The Windup: The highly anticipated first start of a premier prospect

Max Scherzer was promoted to the rotation after just one appearance as a reliever. Robert Beck/SI

The Diamondbacks, like all responsible teams, prefer to bring their young pitchers along slowly. They like to let them marinate in the minor leagues a little bit. Get a little seasoning. They like to let them soak in a full understanding and appreciation of what it means to be a big-league pitcher.

Max Scherzer, though, has forced the D'backs to blow through that plan like a four-seamer through a pin-handled bat. A lanky right-hander with a high-90s fastball and a penchant for punchouts, the 23-year-old Scherzer will make his big-league starting debut on Monday night when the Diamondbacks host the Phillies.

The anticipation around the team is off the pitch charts.

"He's a very composed kid," manager Bob Melvin told reporters last week. "If we didn't feel he could handle the big leagues at a young age with very little experience, we wouldn't have him here."

Scherzer made his big-league debut last Tuesday as a reliever against the Astros. He faced 13 batters without allowing a hit or a walk. He struck out seven. He was throwing, by some accounts, 98 mph. Afterward, Melvin met with general manager Josh Byrnes to assess the situation. It took them all of about 30 seconds to decide that Scherzer was ready for the rotation.

On the surface, the promotion of Scherzer appears a little hasty and, considering the team's success with what they have (a league-leading 3.35 ERA), maybe a little unnecessary. But the Diamondbacks had been unhappy with the ineffective Edgar Gonzalez, who has moved to the bullpen to make room for Scherzer. And it's not as if Scherzer is being expected to carry the team. He'll slot in behind Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Randy Johnson and Micah Owings.

If all goes right, Scherzer may be simply a stopgap, anyway. Left-hander Doug Davis could return to the rotation later this month after surgery for thyroid cancer. If that happens, Scherzer would probably head back to the bullpen to limit the innings on his young arm -- or maybe return to the minors.

For now, though, Scherzer is fresh, talented and commanding attention. (He has struck out 38 batters this season, by the way, in 23 innings over four starts at Triple-A Tucson.) And if he's as good as everyone around the team expects him to be -- if he's anywhere near where he was last Tuesday against the Astros -- the Diamondbacks are going to have to come up with a whole new plan for their young fastballer.

"I just want him to go out there and do his thing. I don't expect him to strike everybody out like he did the first time out," Melvin said the other day. "But if he strikes every other guy out, we'll be in pretty good shape."