Luis Durango
Encyclopedia
Luis A. Durango is a Panamanian
professional baseball
outfielder
in the Atlanta Braves
organization. He has also been a member of the Panama national baseball team
.
Durango was born in Panama City. In 2006, he was clocked at 3.4 seconds from home plate to first base on a bunt. Durango made his professional debut that same year, playing for the San Diego Padres
Rookie-level affiliate. He was named an Arizona League
All–Star for his performances that season. He spent all of 2007 with the Eugene Emeralds
of the Northwest League
in Low-A, later being named the Co–Most Valuable Player
of the league. In 2008, he split time between Class-A, with the Fort Wayne Wizards
, and High-A, with the Lake Elsinore Storm
, before being added to the Padres' 40-man roster after the season. Durango began 2009 with the San Antonio Missions
in Double-A, but ended up working his way up to the majors, making his debut with the Padres on September 15. He recorded his first career hit the following day. He split 2010 between Triple-A Portland
and the Padres, playing in a combined 134 games. To begin 2011, Durango played for the Padres new Triple-A affiliate in Tucson before being designated for assignment
in late June. He was later claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros, but was later designated for assignment again.
debut in 2006, and spent the year with the Arizona League
Padres, hitting for a .378 batting average
and stealing
17 bases in 39 games. His batting average was the highest of any hitter in at the Rookie-level. He was named to the Arizona League All–Star team after the season, along with teammates Cedric Hunter
and Rayner Contreras. After the season, the Padres reportedly considered Durango to be one of the better prospects in their organization.
In 2007, Durango spent the year with the Eugene Emeralds, playing in 69 games, hitting .367 with 17 stolen bases. He also hit two home runs, one of which was a walk-off against the Yakima Bears
on July 7. During the year, he had a 19-game hitting streak that was broken up on August 2, against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
. He was named Co–Most Valuable Player of the Northwest League after the season. Following the season, Durango joined the Tigres de Cartagena of the Colombian Professional Baseball League
for the upcoming season, which plays during the MLB off-season. In Cartagena, he was named to the All–Star team.
Durango started the 2008 season with the Fort Wayne Wizards
of the Midwest League
, playing in 93 games for the club and hitting .305 with 14 steals. He remained with Fort Wayne until August 12, when he was called up to the Lake Elsinore Storm
, San Diego's High–A affiliate. In his second game with the Storm, he tallied three hits, helping the team to a 16–4 win over the Inland Empire 66ers. He finished the year with a .431 batting average in 17 games with the Storm. Following the season, he joined the Algodoneros de Guasave
of the Mexican Pacific League after Kit Pellow
, a first baseman
, was kicked off the team. He hit his first home run for Guasave on December 6, helping them to a 3–2 win. Three days later, the Padres added him to their 40-man roster, in order to protect him from being selected in the Rule V Draft.
Prior to the 2009 season, Grady Fuson, the Padres vice president of scouting and player development, said about Durango, "He's our little Juan Pierre
. He can absolutely fly. And he's really mastered, in the last couple of years, the ability to get the bat on the ball and keep it out of the air." Durango began the season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions
. At the All–Star break, he was batting .319, with a league leading 26 steals, 43 walks, and 46 runs. He was named a starter for the All–Star game. Durango also represented Team World at the All-Star Futures Game
, going 1–for–2 with one stolen base. On August 19, the managers of the teams in the Texas League named him the fastest baserunner in the league for the season. He was called up by the Padres on September 14, making his debut the next day as a pinch hitter
against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, going 0–for–1. The next day, he recorded three hits, two of which were bunt singles, and also stole his first base in the Major leagues. After the game, Diamondbacks catcher
Miguel Montero
said about Durango, "He [Durango] played the game with us however he wanted to. He never hit the ball out of the infield and got three hits. I know he's fast and has good speed, but we should have played him a little better." In 129 games with San Antonio, he hit .281 with 44 stolen bases and 81 walks, while he had six hits in 14 at–bats with San Diego. Durango played with the Tigres de Licey of the Dominican Winter League after the season.
