddeningly inconsistent. That’s a MUCH bigger problem than the third pitch will ever be for him. Go look at his hit rate – guys with REAL multiple plus offerings don’t struggle to give up less than a hit an inning year after year.

Visually he looks like he should be a much more impressive pitcher than he really is, but when you break it down, he’s a guy with one real good offering (slider), a second pitch that’s plus-plus on its best days and usually considerably less than that (albeit with good velocity) and a third pitch that he can’t figure out at all (change). That’s not a premium player, that’s a mid-rotation starter with streaky tendencies – which is exactly what Bonderman is.

I’d like to blame his woes on the lack of minor league development, but it’s not like he’s been bounced from place to place throughout his career. He’s had a lot more stability in his career than lots of similarly talented young pitchers and he’s been healthy enough to pitch 170+ innings in 5 of the last 6 seasons . . .there’s really not much of an excuse for him to have figured out some things, although obviously he’s still young.

Yeah, he was horribly rushed. But frankly I’m skeptical that he would be a different pitcher if he had followed a more traditional route of development.

by mrkupe on Mar 16, 2009 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions