chad durbin

Subject: chad durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:22 am

hi guys
i know i follow my team closly. but i missed this one. how did we lose chad durbin. he is with the phillies. was it a rule 5 thing? or did we not have the room on a 40 man roster? i think he did well for us. and i was hoping he could team up with miner for long relief
how did we lose him?
thanks for the help. i never knew we lost him

Subject: Re: chad durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:35 am

12/12/2007 7:40 PM ET
Tigers part ways with Durbin
Free agent right-hander looking for starting role with new club
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

With seven players eligible for arbitration, including newly acquired stars Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, the Tigers entered Wednesday's non-tender deadline with some tough financial decisions to ponder.

They took care of one of those arbitration-eligibles with the signing of left-handed reliever Tim Byrdak to a one-year deal worth $712,500, plus another $12,500 if he appears in 55 or more games in '08.

But while Byrdak is being kept in the fold, Chad Durbin has been set free.

In addition to the Byrdak signing, the Tigers announced Wednesday that they will not tender a contract to the right-handed Durbin, meaning he is now a free agent eligible to sign with any Major League team.

Though Durbin provided some needed depth to an injury-depleted rotation in '07, going 8-7 with a 4.72 ERA in 36 outings (including 19 starts), his arbitration eligibility dictated that he was due for a hefty raise from the $385,000 he made this past year. The Tigers also have Zach Miner and Jason Grilli in the fold to handle the right-handed middle relief duties.

"I anticipated some difficulties in bringing me to arbitration," Durbin wrote in an e-mail to MLB.com. "I couldn't foresee being paid like a back-end starter while staying out in the bullpen. Being non-tendered allows us to explore the market. My interest will be in finding a place to start and get consistent work."

Durbin said the Tigers were professional throughout the process.

The course that lies ahead for the Tigers will likely include an attempt to lock Cabrera and Willis up with multiyear contracts. Both are eligible for free agency after the 2009 season.

The Tigers' other arbitration-eligible players are left-handers Nate Robertson and Bobby Seay and outfielder Marcus Thames.

Perez deal: The Detroit Free Press reported that the Tigers have signed outfielder Timo Perez to a one-year deal worth a maximum of $525,000 if he sticks with the big league club or $150,000 if he plays in the Minors, but the deal has not been officially announced.

Perez had been designated for assignment on Nov. 30, and outrighted to the Minors last week. He had two call ups to Detroit last season, batting .389 with 13 RBIs in 29 games. He would likely enter Spring Training with a shot at landing a reserve role.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Subject: Phillies sign Jenkins and Durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:42 am

12/20/2007 1:09 PM ET
Phillies sign Jenkins and Durbin

Subject: Re: chad durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:55 am

I will miss seeing cdurb on the mound. One of the few I wasn't too nervous about taking over in the 5th inning.
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: chad durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:48 am

thanks for the help
i honestly did not know how he left.. but i can see he left to make salary room
i like this board so far. fast answers
go tigers
cougar

Subject: Re: chad durbin Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:52 am

just keep comin' back, cougar. It's fun!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Guest

That was one of the hardest days ever for me. I never thought I would like a baseball player that much!

I found him working out with the Phillies the other day.

Subject: Re: chad durbin Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:19 am

eek! a sea of red! but he looks happy.
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Guest

ik! at least he is happy. he's #37...the only reason i don't like that is because that's Kenny Rogers's number.

Subject: Re: chad durbin Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:08 am

he doesn't even LOOK good in red!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Guest

i am pretty forced to like it, whether I like it or not!

Subject: Re: chad durbin Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:50 pm

as long as he's happy....
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: chad durbin Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:12 pm

Durbin adds versatility to Philly 'pen
Right-hander has important experience relieving and starting
Philadelphia Phillies

Entering Thursday, Chad Durbin was 2-1 with a 1.51 ERA over 41 2/3 innings. (Paul Sancya/AP)
Phillies Headlines

At the conclusion of the 2007 season, the Phillies front office made it clear that its top priority in the offseason was pitching. Primarily looking for a starter, the Phillies also emphasized the importance of adding depth to the bullpen. The trade for Brad Lidge accomplished both by allowing last year's closer, Brett Myers, to move back into the starting rotation. To further bolster the pitching staff, Phillies senior vice president and general manager Pat Gillick signed versatile free agent Chad Durbin. With an arm that can work in the rotation or the bullpen, the 30-year-old right-hander will do whatever he can to help the Phillies win.
Durbin's long and winding road to Philadelphia began in Spring Valley, Ill., where he grew up. A gifted athlete, he claims that no one person pushed him into the game of baseball. His parents, Deb and Joe Pearson, were both very athletic and excelled in other sports in their youth, just not baseball. So what got Durbin into America's pastime?

