Baker cops Eastern League’s Pitcher of Week

NEW BRITAIN -- Scott Baker needed little time to make an impact on the Eastern League.

All the right-hander from Shreveport, La., did was retire the first 19 Double-A hitters he faced May 18 before settling for a one-hit shutout of the Portland Sea Dogs. His encore engagement in Norwich on Sunday was also top-notch. In eight innings, he allowed five hits and one earned run.

A first week with a 2-0 record and 0.60 ERA earned him the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Award.

Baker’s impeccable control is a major factor in his success. In 60 innings between New Britain and Class-A Fort Myers, he has walked seven. In two seasons of pro ball, only 15 hitters have worked him for free passes in 110 2/3 innings. The only walk he’s issued in two games (15 innings) with the Rock Cats was intentional.

"I just try to get guys out early in the count," Baker said. "I’m honestly not trying to strike anybody out. I come right at them, even if it’s a 2-2 or 3-2 count. I want them to put the ball in play."

Pitching coach Stu Cliburn cites confidence and preparation as key ingredients in Baker’s makeup.

"He has mound presence, confidence and an air about him," Cliburn said. "That’s going to lead him to making pitches. He’s got a smooth delivery and he’s under control."

Cliburn added that developing the type of feel for the game Baker has comes from a lifetime of concentration between the lines.

"You’ve got to have baseball instincts to be successful," Cliburn said. "That comes from the mental approach to the game and focus as well as the physical ability. It’s not something you can teach. It’s got to be something that’s been learned since you were a kid playing Little League."

Baker, 22, corroborated Cliburn’s thought.

"You have to stay focused and stay within yourself," he said. "Growing up, I put a lot of effort into mechanics. I’d make my mechanics great, not just good. Having a repeatable delivery really helps in throwing strikes. I’m able to repeat my delivery every time."

Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan got a chance to see Baker’s near-perfect performance.

"He’s the ideal pitcher because he’s got powerful stuff and he’s around the plate," said Ryan, who chose Baker in the second round of last June’s amateur draft. "That’s the combination that all of us in the industry are looking for.

"He’s got plenty of zip on his fastball. He’s got nice tilt and power to his breaking ball and a good feel for the change. Those are pretty good qualities to have. He’s athletic and I like the fact that more often than not he gets you right around that seventh inning. He’s a guy who should get you deep into games and give the bullpen a break. He’s one of our better guys."

DURBIN MENDING QUICKLY: The timing of Baker’s emergence couldn’t have been more perfect for the Rock Cats due to J.D. Durbin’s shoulder injury.

Durbin underwent arthroscopic surgery on Friday and will miss at least a month, but is doing extremely well.

"I’ll get the sutures out in nine or 10 days when we return from the road trip," Durbin said. "Right now I have full range of motion and no pain. I feel like I’m ahead of schedule but we’ll see what the doctor says."

Durbin never felt severe pain but said the shoulder deteriorated with each start.

"It was getting stiffer and stiffer," he said. "(Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Joyce) went in there and cleaned up the labrum, the bicep tendon and the rotator cuff. It was just the wear and tear of 15 years of throwing."

The surgery hasn’t dimmed Durbin’s aspiration of making it to the majors before the year is out. He originally hoped to join the Twins for their visit to his home state Arizona July 2 for a three-game interleague set with the Diamondbacks.

"The organization still has me on the same path," Durbin said. "It’s a good thing it happened early. I’ll get back in the swing of things and end the season healthy. If I blew it out at the end of the year, I would have come into spring training not knowing if I was healthy or not."