GDT: 4/14/09 - DET (4-4) VS CWS (4-3) - 1:05 p.m. ET - RAIN

DETROIT -- On a day when the Tigers will remember former great Mark Fidrych, who passed away Monday, their latest rookie sensation will get his first home start.

It won't be the atmosphere for an Opening Day, but the arrival of 20-year-old Rick Porcello is a big deal in the Motor City, where Justin Verlander's starts were events and Joel Zumaya attracted a cult following when he entered games in their rookie seasons. And of course, it's the place where Fidrych became a national story with his incredible rookie campaign in 1976.

Porcello, however, isn't looking at this start for the history or the hysteria. He's looking at the opponent.

"I think the biggest thing is that it's big because we need to go out there and win," Porcello said after Monday's 10-6 loss to the White Sox. "That's first and foremost. I want to go out there and pitch well at home in front of our fans, and I kind of want to get us back on track here."

The White Sox and their power bats have a history of chewing up young Tigers starters. They beat Verlander four times in five meetings in his rookie season three years ago, including 10 home runs over 25 1/3 innings. They roughed up Andrew Miller for 17 hits over 8 2/3 combined innings in two starts in 2007. They hit Virgil Vasquez for three home runs over 5 2/3 innings with the Tigers that same year.

What separates Porcello, and has so all year so far, is that he behaves so unlike a rookie. Manager Jim Leyland said he has made a point to talk with Porcello daily during batting practice, and he's starting to learn the personality.

"I don't think there's a big difference between [ages] 22 and 20 if you're Porcello," Leyland said. "Somebody else, it might be, but this kid's very mature beyond his age, I think. Age to me is just a number. He's more mature than some 25-year-olds I've been around.

"I look at him as a Major League pitcher. He's a very interesting guy, and he's here. This is about performance."

The White Sox victimized another Tigers sinkerballer, Zach Miner, for three homers and eight runs total over 3 1/3 innings in the series opener Monday afternoon. Those struggles, however, came in cold, dry conditions that seemingly left Miner and White Sox starter Gavin Floyd unable to grip a ball.

The forecast calls for slightly warmer temperatures Tuesday, but also a good chance for intermittent showers. It certainly won't be dry, but the Tigers are hoping to avoid a washout or a rain delay that might knock out Porcello early and send the Tigers to the bullpen for long relief for the second straight day.

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Rick Porcello (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
Porcello's Major League debut Thursday at Toronto turned on a pair of home runs that sent him to defeat. However, he still gave a good look at the poise and pitching acumen that convinced the Tigers he could handle the jump from Class A ball to the Majors at the age of 20. Now he'll try to build off that outing with the extra challenge of facing a powerful White Sox team known for chewing up young Tigers pitchers over the past few years, such as Verlander.

CWS: LHP John Danks (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Although Danks felt as if he wasn't efficient enough with his 95 pitches, the southpaw still threw six scoreless innings during the White Sox loss to the Royals on Thursday. Danks gave up just three singles, while walking three and striking out five. He also had to pitch out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third, courtesy of Mark Teahen's line-drive double play. The southpaw posted a 2-0 record with a 2.41 ERA against the Tigers in 2008, and he has a 2-1 career mark against Detroit.

Tidbits
The Tigers are hoping to put Carlos Guillen back in left field Tuesday, depending on how his sore right Achilles tendon feels. He spent Monday as the designated hitter. If he ends up the DH again, Marcus Thames could start in left.
... Magglio Ordonez is 10-for-17 lifetime off Danks, with three doubles, a home run and six RBIs, including 4-for-9 last year.
... Brandon Inge's start Monday was his 1,000th game with the Tigers, making him one of 14 active Major Leaguers to play at least 1,000 games with the team so far in their careers.

To track MLB play-by-play: http://m.mlb.com/scores/

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FS-D HD

On radio
• WXYT 1270 AM

Up next
• Wednesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. White Sox (Jose Contreras, 0-1, 7.20 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 0-1, 9.35) at Mariners (Felix Hernandez, 1-0, 4.15), 10:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

CWS


DET

Goooo Tigers!!!

And may the Bird be with us!

I don't think I can watch this game today

Do it for him!

This has got to be the most heartbreaking opening week I can ever think of.

No pregame today?

GO PORCELLO!!!

SoulRat wrote:

No pregame today?

WTF? Why are the talking about the Wings? Don't tell me it's on FSN+. Why would they put on that channel if there's no reason for it?

It's on regular FSN. I wonder why there was no pre-game show?

Cancelled because of rain--reschedule date TBA.

at least Rod and Mario did a half hour of Bird memories.

It seems like the whole world is crying, it is raining so hard...

Porcello's home debut postponed
No makeup date announced for contest against Chicago

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

04/14/09 12:31 PM ET

DETROIT -- The first cold, rainy day of the season in the Motor City proved too wet for the Tigers and White Sox. Tuesday's scheduled afternoon game has been postponed.

Rain was intermittent all morning and into the early afternoon. It was expected to continue throughout the day and into the evening.

No announcement was immediately available on a makeup date, but the two teams have plenty of options. In addition to common off-days April 30, June 15 and June 22, the White Sox come back to Detroit for two more series this year, a three-game set July 24-26 and the final weekend of the season, Oct. 2-4.

