Minnesota
Twins Rookie Pitcher, JD Durbin, was born on February
24, 1982, in Portland, Oregon. He is a 2000 graduate
of Coronado (AZ) High School where he played baseball
and football. He was named to the baseball and
football Arizona All-State teams in 2000. He was
drafted in the 2nd round by the Twins in 2000.
After spending several successful years in the
minors, he made his big league debut on September
8, 2004, with the Minnesota Twins.
In 2002, he was named Minnesota's
Minor League Pitcher of the Year and had a season-high
8-game win-streak. He led the club in games started,
wins, ERA and innings pitched. He led the league
in strikeouts and tied for lead in games started
and innings pitched. He was second in wins. In
2003, JD led the Twins' minor leaguers in wins,
games started, innings pitched, and strikeouts.
He was sixth among all minor leaguers in innings
pitched and eighth in wins.
With all of his success in the minors, J.D. Durbin has
been labeled fast-talking, bold and brash. He acquired
the nickname "Real Deal" just minutes after
his professional baseball career began. Proudly returning
to the dugout after a successful first inning in the rookie-level
Gulf Coast League, he turned to a teammate and said, "See,
I told you I was the real deal." Ron Gardenhire,
Twins Manager, said, “"I'm a loud person myself,
I’m OK as long as he doesn't irritate the person
around him and kind of bother people with some of his
stuff ".
At the encouragement of the coaching staff, veterans Torii
Hunter and Joe Mays each pulled JD Durbin aside last spring
and told him, well, to shut up. Some of his antics were
starting to chafe certain people in the clubhouse. He
heeded the advice, but he just wasn't the same when he
got called up in September -- he made four appearances,
including one start.
"Now that I've got to know
him, I know he's a good kid," Hunter said.
"What I told him last year -- throw it out
the window. Be yourself, man, be yourself. If
that's the way you can pump yourself up to play
this game, if you've been pitching well in the
minor leagues just being cocky ... don't change
for nobody."
He is cocky, yes, but JD is lauded
for his caring nature and his sincerity. During
a recent interview, he made sure a reporter's
recorder was ready before beginning to talk. During
breaks in workouts, he's consistently asking teammates
if they need water. He has also received high
marks for his hustle, his attention to detail
and his willingness to work overtime. During spring
training games, pitchers are allowed to leave
after the fifth inning if they've already thrown
or aren't scheduled to that day, but JD Durbin
stays the whole game.
Despite his successful rise through the organization,
JD still has plenty to learn, and an injury-free
spring by Twins pitchers will probably send him
to Triple-A Rochester.
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