Sox claim Durbin off waivers

The Boston Red Sox have claimed formerly highly regarded prospect J.D. Durbin off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. This move fills out the Sox 40-man roster, which had one open spot since the team returned Rule 5 pick Nick DeBarr to the Devil Rays in the spring. Durbin had been one of the Minnesota Twin's final cuts and the team had hoped to retain him by sneaking him through waivers, only to lose him to Arizona. They also would have liked to have kept him, but were forced to designate him for assignment in order to promote Micah Owens. Durbin made one appearance in Arizona allowing 7 ER on 7 hits in 2/3 of an inning against Colorado on April 4. Prior to the season, he was rated by Baseball America as the Twin's 10th overall prospect, reportedly featuring a 92-94 MPH fastball and a highly regarded low 80s curveball. The 25-year-old righthander was drafted by Minnesota out of high school in the second round of the 2000 amateur draft, and until this season had spent the entirety of his seven year career in their system, his development hindered by injuries ('04 torn labrum, '05 shoulder tendinitis, '60 bicep nerve injury). With Mike Timlin expected to be activated soon there is some debate as to Durbin's continuing status with the Red Sox, who cannot send him down without exposing him to waivers.

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