Durango spent Spring Training
2010 with the Padres, before being sent down to Triple-A Portland
on March 29. He was called up on May 25, replacing Luis Perdomo
on the active roster. In his first game back with San Diego, he dropped fly ball from Skip Schumaker
before throwing out Jon Jay
at home plate later in the game. He went 1–for–5 batting in the league off spot. On June 2, after playing six games and hitting .385 with two runs batted in, he was optioned back to Portland with Scott Hairston
taking his spot on the roster. The Padres called him back up on July 16, after they placed Mike Adams on the disabled list, but he was sent back down a week later. For the third time that season, San Diego called Durango up to the major leagues on August 21, however, he was sent back down again a week later. Once Portland's season was over, he was recalled by the Padres. In 106 games with Portland, Durango hit .300 with 42 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. In just 48 at–bats, he hit .250 with five stolen bases and eight runs scored. Following the season, he joined the Bravos de Margarita
of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
, but injured his wrist in early December.
Durango started off the 2011 season with the newly-relocated Tucson Padres, hitting for a .243 batting average with 10 stolen bases in 61 games before he was designated for assignment on June 21, making room for Josh Spence
on the 40-man roster.
on June 29, and assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks. After the trades of Hunter Pence
and Michael Bourn
, the Astros recalled Durango from Triple-A on July 31. In 25 games with the RedHawks, he collected 22 hits for a .278 batting average and stole 13 bases. He made his Astros debut on August 1 against the Cincinnati Reds
, going 0–for–2 with a walk
. The following game, he got his first hit for the Astros, driving in a run. He was optioned back to Triple-A on August 3. On August 5, to make room for J. B. Shuck
on the 40-man roster, Durango was designated for assignment by the Astros. After he cleared waivers, he was outrighted back to Triple-A. He became a free agent at season's end.
on November 22, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.
provisional roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. He was eventually named to Panama's final roster. He saw limited action for Panama in the tournament, tallying just three hits in five at-bats, with two of those hits coming in Panama's 9–0 loss to the Dominican Republic
on March 9.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
organization. He has also been a member of the Panama national baseball team
Panama national baseball team
The Panama national baseball team is the national team of Panama. They are currently the 16th ranked baseball team in the world.- Roster :PitchersManuel Acosta,Albenis Castillo,Bienvenido Cedeno,Bruce Chen,Manuel Corpas,Jorge Cortez,...
.
Durango was born in Panama City. In 2006, he was clocked at 3.4 seconds from home plate to first base on a bunt. Durango made his professional debut that same year, playing for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
Rookie-level affiliate. He was named an Arizona League
Arizona League
The Arizona League is a minor league baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona. It is a rookie-level professional baseball league run by Major League Baseball since 1989. Games are played at the spring training complexes of the team's parent organizations from mid-June until the...
All–Star for his performances that season. He spent all of 2007 with the Eugene Emeralds
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
in Low-A, later being named the Co–Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the league. In 2008, he split time between Class-A, with the Fort Wayne Wizards
Fort Wayne Wizards
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the San Diego Padres, that plays in the Midwest League. They won their first Midwest League Championship in 2009.-History:...
, and High-A, with the Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
, before being added to the Padres' 40-man roster after the season. Durango began 2009 with the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
in Double-A, but ended up working his way up to the majors, making his debut with the Padres on September 15. He recorded his first career hit the following day. He split 2010 between Triple-A Portland
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
and the Padres, playing in a combined 134 games. To begin 2011, Durango played for the Padres new Triple-A affiliate in Tucson before being designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
in late June. He was later claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros, but was later designated for assignment again.
San Diego Padres
He made his minor league baseballMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
debut in 2006, and spent the year with the Arizona League
Arizona League
The Arizona League is a minor league baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona. It is a rookie-level professional baseball league run by Major League Baseball since 1989. Games are played at the spring training complexes of the team's parent organizations from mid-June until the...
