Leyland Defends Decision To Put Valverde In For Save

Rick Porcello had breezed through eight innings, allowing but one hit while throwing just 84 pitches, so for manager Jim Leyland, it was a no-brainer.

For the ninth inning, Porcello is out and closer Jose Valverde is in.

As it turned out, the first two runners reached base against Valverde but a strikeout and two groundouts put an end to Detroit's five-game losing streak and earned the closer his 11th save in 11 tries.

"Porcello was fantastic," Leyland said. "But to me it was a no-brainer.

"To me, unless it's some guy who's totally lights-out -- not that he wasn't lights-out, but I'm talking about still having overpowering stuff -- to me, a top-notch closer is supposed to be better than your starter after your starting pitcher has gone eight innings and you've got a top-notch closer."

Valverde wasn't a top-notch closer the second half of last season. Well, maybe he was, but the results weren't there.

However, in the first half of last season and so far this year, Valverde has been pretty close to automatic with the game on the line. Eleven-for-11 is pretty tough to beat.

Leyland mentioned Justin Verlander as a pitcher he might let stay in to pitch a ninth inning in a 2-0 game, where he'd only given up one hit and thrown 84 pitches. Saying that intimates Porcello and his 89-92 sinker aren't in the same class as Verlander and his triple-digit fastball, four-foot curve and dynamic changeup.

"We had the best guy out there in the ninth inning," said Leyland, "whether we won or lost.

"It's a no-brainer for me. For other people it's a legitimate second-guess."

He understands the second-guess, Leyland said, it's just for him it wasn't even a second thought.

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