After five-plus innings and 89 pitches, rookie phenom Rick Porcello was removed from his major league debut Thursday in Toronto. The 20 year-old had what I would call a good rookie outing, and you can see why the Tigers were so quick to promote him to their big league rotation. Porcello had solid stuff and good location for the majority of his first five innings. He's got good sinking action, in addition to running the two-seam fastball in on right-handed hitters. His fastball lived in the low-to-mid-90s (mostly between 91-94), and he showed some confidence in his curveball.
He had a few mistakes, which is normal for a rookie. The home run he allowed to Aaron Hill was a fastball that didn't run, and the home run he gave up to Adam Lind was on a hanger up in the zone. The first run the Jays scored came on a seeing-eye two-out single by Michael Barrett.
What was most impressive, though, was his demeanor. Pitchers are supposed to be the eye of the hurricane -- remaining cool, calm, and collected despite their surroundings -- and Porcello was. He also showed his quiet confidence. After the mistake home run to Hill, for example, he came back after Vernon Wells, catching him looking with a brilliant hook.
Coming from a 20-year-old, this was certainly a step in the right direction.
Fantasy Spin:
Obviously, Porcello is a must-own in keeper leagues where you can hold onto more than a handful of players. He's a must-own in all dynasty leagues. For this year, though, keep your eyes on him in larger AL-Only leagues. The Tigers bullpen already let the game fall apart and blew Edwin Jackson's beautiful outing earlier this week.
Plus, Porcello is bound to have lots of hills and valleys and he adapts to the life of a major leaguer. He's got a ton of upside, but he won't help you much in the short-term, despite the positive signs from the Thursday afternoon outing.
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