Padres, hitting for a .378 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and stealing
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
17 bases in 39 games. His batting average was the highest of any hitter in at the Rookie-level. He was named to the Arizona League All–Star team after the season, along with teammates Cedric Hunter
Cedric Hunter (baseball)
Cedric Scott Hunter is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.-Career:...
and Rayner Contreras. After the season, the Padres reportedly considered Durango to be one of the better prospects in their organization.
In 2007, Durango spent the year with the Eugene Emeralds, playing in 69 games, hitting .367 with 17 stolen bases. He also hit two home runs, one of which was a walk-off against the Yakima Bears
Yakima Bears
The Yakima Bears are a minor league baseball team in Yakima, Washington. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers from the team's creation in 1990 when the Salem...
on July 7. During the year, he had a 19-game hitting streak that was broken up on August 2, against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a minor league baseball team in Keizer, Oregon, United States. They are a Short-Season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants since the Volcanoes' inception in 1997...
. He was named Co–Most Valuable Player of the Northwest League after the season. Following the season, Durango joined the Tigres de Cartagena of the Colombian Professional Baseball League
Colombian Professional Baseball League
The Colombian Professional Baseball League, also known as the Colombian Winter League, is a professional baseball league based in Colombia...
for the upcoming season, which plays during the MLB off-season. In Cartagena, he was named to the All–Star team.
Durango started the 2008 season with the Fort Wayne Wizards
Fort Wayne Wizards
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the San Diego Padres, that plays in the Midwest League. They won their first Midwest League Championship in 2009.-History:...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, playing in 93 games for the club and hitting .305 with 14 steals. He remained with Fort Wayne until August 12, when he was called up to the Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
, San Diego's High–A affiliate. In his second game with the Storm, he tallied three hits, helping the team to a 16–4 win over the Inland Empire 66ers. He finished the year with a .431 batting average in 17 games with the Storm. Following the season, he joined the Algodoneros de Guasave
Algodoneros de Guasave
The Algodoneros de Guasave are a Mexican baseball team in the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico . They play in Guasave in the state of Sinaloa. They won the league championship in 1972....
of the Mexican Pacific League after Kit Pellow
Kit Pellow
Kit Donovan Pellow is a professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. He has played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball as a utility player, and also played one season each in the Korean Baseball Organization and the Chinese Professional Baseball League.-Career:Pellow was...
, a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, was kicked off the team. He hit his first home run for Guasave on December 6, helping them to a 3–2 win. Three days later, the Padres added him to their 40-man roster, in order to protect him from being selected in the Rule V Draft.
Prior to the 2009 season, Grady Fuson, the Padres vice president of scouting and player development, said about Durango, "He's our little Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
. He can absolutely fly. And he's really mastered, in the last couple of years, the ability to get the bat on the ball and keep it out of the air." Durango began the season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
. At the All–Star break, he was batting .319, with a league leading 26 steals, 43 walks, and 46 runs. He was named a starter for the All–Star game. Durango also represented Team World at the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
, going 1–for–2 with one stolen base. On August 19, the managers of the teams in the Texas League named him the fastest baserunner in the league for the season. He was called up by the Padres on September 14, making his debut the next day as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, going 0–for–1. The next day, he recorded three hits, two of which were bunt singles, and also stole his first base in the Major leagues. After the game, Diamondbacks catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Miguel Montero
Miguel Montero
Miguel Angel Montero is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Arizona Diamondbacks:...
said about Durango, "He [Durango] played the game with us however he wanted to. He never hit the ball out of the infield and got three hits. I know he's fast and has good speed, but we should have played him a little better." In 129 games with San Antonio, he hit .281 with 44 stolen bases and 81 walks, while he had six hits in 14 at–bats with San Diego. Durango played with the Tigres de Licey of the Dominican Winter League after the season.
