Tigers prospects to compete for rotation job

Tigers prospects to compete for rotation job
Detroit expects five or six to battle for No. 5 spot this spring
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 02/08/12 12:30 PM EST

DETROIT -- The closer the Tigers get to Spring Training, the more likely it appears they'll look to their farm system for their fifth starter. The way it's shaping up, with the first formal workout a week and a half away, they'll have no shortage of candidates to watch.

Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski told a crowd at the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association luncheon on Tuesday that he foresees "five or six" pitchers competing for the lone opening in their rotation -- and one of the few openings left on their projected 25-man roster. The quotes echo what he has said at various points this winter.

The list includes top prospect Jacob Turner, who made three starts for Detroit last summer, and fellow 2011 Tigers Duane Below, Adam Wilk and Andy Oliver. It also includes Drew Smyly, whose first professional season propelled him all the way to Double-A Erie and Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors, as well as Casey Crosby, one of Detroit's promising left-handers before arm injuries put his career on hold for the better part of three years.

It's a large field, and one without a full Major League season among them. But it's a group with talent, and a reflection of the emphasis the Tigers have put on young pitching for the last decade. Well before the Tigers were known as big spenders, they were known for drafting big pitchers.

"We've got some good young arms," Dombrowski told the crowd at the luncheon. "That's the strength of our system really, our young arms, and they're getting real close."

Dombrowski feels comfortable that Below or Wilk could fill the job if they win the role, but that the 20-year-old Turner owns the highest upside potential of the group. Dombrowski doesn't know whether Turner's ready for the big leagues yet, but he knows what he can do whenever he gets there.

Turner went 0-2 in three starts for the Tigers, including a no-decision in his Major League debut July 30. But Dombrowski compared the spot outings to the pair of 2005 starts for Justin Verlander, who learned from his struggles to win AL Rookie of the Year honors the following season and help Detroit to the World Series.

"I don't know if Turner's quite ready or not, but we'll see," Dombrowski said. "I'm interested to see some of those young guys and see where they are at this time in their development, and see if one of them will step up and earn the job."

Smyly is part of that group. He's nearly two full years older than Turner, but will be heading into his first Major League camp, having just been drafted in June 2010.

"Some people in our Minor League system," Dombrowski said, "I don't know if they're right or wrong, but they think he's ready to pitch in the big leagues right now."

Smyly followed up his 11 wins in the Minors by pitching for Team USA at the Pan-Am Games. That experience, Dombrowski believes, could prove valuable. Players coming off success in international competition, he suggested, often end up using that as a springboard into the Major Leagues the following year.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.