3/4 Grapefruit League Recap

Rick Porcello is a 24-year old right handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers that has won double-digit games in each of his four major league seasons in Detroit.  In 2012, Porcello went 10-12 and had a career high in strikeouts with 107.

And because of the wealth of arms in the Detroit organization, Porcello can be yours for the right price.  Porcello has been amid numerous trade talks this week, including a report that the Texas Rangers asked Detroit on Monday about his availability.  Texas lost one of their candidates for the fifth spot in their rotation when Martin Perez suffered a broken bone above his left wrist after being hit with a line drive on Sunday.  Those reports have not been confirmed or denied by either team as of this post, but a guy like Porcello could be valuable to a team who needs a starting pitcher.

Porcello took the hill on Monday as the Tigers' starter against Houston, and he was phenomenal, throwing four scoreless innings, while allowing just three hits and recording six strikeouts.  Porcello for the spring has pitched eight innings and allowed just three runs, with all of those coming in his second start against Atlanta.  Porcello has struck out 10 hitters and walked none.  If Porcello is on the trading block, I'll gladly take him in Texas.

Scores from Monday:

Detroit 8, Houston 5
Minnesota 7, St. Louis 0
Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 0
Atlanta 4, N.Y. Mets 2
Boston 5, Tampa Bay 1

Notes:
Detroit got three RBI from their catcher Alex Avila, who was slotted as the designated hitter against Houston on Monday.  New addition Torii Hunter had a pair of hits in four at-bats for the Tigers, while Prince Fielder finished the game 1-2.  Jason Maxwell had a home run in the loss for Houston, his only hit of the game.  Aaron Hicks of the Twins went 2-5 on Monday, including a two-run homer off of Cardinals closer Jason Motte.  Brandon Boggs also contributed to the cause with a solo home run for Minnesota.  Lance Lynn started for the Cardinals, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on five hits.  Michael Wacha, the Cardinals young pitching prospect, pitched 2 2/3 innings and struck out three Twins hitters while allowing two hits and no runs.  Michael Young and Ben Revere, two of the Phillies off-season acquisitions, paced Philadelphia in their 5-0 win over Pittsburgh.  Young went 2-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI, while Revere went 2-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.  Pittsburgh starter A.J. Burnett, who is the Pirates Opening Day starter in 2013, pitched 1 1/3 innings allowing four hits and four runs.  Burnett lost his third decision of the spring, putting him at 0-3.  Justin Upton and Chris Johnson, the two main players in the Braves trade with Atlanta this off-season, homered in the Braves win over the Mets.  Upton's homer was his only hit in the game, while Johnson finished 3-3.  Tim Hudson started for the Braves, pitching four innings allowing two runs on six hits.  Marlon Byrd, who is competing for a job as a starter in that mess of a Mets outfield, finished the day 1-2 with two RBI, the only ones of the game for New York.  And finally, Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 1-2 with a double to raise his spring average to .400 for the Red Sox, and Pedro Ciriaco went 1-3 with an RBI as Boston knocked off American League East rival Tampa Bay.  Jeremy Hellickson started for the Rays, pitching three innings of one run, two hit baseball while striking out four Red Sox hitters.