12:07pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman adds the Mariners and Rangers to the mix, saying Durbin is deciding between those two plus the previously reported Rays, Red Sox, and Phillies (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 9:41am: Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says the Red Sox have not yet heard back from Durbin, and it appears that the Phillies and Rays are the front-runners at the moment (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 7:11pm: Durbin would accept a minor league contract with the Phillies, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "if Durbin's hand is forced because there are no Major League offers on the table." A source tells Gelb that Durbin's agent, Dan Horwits, is negotiating with two teams about Major League contracts but no offers have been made. Gelb also hears that Durbin hopes to make his decision within the next two days.
4:39pm: The Red Sox are interested in Chad Durbin as a starter and have made him an offer, according to Peter Gammons of MLB Network (on Twitter). The Rays and Rangers also have some degree of interest in Durbin, according to Gammons.
One of the top remaining free agents, Durbin has drawn interest from Seattle since exchanging offers with the Phillies last month. It seems unlikely that Durbin will return to Philadelphia, but Gammons says he may head to Clearwater, where the Phillies train, Thursday. He could be intrigued by Boston's offer given his interest in playing for a contender.
The 33-year-old posted a 3.80 ERA with 8.3 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 42.4% ground ball rate in 68 2/3 innings last year. Durbin has averaged 65 appearances and 75 innings in three seasons out of the Phillies' bullpen.
Get er done, Boston.
Theo better not let this one slip from him.
Apparently the motivational note left in the Red Sox locker-room this offseason read something like: “All your relievers are belong to us.”
as a starter?…very interesting depth move. He and Aceves can both battle for a spot in the rotation or long relief.
Not surprised, Theo tried to pick him up once off the wavier wire then lost him to the Phils when they tried to put him in the minors.
Except, that isn’t what happened.
December 20, 2007: Signed as a Free Agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Never mind, I was thinking of JD Durbin.
I love these low risk high-ish reward signings. There are so many of them with younger players becoming more and more vital to teams (even large market teams). My only issue here is that We have Dice K as the #5 guy to start the year. I’d say he’s good as insurance, but I’m not getting overly excited about him as far as being an upgrade to Dice K or to anyone else as 1-4 is set in stone.
If they’re interested in him as a starter, I’d be inclined to think it would be on a minor league deal. In that case, he could certainly be an upgrade over other options for the 6th starter.
delete
The reason why his ERA was higher in the AL was he was mostly used as a starter. Like I said he can’t start, once batters face him a second time around he shows some dent in the armor.
My .02 cents…Durbin is no starter as proven earlier in his career. As a bullpen arm he’s good as long as the game isn’t a vital one, tends in choke in big situations. Oh and he isn’t the best against lefties.
Wonder if Theo got an exception to have 30 players on his 25 man roster. Bet the Yanks wish they thought of that…
If Boston did sign him it would take some serious stuff to happen for him to get in the rotation at any point in the year. I would think that Wakefield would be first in if there’s an injury.
I imagine Doubront would be first in for spot starts or injury replacements.
Good for Durbin he deserves a good payday for what he has done for the Phills the past couple seasons. Who ever gets him will be pleased, that being eating innings for the pen or coming in the clutch he is a solid pitcher to have. Mind you he is a great low risk high reward guy!
I really want the phillies to re-sign Durbin loved that guy!
How did this turn into a Yankee thread???
It’s baseball-related, isn’t it? Therefore it’s now a Yankees thread.
Those damn Yankees…
And here is the rest of Cameron’s story…………….
Man, get outta my face! I’m making $7,500,000 over 6 months, for doing nothin…
I guess they need a two or three inning starter???
What Atchisson did last year in one emergency start..3 innings.. Good enough to not wipe out an entire BP.
Is joining Boston really joining a contender, as Durbin sees it? Sure, he’ll be with a contending franchise, but the chances of him ever cracking the Red Sox’s rotation is even simmer than slim to none.
He’ll resign with the Phillies, who will proceed to cut Danys Baez before Spring Training. If he signs a minor league deal with the Phils’, the net-loss will be close to what Durbin was seeking in free agency—about $3 million. It’s actually a pretty shrewd move by Amaro in my book.
Whoops. Should say, “… before Opening Day.”
Wow, nevermind. Baez makes $2.75 million this season? That’s even worse than I thought it was. Still, wouldn’t be a bad thing seeing him off of the roster and replaced with Durbin.
I pray to god they cut Baez.
Chad Durbin, Andrew Miller, Alfredo Aceves, Tim Wakefield, I think Tito is going to find an 8-sided die (dice?) and put each one of their faces on it twice and whoever’s face it lands on that’s who gets the spot start that day
Wake’s face should be on it 5 times. everybody else’s once.
Sign this guy, GO MARINERS!!! OUR BULLPEN WOULD BE AWFUL WITHOUT AARDSMA AND DURBIN!!!!
Its awful even with Aardsma and Durbin.
I don´t think so, Aardsma, League, and Durbin are very good relievers, Dan Cortes could be great and with Lueke and Robles, awesome splitfinger and changeup respectively
Quien eres?
Haha come back tomorrow and ALL the teams will be interested. Just sign already.
Les voy a ganar
The Yanks pen is all set
Jajaja
there rotation isnt
He isn’t fat or injured enough.
5.13 FIP in nearly 700 IP, let the sawks have him.
You forgot old, 33 is too old for the Yankees, this is an exclusive 35 or older club.
True… or have an era over 4 last year… his career era in the AL is 5.69 tho… hes perrfect!
He did lie about an injury that he had 2 seasons ago and does resemble a tubby Paul Rudd so that is close enough.
At the moment, my best guess:
1- CC
2- Hughes
3- AJ
4- Nova
5- ?
The only possibly spot who could be 35 is the 5th starter, if it went to Colon or Garcia.
Arod, Jeter, Posada and Mariano are the active major leaguers that are over 35. Do the Yankees have a 5 man roster now or something?
Also, the Phillies are the oldest team in the majors, and the Red Sox are the oldest team in the AL. Remind me the 2 teams who are more than likely the favorites, to play in the World Series?
I’ve said it plenty of times, people say “too old” Too Much in baseball.
Facts? How dare you…
Right, and every year the team crowned Champion of the Off-season goes on to become the real champion… oh wait. That’s why we play the games. Those teams are too old, maybe not this year as they are both playoff teams, but the way to run a franchise is not to get older as quickly as possible. Teams flame out that way and take years to rebuild possibly.
Show me where I said they were Going to win? I said they are the more than likely the Favorites to win or be in it. Of course anything can happen.
“but the way to run a franchise is not to get older as quickly as possible. Teams flame out that way and take years to rebuild possibly. ”
Irrelevant to what I was saying.