Germán Durán is a Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 third baseman

Third baseman

A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...

 in the Houston Astros

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 organization.

Early life

Durán grew up in Fort Worth

Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, where he attended Paschal High School

R. L. Paschal High School

R. L. Paschal High School is a secondary school located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It is part of the Fort Worth Independent School District and descendant of the city's first secondary school, Fort Worth High School, which opened in 1882. Robert Lee Paschal, an attorney from North...

 and then briefly Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...

. After playing one season at TCU, he transferred to Weatherford College

Weatherford College

Weatherford College is a community college located in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, with branch campuses in nearby Decatur and Mineral Wells...

.

Baseball career

Duran was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma in April 2008 to replace an injured Hank Blalock

Hank Blalock

Hank Joe Blalock is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.-High school:Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California...

.On April 17, , Durán made his major league debut against the Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

 and struck out

Strikeout

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....

 all three times in his three at bat

At bat

In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...

s. He hit his first home run

Home run

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

 on May 4, 2008 versus the Oakland Athletics

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

. Duran was placed on waivers by the Rangers on June 26, 2009, and was claimed by the Houston Astros

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 on July 1, 2009. German Duran played in the Mexican Baseball league in 2011, but the money was the issue so he didn't sign with a team. He is now a free agent

External links