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

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