DETROIT (AP) -Rick Porcello's raw ability made him the top prep pitcher in the nation. That talent, along with a steely demeanor, turned the Detroit Tigers right-hander into one of baseball's best newcomers.
``He hates to get beat, and he hates to get hit,'' Tigers catcher Gerald Laird said. ``When guys hit him, he takes offense to it. That's awesome. I love that.''
At 20, Porcello leads major league rookies with eight wins.
Featuring a devastating sinker, a fastball in the mid-90s and emerging command of his off-speed pitches, he's helped stabilize a rotation that's struggled with consistency beyond ace Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson.
The Tigers have won nine of Porcello's last 11 starts, and lead the AL Central.
``We're in the heat of the season now,'' Porcello said. ``I'm locked in. I know the mistakes that I'm making, and I know what I need to do to correct them.''
Selected 27th overall in the 2007 draft, Porcello spent one season with advanced Class A Lakeland before winning a spot in the Tigers' rotation in spring training this year. At 8-5 with a 3.90 ERA, Porcello is drawing winning reviews.
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella was impressed after watching Porcello give up two runs over five innings in a no-decision on June 24.
``You know what's amazing about the big leagues? You can be 20 or you can be 40. You've got to be able to throw strikes and compete and have confidence in yourself. He's got good stuff and he believes in himself,'' Piniella said.
This has a familiar sound to Porcello's mentors at Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J.
Coach Mike Sheppard recalls Porcello's overpowering stuff, even-keel approach and work ethic. Athletic director Joe Walsh put it this way: ``He's the perfect storm.''
The balance of talent and temperament led Tigers manager Jim Leyland to call Porcello ``a gem.'' Leyland, who has kept Porcello under 100 pitches in each of his 15 starts, said he would ``play it by ear'' as to whether that pattern will continue.
While he wants to go deeper into games, Porcello said it was his job to squeeze the most out of his opportunities. And while his sinker has kept him afloat thus far, Porcello's development of off-speed pitches will be the key to his success.
``I feel that my curveball and my slider aren't at a point yet where I'm fully confident (in them as) a put-away pitch. They are serving their purpose right now, trying to get through games and keep us in the game, but I've still got a lot of work with them and a lot of refining to do,'' Porcello said.
That was evident on Monday, when he gave up five runs in 4 1-3 innings in a losing effort against the Athletics. Oakland's Ryan Sweeney said Porcello's go-to pitch became his undoing.
``His whole thing is to try to get ground balls, but when the sinker isn't working and you're able to get a good bat on it, he's going to have trouble being very effective,'' Sweeney said. ``I don't think we saw him at his best.''
Leyland wasn't worried after the showing.
``I'm not concerned about anything about him,'' he said. ``He's done a real good job. He's fine.''
Porcello shrugged off the loss, too.
``There's a lot for me to learn,'' he said. ``I'll take what I can out of it and move on. The biggest thing is to keep working at it and be better next time.''
---
AP freelance writer Rick Eymer in Oakland contributed to this report.
