Detroit Tigers: Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Throw Jacob Turner into the Fire

Jacob Turner will make his MLB season debut today, taking the mound in the Detroit Tigers series finale against the the St. Louis Cardinals.at 1:05 p.m.

Some people think the Tigers should trade Turner, while others think it might still be too early to bring up the 21-year-old right-handed phenom for a permanent role in the rotation—thinking his struggles would leave a debilitating wound, delaying his progress.

There are several different opinions about how the Tigers should handle their No. 1 prospect, but now is the right time to give him a shot.

Despite the Tigers' 3-1 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, Detroit is beginning to generate some momentum, and Turner's entrance comes at a perfect time for him, and for the team.

Out of Westminster Christian High School in St. Louis, Turner threw 91 MPH as a freshman, and was a first-team high school All-American his senior year. He verbally committed to play at the University of North Carolina before deciding to enter the 2009 draft.

In 2010, he played with Single-A West Michigan, and Elevated-A Lakeland, going 6-5, with a 3.28 ERA. He had 102 strikeouts and only 23 walks in 23 starts during his first professional year.

Last season, Turner went 3-5 with Double-A Erie, but still had a respectable 3.75 ERA in 17 starts before advancing to Triple-A. He made three starts for the Toledo Mud Hens, and went 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA.

Turner, the Tigers' ninth overall pick in 2009, made his Major League debut in a spot start on July 30 last season, but was sent back to the minors until the September call-ups.

The Tigers brightest prospect, and top-25 prospect nationally, according to Baseball America, lost his MLB debut last year, giving up two earned runs on three hits, six strikeouts and three walks against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

After being recalled in September, Turner threw 7.1 innings combined in two starts, giving up 10 earned runs, and the Tigers lost each game that he started.

Turner wasn't quite ready for the MLB stage last season, especially after less than two years of professional baseball under his belt. But after a strong offseason, Turner went into 2012 Spring Training in the mix to earn the No. 5 spot in the Tigers rotation.

Because of shoulder tendinitis this Spring, Turner was scratched from consideration for an opening day roster spot, and was relegated back to the minors.

Turner began this season with Lakeland for a rehab assignment before re-joining the Mud Hens. With Toledo, Turner was 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA, this year.

Turner is getting the call now, mostly because of the shape the rotation is in.

Rookie right-hander, Casey Crosby, didn't cut it, going 1-1 with a 9.49 ERA in three starts, and fellow rookie, left-handed Drew Smyly, is out with a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

Enter Turner.

The Tigers have been as careful as they can with the prodigious prospect, but there's no better time than now to throw him out there. With the mess the rotation is in, there isn't much choice anyway, so put the kid out there and see if he can live up to the hype. 

Phil Nevin, Turner's manager in Toledo, said he's turned into a complete pitcher and is ready to face MLB hitters.

"He's becoming more of a pitcher than a thrower, but that's typical of any 18, 19-year-old kid right out of high school," Nevin said to MLive.com's Chris Iott. "But this guy's makeup is far more advanced than most coming out at that level, and we've known that since we got him."

It's important to carefully bring along franchise-caliber pitchers, but with Turner's potential, he'd be best served developing at the Major League level, and going through trial by fire.

The Tigers need a successful shot in the arm (no pun intended) in the rotation, and with the Cardinals in town, what better way to give Turner his season debut than against the team he grew up idolizing?

Living in St. Louis, Turner was a lifelong Cardinals fan and said he's happy for the opportunity to get another chance in the Major Leagues.

"I'm really excited," Turner told MLive.com. "Hopefully I'll make the most out of any opportunity that they give me. I feel like I've been throwing the ball well. It's exciting."

Tigers manager Jim Leyland agrees with the trial-by-fire attitude and said he's curious to see what the kid can do.

"He's going to pitch against his hometown team," Leyland said to the Detroit Free Press' Carlos Monarrez. "He's from around St. Louis. That's good. We tried Casey (Crosby). Pretty obvious he wasn't ready for this yet. So Jacob's been pitching good. So give him a shot. See what happens."

Notes:

--Catcher Alex Avila has been activated from the 15-day disabled list and will start today, batting seventh.

--Catcher Bryan Holaday was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make room for Avila.

--Ryan Raburn will start at second base today, batting sixth.

--Quintin Berry will make his fourth consecutive start in left field, while Don Kelly gets the start in right today.