21-Year-Old Durbin Makes Jump To Majors
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
So sudden was Chad Durbin's callup to the major leagues last Thursday that he had only a number - 33 - but no last name on the back of his Kansas City Royals jersey.
And unlike the Yankees, the Royals put last names on jerseys. The Kansas City equipment manager didn't have time to sew Durbin's name onto the uniform. Durbin did not make it into the game.
The name Chad Durbin may not mean anything to you.
It will.
Durbin had some special guests watching his debut, which came Sunday in Detroit against the Tigers - Warsaw's Max and Debbie Hebel, his stepfather and mother.
"We couldn't ask for more," Debbie said.
Durbin, a 21-year-old right-hander, pitched 2-1/3 innings, striking out three. He allowed one hit and walked one. He gave up no runs.
He entered with two outs in the third inning. He struck out the first batter he faced, veteran Luis Polonia, he of the left-handed stance and .311 batting average.
Durbin was lucky enough to pitch in the last series played at Tiger Stadium, which closes after this year.
"He was in awe," Debbie said. "He was sitting where Ty Cobb sat."
You know Durbin is 21 and right-handed and talented, but that's it. You want to be able to form an identity in your mind. Perhaps there is no one better to ask than Max, who first met Durbin at age 12 but says he now knows him as well as Debbie does.
"He's always been a go-getter," Max said. "He's a great pitcher. He's tall, dark and handsome. He's always been a good kid. On top of that, he's a nice guy."
Max paused. "He makes me sick," he joked.
Sitting at his home in Baton Rouge, La., is where the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Durbin had been for the past couple of weeks, biding his time between the end of the minor league season and the start of the Arizona Fall League. A job relocated Max and Debbie to Warsaw from Baton Rouge in August 1997. Durbin's dad, Joe Durbin, lives near Elkhart.
Chad Durbin, who has lived in Baton Rouge since age 12, considers Louisiana home. He visits Warsaw when his hectic schedule allows him.
Royals assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson left several voice mails for Durbin, who was out each time Jackson called. Finally the two connected, and Jackson told a stunned Durbin to meet the team in Detroit. Durbin quickly found a flight to Detroit.
Durbin spent 1999 with the Class AA Wichita Wranglers, where he went 8-10 with a 4.64 ERA as a starter. He struck out 122 and walked 49 in 157 innings.
The Scouting Notebook 1999, by Stats Inc., writes this about Durbin: "Righthander Chad Durbin has an exceptional changeup that allowed him to strike out 162 batters in 147.2 innings at high Class A Wilmington (1998), including 16 in one game. He also has a 90-91 mph fastball."
Asked if this report was accurate, Debbie said, "It sure does sound accurate, but mom doesn't know a lot about that when you're talking changeups. Just as long as the guy he faces is sitting down (after making an out)."
Most of the time when major league clubs make their September callups, they do so the first couple days of the month. But the Royals recently ran into a bind when sore shoulders sidelined relievers Chris Fussell and Dan Murray.
The Kansas City players made a nervous Durbin feel welcome right away.
"He said Mike Sweeney was the nicest man in the world," Debbie said. "He put his arm around him and walked him around the clubhouse, introducing him to everyone."
Sweeney, Kansas City's first baseman/designated hitter, is batting .323 with 22 home runs and 102 RBIs.
In a story by Kansas City Star reporter Dick Kaegel, Kaegel wrote Royals manager Tony Muser had this reaction after meeting Durbin: "Does he shave yet?"
Also called up from Wichita at the same time was Lance Carter, who, like Durbin, is pitching middle relief.
"I'll tell you about Durbin and Carter," Muser told the Kansas City Star after their debuts, "they are not scared, and they throw strikes."
That Durbin made it to the majors does not surprise Debbie.
"Oh gosh, no," she said. "As a baby, a ball would quiet him down. Then you know when you get to be 6 or 7, and coaches look for anybody who can get the ball over the plate? They always picked him to pitch."
