Durbin struggles to get on track

La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

Righthander J.D. Durbin is still trying to get back on track at Class AAA Rochester after a shaky spring training.

Durbin arrived at major league camp as a highly touted prospect but left with coaches scratching their heads because he didn't pitch well and made mistakes, such as not covering first base.

"He's not consistent with his mechanics from one inning to the next," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Durbin is 0-0 with a 5.11 ERA for the Red Wings, and expressed his displeasure when taken out of one start early.

But his frustrations began in spring training when he was 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA and admitted that he was not himself. He later rankled some people in the organization when he went to minor league camp with what was perceived as a bad attitude.

Former Twins manager Tom Kelly was asked to speak with Durbin.

"He told me to be myself and relax a little bit and throw the ball," Durbin said of the talk. "It was nice of him to come up to me. Last year in spring, we didn't hit it off too much. I want people to like me on a personal level as well as a professional level."

Durbin might not be the first choice if the club needs to call up a starter, but the organization hopes Durbin will solve his problems and get in a position to help the team this year.

"It has been tough, real tough," he admitted. "I've been battling with mental issues and mechanical issues and trying to put them all together."

Randazzo released

Lefthander Jeff Randazzo, once considered one of the better prospects in the Twins' system, has been released.

Randazzo, a fourth-round pick in 1999, showed a lot of promise before suffering serious injuries in a car accident while traveling to spring training in 2002 with fellow prospect Josh Johnson. Randazzo only pitched three innings in 2002 because of the injuries, and never regained his best form.

Randazzo got caught in a numbers situation at Class AA New Britain. At 23, neither he nor the Twins wanted him to go back to Class A ball.

"This one was tough because of what he's been through," Twins farm director Jim Rantz said.

Johnson, a catcher, was released during spring training.

Star power?

It will be worth tracking Class A Fort Myers (Fla.) this season. The team boasts three No. 1 draft picks in outfielder Denard Span, third baseman Matt Moses and lefthander Glenn Perkins.

Span hit .320 through 13 games but is nursing a sore hamstring. Moses is hot, batting .400 with two homers and 15 RBI in 13 games.

The organization couldn't be any happier because both players battled injuries last season and weren't effective when they were healthy. This is a year both prospects need to live up to the hype.

Perkins, the former Gophers pitcher, continued the Twins' run of top picks breaking down, as a sore left wrist has kept him from debuting with Fort Myers until Friday. He went three shutout innings, giving up two hits while striking out four. Perkins impressed when he made a spring training appearance with the major league club.

Garcia starts well

Righthander Angel Garcia has thrown three scoreless innings for Class A Beloit and has topped out at 97 miles an hour on the radar gun.

Garcia has been plagued by arm problems and had Tommy John elbow ligament surgery in 2003.