Twins notes: Injuries slow Durbin's progress

CHICAGO -- Top Twins pitching prospect J.D. Durbin has been placed on the disabled list at Class AA New Britain because of a shoulder injury.

Durbin was scratched from his start Friday because of soreness, and a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a slightly torn right labrum. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said Sunday from Connecticut that the club is waiting to learn what the next step is.

When asked if surgery was a possibility, Ryan said, "I'll let you know in a day or so."

Durbin is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA at New Britain. He impressed coaches during spring training and was thought to be close to major league-ready. The club sent him to New Britain, and not Class AAA Rochester, so he could fine-tune his changeup.

Righthander Scott Baker, a second-round pick last year, has been promoted from Class A Fort Myers to replace Durbin.

Helling, Ryan meet

"It was a very good and up-front discussion," Ryan said. "There's no hidden agendas with either of us. He wants to be in the big leagues, and I certainly can see that. He is ready to go."

Helling, who in spring training was expected to be the Twins' fifth starter, is ready to join the team after recovering from a broken lower right leg, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said there's no room for him right now. There's a chance Helling could asked to be released, and Ryan said he would not turn down such a request.

"He said he was going to give me a decision in the next day or two," Ryan said.

Newman makes it

"I made it back to spring training, opened the season and came back to Chicago," he said, "where it happened."

On Sept. 10, Newman suffered a brain hemorrhage before a Twins-White Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field that led to 16 days in a Chicago hospital.

Back for the first time, Newman couldn't enter the training room, where he was laid out, until Saturday. And he refused to go into the dining area, where he ate nachos before he was stricken.

"In my mind, I had been thinking about this for two weeks, knowing I was coming back here," Newman said. "The fans on that side welcomed me back and cheered me. Even though they were White Sox fans, they enjoyed me."

Newman warned his fellow coaches to not take it personally if he acted aloof during the series. But it ended up being a fun weekend. Dr. Jeffrey Labele, the physician who treated him, attended Friday's game, and the nurses from the same hospital came to Saturday's game.

"The doctor came with his son," Newman said. "He told me that if I got healthy and got back on the field that he would become a Twins fan and come to the game. He had never been here before."

Third base problems

Corey Koskie, who is on the disabled list because of with a strained sternum, has had back issues problems in the past. Class AAA Rochester third baseman Terry Tiffee is just returning to action after recovering from a sore lower back.

Now Matt Moses, the Twins' first-round pick last year, is in the Twin Cities because of has a bulging disk.

Moses, who is having trouble walking, recently received an injection in his back and will have more tests done this week.

Etc.

• Chicago's Frank Thomas was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing with plate umpire Jim Wolf after his third strikeout of the game.