Durbin earns start for Rock Cats

NEW BRITAIN -- The baseball purists among Rock Cats fans who like to see future major league pitchers should make their plans to come to New Britain Stadium early this season.

Right-hander J.D. Durbin will open the season for Rock Cats against the newest feline on the Eastern League block, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, today at 10:35 a.m. Opposing Durbin in the first of five spring installments of Breakfast at Willow Brook will be second-year EL hurler Cam Reimers.

All that separates Durbin from a cozy spot in the Minnesota Twins’ starting rotation is command of his changeup. His well-established mid-90s heater was enough to get him an invitation to the Twins’ major-league camp in spring training. If he proves that he can baffle Double-A hitters with the change, his path will be cleared.

"That’s the reason why I’m back here," said Durbin, 22, who went 6-3 with a 3.14 ERA with the Rock Cats last season. "We’re working on that and then I’ll hopefully move up to the big leagues."

Durbin was roughed up a bit in the Grapefruit League, yielding two homers and five runs in six innings of work. Twins general manager Terry Ryan reassigned him to minor-league camp midway through the spring schedule. In his last spring tune-up on Friday, the 6-foot, 200-pounder from Scottsdale, Ariz., allowed one run in five innings against the Altoona Curve, striking out three and walking one.

"I feel good this year and it’s quite an honor to get the opening-day start," he said. "I was here last year so I’m used to the surroundings. It will be pretty comfortable."

Like so many prospects with Durbin’s credentials, he has big-league mustard on the fastball and can drop the curveball over. But the deceptive nature of the changeup, a relatively new addition to his repertoire, would complete the package.

"It’s just been developed over the last year and a half," he said. "Coming out of high school I never threw it because I could throw the fastball by everybody. But hitters are at a level now where they can catch up to the fastball and it’s been an ongoing thing to learn how to command (the change) better and throw it for strikes."

Durbin readily has accepted the Twins’ challenge to master the pitch here. He will rely heavily on catcher Rob Bowen to work it in regularly.

"I tell him to call it," Durbin said. "In my personal repertoire, I really don’t call it because it hasn’t been a strong pitch, but it’s going to need to be a strong pitch. I told him to call it any time in any count in any situation."

Making that mental adjustment is the foremost thought in his mind as he prepares for this morning’s start.

"Just thinking it’s a good pitch for me and being able to throw it anytime I want is big," he said. "I can throw the fastball and curveball. I’ve been a power pitcher and the changeup is soft. I have to change the hitters’ looks."

He’s found that using the split-finger grip is his best approach.

"I’ve experimented with quite a few. The circle change didn’t work too well for me," he said. "The split-finger is easier for me to command. I broke my pinky finger twice when I was younger and don’t have much feeling in it. It’s tough for me to throw it off the fingers."

THE LINEUP: Manager Stan Cliburn will go with the following lineup against Reimers: James Tomlin, cf; Luis Maza, 2b; Jason Kubel, rf; Billy Munoz, 1b; Kevin West, dh; Ryan Owens, 3b; Rob Bowen, c; B.J. Garbe, lf; Jake Mauer, ss.

Cliburn knows little about New Hampshire but he knows the Toronto minor-league system is among the most productive. The players who led the New Haven Ravens, New Hampshire’s predecessor, to the Northern Division title - center fielder Alexis Rios and catcher Guillermo Quiroz - are gone, but Cliburn expects the Fisher Cats to be strong.

"I’m sure New Hampshire will have a totally new look but their Dunedin team in the Florida State League was very successful," Cliburn said. "They’re going to bring a good team in here."

The Fisher Cats will square off with the Rock Cats Friday at 6:05 p.m., then Saturday and Sunday at 1:35. The Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox’ Double-A club, come in for games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The first two games vs. Portland start at 6:05 with the getaway contest set for 10:35 a.m.

For those who can’t attend, games can be heard on the Buckley Radio Network and New Haven outlet WAVZ-1300AM. Jeff Dooley and Dan Lovallo have the call.