"Cubs baseball on WGN," recalled Durbin. "I loved watching Ryne Sandberg play. I learned a lot of baseball by watching the Cubs play and I was a fan until I started to play pro ball."

When his family moved down south to Baton Rouge, La., a then 12-year-old Durbin maintained his allegiance to the Cubs. Since the southern climate allowed baseball to be played year-round, Durbin began to pitch in addition to playing shortstop. He starred in baseball and basketball at Woodlawn High School and was named the Louisiana Class 4-A High School Most Valuable Player as a shortstop his senior year.

Despite receiving a few offers to play basketball at local colleges (he was an excellent ball handler) and signing a letter of intent to play baseball at Louisiana State University, Durbin ended his tenure as a Cubs fan when the Kansas City Royals selected him in the third round of the 1996 First-Year Player Draft right out of high school.

After spending three years in the Royals' farm system between stops in Michigan, Delaware, Kansas and Nebraska, Durbin finally got his first taste of the Majors when he made his debut in relief for Kansas City in 1999 at the age of 21.

"I made my debut in old Tiger Stadium in the last series ever there. That was pretty cool and something I'll never forget."

After stints with KC, Cleveland and Arizona and a year in the Nationals organization, Durbin found himself back in Detroit, this time pitching for the team he debuted against. Although he only appeared in three games for the 2006 American League champion Tigers, Durbin played a large role in the team's Triple-A championship that year as the Toledo Mud Hens won the International League crown. In that season, Durbin pitched as a starter and led the league in strikeouts, while ranking fifth in ERA and tied for fifth in wins.

Durbin began the 2007 season in Detroit's starting rotation before being moved to the bullpen in June. Overall, he made 47 starts in 67 total appearances during his two years in the Tigers' organization. When he became available in the free-agent market, he caught the eye of several teams, but the Phillies, who needed pitching depth, were especially interested because of Durbin's versatility.

Heading into this season, Gillick was asked about Durbin's role. "Chad is going to fit in real well with our club. He gives Charlie [Manuel] and [pitching coach Rich] Dubee the option of starting or middle relief, and he's a competitor."

Durbin, who has taken a blue-collar approach to his role with the club, finds his situation with the Phillies similar to his time with Detroit.

"I feel like I can help wherever," Durbin said. "If it's starting, if it's middle relief, if it's the seventh inning or if it's long relief, I don't care. I want to help this team win. I'll go out there and do what they tell me to do. If everybody is healthy and pitching well, then we're in pretty good shape. That's better for the team."

So far this season, Durbin has proven to be a valuable offseason acquisition. Entering Thursday, he had allowed seven earned runs in 41 2/3 innings pitched to post a 1.51 ERA over 28 appearances.

"I'm just finding a role among guys that have big roles not only on this team but in the league. I'm just trying to find my niche and play my part."

In addition to playing his part on the diamond, Durbin has taken on some new roles off the field.

First, he became a father when he and his wife Crystal welcomed their first child, son Cade, into the world nine months ago. "I always anticipated being a good dad, and when Cade finally arrived, it just felt like I was always meant to be one," said Durbin.

Then last month, with the help of his business partner, Jake Chapman, he launched his own business, an online recruiting community called Showcase U (www.showcaseu.com). According to Durbin, the site is designed to take athletes to the next level by letting them showcase themselves in an online community. High school and college athletes can post video of themselves on the site, plus they can find equipment and workout camp information and verify their statistics.

"We've put three years into this," Durbin explained. "Showcase U is a way for coaches, student-athletes, parents and facilities to interact. Coaches can search through their database. Kids can post video. It's going to be really easy for smaller colleges to recruit kids. It's the next level. The idea is, showcase yourself."

A pitcher, father and an entrepreneur, Durbin plans to showcase his versatility to Phillies fans all season long.
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Guest

Thanks for posting!

I already created a thread in the Phillies thread about it.

It's a great article.

Subject: Re: chad durbin Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:44 pm

Thanks, cdurb! I knew everyone reading in the "Old Players" section would want to know how he was doing!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971