20 year-old pitcher won 14 games
Thursday, November 05, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.
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DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers righthanded pitcher Rick Porcello was named the Tigers Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters’ Association today.
Porcello led all American League rookie pitchers with 14 wins, while he was seventh with a 3.96 ERA (170.2IP/75ER) and 10th with 89 strikeouts during his first season with the Tigers. He ranked second among all league pitchers with a 2.23 ground ball/fly ball ratio (312 ground balls/140 fly balls) and finished fifth with 24 ground into double plays induced.
His 14 victories marked the most by a Tigers pitcher age 20-or-younger, surpassing Dave Rozema, who won 11 games for the Tigers in 1977 prior to celebrating his 21st birthday on August 5. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the fourth pitcher age 20-or-younger since 1970 to record 14 victories in a season, joining Cincinnati’s Don Gullett in 1971 (16 wins), Minnesota’s Bert Blyleven in 1971 (16 wins) and New York’s Dwight Gooden in 1984 (17 wins) and 1985 (24 wins).
Porcello will be presented with his award prior to a Tigers home game during the 2010 season. The Detroit Sports Broadcasters’ Association has been selecting a Tigers Rookie of the Year since 1969.
