Bruce Rondon, the rookie pitcher with the golden arm, stood in the Tigers' clubhouse.

"What's the fastest you have ever thrown?" I asked.

"Here in Florida, 104," he said through a translator.

This is magical, mythical territory, even if it was during a minor league game.

"Can you control 104?" I asked.

His smile grew wide.

"Yeah," he said, full of confidence.

"You can?" I asked, stunned if not skeptical.

"Strike out," he said, smiling.

This is what excites the front office. Rondon's a big kid with a golden right arm and a ton of confidence. This is why they did not try to find a closer. They hope he can do it in the big leagues.

Joaquin Benoit, another reliever, stood a few feet away, listening to the conversation.

"I want to see that," Benoit said, laughing and teasing the young teammate. "That doesn't mean I want to catch it. I want to see it. Because you can talk ... but I don't know."