Another bumpy start for Chad Durbin
Rich Dubee made a point of labeling Chad Durbin "a slow starter" during spring training. Opposing scouts were skeptical. Two questioned what Durbin, 35, had left. His eight pitches Monday did little to dissuade that notion.
Another bumpy start for Chad Durbin
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
ATLANTA — Rich Dubee made a point of labeling Chad Durbin "a slow starter" on more than one instance during spring training. Opposing scouts were skeptical. Two questioned what Durbin, 35, had left.
His eight pitches in Monday's season opener did little to dissuade that notion. Dan Uggla walked. Chris Johnson doubled. Gerald Laird singled.
Charlie Manuel, long a supporter of Durbin, emerged with a quick hook. Two Braves runs scored to dig an even deeper hole. Cole Hamels was the primary offender Monday, but Durbin did not help in the 7-5 loss.
"He looked like he was having trouble with his breaking ball," Manuel said. "Maybe it was slick because it was chilly. He couldn’t find his breaking ball at all."
The manager was referring to Durbin's cutter, which he used exclusively against Uggla. The first two he threw were strikes. The second two were balls. Uggla walked on six pitches.
Johnson hit the first pitch he saw, a fastball, for a double. Laird also hacked at the first pitch, another fastball, and singled.
(A few fans on Twitter noted that Manuel did not wait for the Braves' pinch-hitter, Juan Francisco, to be announced before making the pitching change. Francisco never appeared in the official box score. Reed Johnson pinch-hit when the lefty Jeremy Horst entered. But Manuel said he saw the umpire wave Francisco into the game — Francisco was scratched out on Manuel's lineup card — before making the pitching change. It is possible the official scorer did not see the umpire's signal and Francisco's fake plate appearance disappeared into baseball's twilight zone. Either way, it was inconsequential to the game's outcome.)
The numbers support Durbin's traditional slow starts. His ERA in the month of April is 6.29. His career ERA is 4.95. But in 2008, his best season, he was sharpest from April to July and shaky in August and September.
Last season, while pitching for Atlanta, Durbin allowed six runs in his first three outings. His ERA in his final 73 games was 2.33. The Phillies hope for a similar trend in 2013.
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Too early in the season, but why allow an ineffective Cole Hamels to pitch close to 100 pitches? Then we wonder why our big pitching investments get tired arms, injured etc. Durbin should be a mop up pitcher, Horst is a "horse".. Valdes, anybody but Durbin who should not be on the team! (bring up Stutes!)— march951- same old same old - Durbin stinks— majpooper
- It was game one of 162 games. Granted, if anyone told any of us that the Phillies would score 5 runs with Cole on the hill, most of us would have thought "W". As for Durbin, I'd give it at least a few more games, hopefull, not in close games, to see what he has left. Remember, Stutes is waiting in the minors as is DeFratus. For those who thought last season's "Horst" debut was bunk, he looked like the 2nd lefty behind Bastardo we saw last season. Aumont got out of the 8th, again, some very wild pitches, but some of that wildness sets up his nasty heater/breaking pitches. Liked what I saw except from the $147 million dollar man. He looked like a deer in headlights, most likely due to being in the spot light. His next start will be one of the good old Cole. Bottom of the line up did some nice things (Mayberry Jr and Kratz). Howard looked like he pressed a bit, but he will be fine. Again, if we average 5 runs per game, we'll be just fine.— drhoffman
- Durbin should wear kevlar under his jersey.— Grazman
- Charlie needs a bench coach who is a tactician, not a former bullpen coach who is more known for his humor.— Dull
- What Manuel needs is to be sent to the glue factory. The guy is an absolute cluster f**k in the dugout without the likes of Jimy Williams and Davey Lopes to guide his sorry a**.
- Get used to it. Season over by July 1, tickets will be $5 just like last year. Still tickets left for opening day. What does that tell you?— intelliwoman
- Durbin=Qualls— kissamiazz
- Durbin stinks in a Phillies uniform. Did before and same old show with his return. Cut bait and fish somewhere else.— JimB
- I like Chad. He's a good teammate. He can still pitch in the bigs.— NW Joe
- NO surprise there....Thank you Reuben.....just another bad decision on your part.....You have destroyed this club...Please leave...— nuggett
- Manuel should retire, he is not on top of his game, who can blame him, his almost 80. Time for the Ryne Sandberg era to begin, first move release Durbin. Never could figure out why he was signed, we didn't get enough of him the last go-around???— PhilliesWS2013
- So let's have him NOT PITCH til the month of June! The only guy I know who hangs more stuff than Durbin, is Mr. Wallpaper here in town. You name, he hangs it. Durbin can NOT be used by Manuel in the same role he was used in, back in '08. He kept games close then til we could come back later and win. That's not the Durbin we have now, 5 years later! This Durbin is the guy you put into the game when we're losing 10-1 in the 2nd inning and hope he gives you 5 innings so you don't have to blow up the whole pen for one game. Mrs. Durbin, you should stand corrected.— Mark1npt
- Durbin did not look good in spring training and got knocked around pretty good. I saw one game where he have up 2 home runs. Chad may be on the down side of his career even though his numbers were decent last year.— Grapost
- where does Rube find these gems? Durbin, Qualls, Baez, Herndon. We really don't have a better option than these?— coloradoeagle
- Any baseball man who is surprised that Durbin stinks should be in another profession. This guy was lousy with the Phillies last time around and hasn't made any miraculous change in ability. Chad Qualls last year...now Chad Durbin. Who's next, Chad Lowe?— gentian
- Amaro could not see that Durbin was a bust the last time he was here. Durbin was right under his nose and he could not see it. Amaro is continually showing that he is not the man for the GM job.— Lets Eat
- It's Amaro's sick philosophy: Why shop at Bloomingdale's when he can get away with things from KMart. Therefore, Durbin rather than someone like Soriano.— gentian
- Everyone of the coaches seems to know Durbin has slow starts; Why not bring him in July. His career from what I recall, was feast or famine. It seems to make sense to let the young arms go through the ups/downs and gain the experience. I just don't understand bringing in someone with a history of inconsistency, but now with his age factor.— phillyjk
- FIRE RUBE THE BOOOB NOW!— 658012
- durbin was blue light special— 658012
- Durbin is like Mrs. Gump's box of chocolates— penguinhater
- Hey people...it's ONE game. And for the people who obviously know nothing about this team, Durbin was actually good for this team for an extended period of time. Gotta love the ever informed bandwagon Phillies fans. Dont even remember this guy pitched for the team and blame everything that happens on the field on the GM.— ryanrockzzz
- Durbin has been great in May. He's a slow starter. That's why you don't use him when you're trailing in Game One of the season 5-3.— Freedom Fries
