http://www.freep.com/article/20130116/SPORTS02/130116055/detroit-tigers-dave-dombrowski-rick-porcello?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Detroit%20Tigers

Must not be able to give the dude away.

However, a little further down in the same article is this nugget

<Dombrowski, on contract negotiations with ace Justin Verlander: "Contract conversations are better off behind the scenes; obviously, we'd love to keep him." >

First I've heard of this important order of business all winter.

Too bad Verlander's not interested in an extension because he wants to play in New York/LA.

Well I guess that's an indication they are likely having talks about an extension. The last part though makes me nervous.

And you know this how?

We both know not to read into this much. I mean it would not look good to have Dombrowski say Porcello has been knocked down to 'spare starter' status, while trade negotiations may be ensuing.

Dombrowski is going to say nice things about Rick, right until the time he's traded...... which I hope isn't until late March at the earliest.

I'm still hoping for "Project Rick", but if a tasty trade is possible it wouldn't break my heart.

I just can't help but wonder though if DD is having difficulty coming somewhere near the value he wants to get for Porcello in return. DD saw what the A's got for GIO last year, and although Porcello is FAR from Gio, DD has to be thinking that Porcello is worth more than what teams are offering...thus DD is playing the "we'll keep him if we have to" card.

Way I see things is we'll trade Porcello, and the second week into camp some SP is going to suffer an injury that will keep them out until July, and we'll be starting the immortal Luke Potkonen or Duane Below anyway.

I think most fans would prefer that Porcello get dealt, and soon. If not the rotation dilemma will likely be resolved by Scherzer or Fister being dealt. The Scherzer talk has been out there. A team trying to return to the World Series, better get a lot in return to trade a guy like Scherzer, but perhaps some team would over pay to get him. I don't see any deal involving Fister, but you never know.

No reason to rush to make a deal (unless someone blows us away). Someone (hopefully not us) will lose a pitcher between now and opening day and Porcello being a cheap plug and play option will likely fetch more when that happens.

trading a starter for the sake of trading one isn't a case of addition by subtraction.

the tigers are a strong team with both smyly and porcello on the staff. in that case smyly. i hope, goes to the pen. especially true with an all righty rotation.

the tigers do not have to make a trade at all. they will be stuck with peralta at short but they are still the strongest team in the ALC. once we get into the post season, we need to sort that out though.

everything that DD says though is to further his goal of improving the team by trade.

Maybe they extend Scherzer & Fister instead, for five years a piece

Scherzer
Fister
Sanchez
Smyly
Porcello

Then trade JV for a bunch before he hits the last year of his contract.

I took the article as DD almost being in a panic mode, and doing his best to brag up Porcello. It appeared to almost be a sales pitch....At least thats the way I took it, and maybe I'm looking into it a bit to far like some of you others are.

However, I'm sure TigerBounce will be on here soon to disagree.

If the Tigers had an infield with decent range and glove at each position ..and perhaps a past or current gold-glover or two ..Porcello would be knocking the door on 18 + wins every year.

I am sure DD knows this ..and rest assured that Porcello knows it too. My gut feeling is that there are a few teams who would do very very well to obtain Porcello.

Did someone create a new rule stating that we can't disagree any longer? I must have missed that.

No dude, but he doesn't post UNLESS he's disagreeing with someone. Its like he's obsessed with doing it. I'm just sayin. Its not tough to agree with someone's point of view.

It's very easy to agree with someone's point of view, unless you disagree.

I am not in a hurry to trade him. He is a quality talent who has not begun to shine. It might be only an assumption on my part, but I do look to see him start to be a somewhat dominating pitcher. When he keeps ball down he is as effective as any #3 starter in in the league.