So his sports career hatched at an early age. Durbin kept at it as he grew up.
"I first knew him at 12," Max said. "I quit playing baseball with him at 14 because he'd burn me up."
All along Durbin talked about how he wanted to pitch in the majors.
"'I'm sure you want to," Debbie recalled saying to him. "'What's plan B?' You know, it was mom doing her job."
Max remembers the time Durbin attended a camp run by Skip Bertman. Louisiana State University is regarded as a college baseball powerhouse, and Bertman coaches that powerhouse.
At the camp Bertman told his athletes he saw about 100 of them there. Out of this 100, he said, maybe 10 of you will play college baseball. Maybe two of you will play in the minors. Maybe, just maybe, one of you may make it to the majors. But that's not guaranteed.
Durbin returned home with an announcement.
"Max, that's me," he said.
Said Max: "He knew he was a baseball player from the getgo."
Durbin attended Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge where he starred not only on the baseball team but also as a guard on the basketball team. He was named the 4A All-State MVP in baseball his senior year, 1996.
During high school, Durbin flirted with LSU, Mississippi State and Alabama. Bertman was ready to give him a scholarship to play baseball for LSU. But after Durbin graduated, the Royals, who had been scouting him, selected him out of high school in the fifth round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft.
He chose the Royals over LSU.
"Mom was freaking out," Debbie joked Wednesday. "'Chad, this is LSU,'" I said.
Durbin has spent the last three years in the minors with the Class A Lansing (Mich.) Lugnuts, Class A Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks and the Wichita (Kan.) Wranglers. All three of Durbin's teams won league championships during his stop.
Durbin has been a starter all three years in the minors but will most likely serve as a middle reliever the rest of the season, which ends Sunday.
"I'm not sure what will happen," Debbie said. "He is definitely going to the Arizona Fall League. Then they will probably invite him to spring training next year."
At least now the last name "Durbin" appears on the back of a major league uniform. [[In-content Ad]]
So sudden was Chad Durbin's callup to the major leagues last Thursday that he had only a number - 33 - but no last name on the back of his Kansas City Royals jersey.
And unlike the Yankees, the Royals put last names on jerseys. The Kansas City equipment manager didn't have time to sew Durbin's name onto the uniform. Durbin did not make it into the game.
The name Chad Durbin may not mean anything to you.
It will.
Durbin had some special guests watching his debut, which came Sunday in Detroit against the Tigers - Warsaw's Max and Debbie Hebel, his stepfather and mother.
"We couldn't ask for more," Debbie said.
Durbin, a 21-year-old right-hander, pitched 2-1/3 innings, striking out three. He allowed one hit and walked one. He gave up no runs.
He entered with two outs in the third inning. He struck out the first batter he faced, veteran Luis Polonia, he of the left-handed stance and .311 batting average.
Durbin was lucky enough to pitch in the last series played at Tiger Stadium, which closes after this year.
"He was in awe," Debbie said. "He was sitting where Ty Cobb sat."
You know Durbin is 21 and right-handed and talented, but that's it. You want to be able to form an identity in your mind. Perhaps there is no one better to ask than Max, who first met Durbin at age 12 but says he now knows him as well as Debbie does.
"He's always been a go-getter," Max said. "He's a great pitcher. He's tall, dark and handsome. He's always been a good kid. On top of that, he's a nice guy."
Max paused. "He makes me sick," he joked.
Sitting at his home in Baton Rouge, La., is where the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Durbin had been for the past couple of weeks, biding his time between the end of the minor league season and the start of the Arizona Fall League. A job relocated Max and Debbie to Warsaw from Baton Rouge in August 1997. Durbin's dad, Joe Durbin, lives near Elkhart.
Chad Durbin, who has lived in Baton Rouge since age 12, considers Louisiana home. He visits Warsaw when his hectic schedule allows him.
