ARLINGTON, TEXAS - All Ron Gardenhire remembers about Samuel Deduno is a March 10 outing during a spring training "B" game against the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.
"We were able to stand real close and see the ball come out of his hand," the Twins manager said of Deduno. "The ball was coming out real crisp, and his breaking ball was buckling hitters, both a lefty and a righty, with how tight it spun and how hard it snapped. We kind of said, this kid can really wing it. He was still misfiring here and there with his fastball. He had to figure out how to throw it over.
"But just the snap on his breaking ball made me step back a little bit. It kind of made me feel like I was on deck there."
Deduno, who turned 29 Monday, said he also throws a fastball, slider and changeup.
Control has plagued Deduno throughout his career, but a good run of form at Class AAA Rochester has positioned him to be the 11th pitcher to start a game for the Twins this year. The righthander will start Saturday against Texas.
"It's a good chance," Deduno said. "When I was in the big leagues before I didn't pitch much. So it's a good opportunity."
Signed by the Rockies out of the Dominican Republic in 2003, Deduno tried to work his way through Colorado's system until he was claimed off waivers from San Diego last season. His major league career consists of a 3.18 ERA compiled over 2 2/3 innings with the Rockies in 2010 and three innings last year with the Padres.
"I'm not really a power pitcher," said Deduno, who went 1-2 with a 2.14 ERA in nine starts at Rochester, "but I have a pretty good curveball and a pretty good slider. My changeup is pretty good, too. My fastball moves a lot, and it's been around the plate. So it's been good enough."