Durango spent Spring Training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
2010 with the Padres, before being sent down to Triple-A Portland
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
on March 29. He was called up on May 25, replacing Luis Perdomo
Luis Perdomo
Luis M. Perdomo is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He is 6'0" tall and he is 170 pounds.-Career:...
on the active roster. In his first game back with San Diego, he dropped fly ball from Skip Schumaker
Skip Schumaker
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker is a Major League Baseball Outfielder and Second Baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals.-Biography:...
before throwing out Jon Jay
Jon Jay
Jonathan Henry Jay is an outfielder who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.-Baseball career:He was drafted by the Cardinals out of the University of Miami in the second round of the 2006 MLB Draft...
at home plate later in the game. He went 1–for–5 batting in the league off spot. On June 2, after playing six games and hitting .385 with two runs batted in, he was optioned back to Portland with Scott Hairston
Scott Hairston
Scott Alexander Hairston is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Hairston bats and throws right-handed.-High school years:...
taking his spot on the roster. The Padres called him back up on July 16, after they placed Mike Adams on the disabled list, but he was sent back down a week later. For the third time that season, San Diego called Durango up to the major leagues on August 21, however, he was sent back down again a week later. Once Portland's season was over, he was recalled by the Padres. In 106 games with Portland, Durango hit .300 with 42 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. In just 48 at–bats, he hit .250 with five stolen bases and eight runs scored. Following the season, he joined the Bravos de Margarita
Bravos de Margarita
The Bravos de Margarita are a professional baseball team who plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League since the 2007-08 season....
of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional is the highest level baseball league in Venezuela.-Brief history:Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world championship in Havana....
, but injured his wrist in early December.
Durango started off the 2011 season with the newly-relocated Tucson Padres, hitting for a .243 batting average with 10 stolen bases in 61 games before he was designated for assignment on June 21, making room for Josh Spence
Josh Spence
Joshua Patrick William Spence is an Australian professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. He was drafted by the Padres in the ninth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft out of Arizona State University...
on the 40-man roster.
Houston Astros
Durango was claimed off waivers by the Houston AstrosHouston 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 June 29, and assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks. After the trades of Hunter Pence
Hunter Pence
Hunter Andrew Pence is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies. Pence stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life:...
and Michael Bourn
Michael Bourn
Michael Ray Bourn is a professional baseball outfielder with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He serves as the Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter. He has also been a member of the United States national baseball team....
, the Astros recalled Durango from Triple-A on July 31. In 25 games with the RedHawks, he collected 22 hits for a .278 batting average and stole 13 bases. He made his Astros debut on August 1 against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, going 0–for–2 with a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. The following game, he got his first hit for the Astros, driving in a run. He was optioned back to Triple-A on August 3. On August 5, to make room for J. B. Shuck
J. B. Shuck
Jack Burdett Shuck III, known as J. B. Shuck, is an Major League Baseball outfielder for the Houston Astros.-Amateur career:Shuck went to Galion High School, where he batted .576 with a 1.650 OPS and had a 1.12 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 69 innings. He lettered in baseball and basketball...
on the 40-man roster, Durango was designated for assignment by the Astros. After he cleared waivers, he was outrighted back to Triple-A. He became a free agent at season's end.
Atlanta Braves
Durango signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on November 22, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.
International career
On January 19, 2009, Durango was added to Panama'sPanama national baseball team
The Panama national baseball team is the national team of Panama. They are currently the 16th ranked baseball team in the world.- Roster :PitchersManuel Acosta,Albenis Castillo,Bienvenido Cedeno,Bruce Chen,Manuel Corpas,Jorge Cortez,...
provisional roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. He was eventually named to Panama's final roster. He saw limited action for Panama in the tournament, tallying just three hits in five at-bats, with two of those hits coming in Panama's 9–0 loss to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national baseball team
The Dominican Republic national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic.-World Baseball Classic Roster:- Dominican Republic:Manager: 17 Felipe Alou...
on March 9.