Porcello avoids arbitration: Detroit RP Rick Porcello agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million contract on Monday to avoid salary arbitration, according to MLB.com. Porcello posted a 14-9 record with a 4.75 ERA in 31 starts last season. He also fanned a career-high 104 batters in 182 innings for the Tigers. (Updated 01/16/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 2/13/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Porcello also appeared in four postseason games with two starts for Detroit, but was roughed up for a lackluster 4.80 ERA. The right-hander was hampered by consistency issues throughout the 2011 campaign, but turned just 23 years old during the offseason and is still developing into a major league pitcher. Fantasy owners should look to him as a late-round selection with upside in drafts for the upcoming season. (Updated 01/16/2012).
02/09/2012 01:58 2012 Fantasy outlooks: Detroit Tigers
Detroit has lofty expectations heading into the new season, and Fantasy owners are feeling pretty good about the options in the Motor City. Our Al Melchior takes a look at a team and who to target in his Fantasy team outlook.
What's that? Rick Porcello won 14 games last year? Shoot, he was so busy stinking it up in every other aspect of the game that most Fantasy owners probably didn't even notice. Among the 93 pitchers with enough innings to qualify, Porcello ranked 78th in WHIP (1.41), 83rd in strikeouts per nine innings (5.1), 84th in ERA (4.75) and 89th in hits per nine innings (10.1). The only other pitchers to rank in the bottom 20 of those four categories, much less the bottom 16, were Fausto Carmona, Mike Pelfrey, Jake Westbrook, Livan Hernandez, Brad Penny and Jeff Francis, and you don't see Fantasy owners going head over heels for any of them on Draft Day. Why should Porcello be any different? Because he was an elite prospect once upon a time? Well, his pure stuff may look good, as does Carmona's and Pelfrey's, but during his time in the big leagues, he has proven to be imminently hittable, with his WHIP rising every year. Don't make the mistake of thinking his win total is a sign of progress. Until he takes a legitimate step forward, the 23-year-old is an option better left for AL-only leagues. (Updated 1/5/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
= probable start