Wednesday was supposed to be the first career start at Comerica Park for Tigers rookie starter Rick Porcello. How this will affect his status wasn't immediately available, either. The Tigers could either push him back to Wednesday's series finale or do something else. Since they have scheduled off-days coming Thursday and Monday, it's unlikely they'll push back the rotation.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers-White Sox rained out, rotation shuffled
Updated with pitching matchups in bold ...
BECK'S BLOG

The first cold, rainy day of the season in the Motor City proved too wet for the Tigers and White Sox. Tuesday's scheduled afternoon game has been postponed.

Rain was intermittent all morning and into the early afternoon. It was expected to continue throughout the day and into the evening.

No announcement was immediately available on a makeup date, but the two teams have plenty of options. In addition to common off-days April 30, June 15 and June 22, the White Sox come back to Detroit for two more series this year, a three-game set July 24-26 and the final weekend of the season, Oct. 2-4.

Tuesday was supposed to be the first career start at Comerica Park for Tigers rookie starter Rick Porcello. Given the conditions and the way they affected starters Zach Miner and Gavin Floyd on Monday, however, it might not have been a fair glimpse for fans at Detroit's top prospect. Both Miner and Floyd seemingly struggled to find a grip on baseballs, and their command suffered.

With Tuesday's rainout, plus scheduled off-days coming Thursday and next Monday, the Tigers shuffled their pitching rotation after the announcement. Porcello will make his next start Sunday at Seattle. Armando Galarraga will make his scheduled start Wednesday, followed by Justin Verlander on the road Friday and Edwin Jackson on Saturday. Galarraga is expected to start again next Tuesday against the Angels.

That leaves Zach Miner out of the rotation for the time being until the Tigers need a fifth starter again late next week.

* Posted on April 14, 2009 at 1:18 PM

No baseball today...

laprimamirala wrote:

at least Rod and Mario did a half hour of Bird memories.

It was great to see that.

This has been one helluva week....

They could have played this game

Was barely raining when it was postponed at 1:15

Dry as a bone when I got back to Trashy Park

Only started raining around 3:30 or so

They could have got at least 5 or 6 innings in


But the Latinos don't want to play in the cold

Bullshit

And that greedy Ilitch will reschedule this game on the hottest day in the summer

I hope Ilitch dies

And soon

I hate that Mafia Queer looking bastard

And of course it will be 62 degrees and sunny on Wednesday

Too hot to wear my Tigers Jacket

And it sure as hell won't be cold when the Tigers come back home

I am starting a new countdown Cold Weather Countdown again

100 to 1

It won't be chilly enough for me to wear my Tigers Jacket again


Be 70 degrees for the Yankees series

Or 80 degrees



And if it were chilly

Which it won't be

The entire series will be postponed

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Porcello's home debut postponed
No makeup date announced for contest against Chicago

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

04/14/09 12:31 PM ET

DETROIT -- The first cold, rainy day of the season in the Motor City proved too wet for the Tigers and White Sox. Tuesday's scheduled afternoon game has been postponed.

Rain was intermittent all morning and into the early afternoon. It was expected to continue throughout the day and into the evening.

No announcement was immediately available on a makeup date, but the two teams have plenty of options. In addition to common off-days April 30, June 15 and June 22, the White Sox come back to Detroit for two more series this year, a three-game set July 24-26 and the final weekend of the season, Oct. 2-4.

Wednesday was supposed to be the first career start at Comerica Park for Tigers rookie starter Rick Porcello. How this will affect his status wasn't immediately available, either. The Tigers could either push him back to Wednesday's series finale or do something else. Since they have scheduled off-days coming Thursday and Monday, it's unlikely they'll push back the rotation.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

They could have played that game


Ilitch!

I hope he chokes to death on all the money he made by ripping off fans today


No good bastard

I hate Obama and Granholm

But I hope they stick it to Ilitch by raising his taxes

Let that Dago pay for B.O's and Granny's socialist programs

Even though I won't be able to afford Tigers tickets because of it

At least I won't waste money on gas and parking for games that get called for no reason anymore

I am gonna move out of Trashy Park soon enough

The hell with it

I rather live in Seattle or SF [ even with all the queers] and be able to enjoy sitting in cool weather most of the baseball season


Don't know how the hell I am gonna get a job there and find a place to live there on my income right now

But I am gonna do it someday

And now Porcello won't pitch until the Seattle Series


Bullshit



Add Leyland to my most hated list also


Jackass

Who knows when Porcello will start a game in Detroit


His ass could be in the minors or the bullpen or the disabled list by the time the Tigers return home


I might not be able to miss work either to see him pitch if it falls on a weekday afternoon



Thanks a lot asshole

I decided I will see Porcello pitch

Even if I can't get the day off because he pitches on a weekday day game in May


Screw my job


I don't want to go back to work on Friday anyway

And when the hell are they gonna announce the make up date


I ain't a corporate ticket holder like many at Comerica[ them rich Jews can write Tigers Tickets as a tax expense[ and it is hard to find someone that only needs one ticket[ if I can't make it]


Be nice to be able to plan my work schedule


But the Tigers will jerk their fans around for days/ weeks before they decide on a time

And then Ilitch wonders why 12,000 people didn't renew their season tickets


They were the smart ones