Royals assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson left several voice mails for Durbin, who was out each time Jackson called. Finally the two connected, and Jackson told a stunned Durbin to meet the team in Detroit. Durbin quickly found a flight to Detroit.
Durbin spent 1999 with the Class AA Wichita Wranglers, where he went 8-10 with a 4.64 ERA as a starter. He struck out 122 and walked 49 in 157 innings.
The Scouting Notebook 1999, by Stats Inc., writes this about Durbin: "Righthander Chad Durbin has an exceptional changeup that allowed him to strike out 162 batters in 147.2 innings at high Class A Wilmington (1998), including 16 in one game. He also has a 90-91 mph fastball."
Asked if this report was accurate, Debbie said, "It sure does sound accurate, but mom doesn't know a lot about that when you're talking changeups. Just as long as the guy he faces is sitting down (after making an out)."
Most of the time when major league clubs make their September callups, they do so the first couple days of the month. But the Royals recently ran into a bind when sore shoulders sidelined relievers Chris Fussell and Dan Murray.
The Kansas City players made a nervous Durbin feel welcome right away.
"He said Mike Sweeney was the nicest man in the world," Debbie said. "He put his arm around him and walked him around the clubhouse, introducing him to everyone."
Sweeney, Kansas City's first baseman/designated hitter, is batting .323 with 22 home runs and 102 RBIs.
In a story by Kansas City Star reporter Dick Kaegel, Kaegel wrote Royals manager Tony Muser had this reaction after meeting Durbin: "Does he shave yet?"
Also called up from Wichita at the same time was Lance Carter, who, like Durbin, is pitching middle relief.
"I'll tell you about Durbin and Carter," Muser told the Kansas City Star after their debuts, "they are not scared, and they throw strikes."
That Durbin made it to the majors does not surprise Debbie.
"Oh gosh, no," she said. "As a baby, a ball would quiet him down. Then you know when you get to be 6 or 7, and coaches look for anybody who can get the ball over the plate? They always picked him to pitch."
So his sports career hatched at an early age. Durbin kept at it as he grew up.
"I first knew him at 12," Max said. "I quit playing baseball with him at 14 because he'd burn me up."
All along Durbin talked about how he wanted to pitch in the majors.
"'I'm sure you want to," Debbie recalled saying to him. "'What's plan B?' You know, it was mom doing her job."
Max remembers the time Durbin attended a camp run by Skip Bertman. Louisiana State University is regarded as a college baseball powerhouse, and Bertman coaches that powerhouse.
At the camp Bertman told his athletes he saw about 100 of them there. Out of this 100, he said, maybe 10 of you will play college baseball. Maybe two of you will play in the minors. Maybe, just maybe, one of you may make it to the majors. But that's not guaranteed.
Durbin returned home with an announcement.
"Max, that's me," he said.
Said Max: "He knew he was a baseball player from the getgo."
Durbin attended Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge where he starred not only on the baseball team but also as a guard on the basketball team. He was named the 4A All-State MVP in baseball his senior year, 1996.
During high school, Durbin flirted with LSU, Mississippi State and Alabama. Bertman was ready to give him a scholarship to play baseball for LSU. But after Durbin graduated, the Royals, who had been scouting him, selected him out of high school in the fifth round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft.
He chose the Royals over LSU.
"Mom was freaking out," Debbie joked Wednesday. "'Chad, this is LSU,'" I said.
Durbin has spent the last three years in the minors with the Class A Lansing (Mich.) Lugnuts, Class A Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks and the Wichita (Kan.) Wranglers. All three of Durbin's teams won league championships during his stop.
Durbin has been a starter all three years in the minors but will most likely serve as a middle reliever the rest of the season, which ends Sunday.
"I'm not sure what will happen," Debbie said. "He is definitely going to the Arizona Fall League. Then they will probably invite him to spring training next year."
At least now the last name "Durbin" appears on the back of a major league uniform. [[In-content Ad]]