LAKEWOOD, NJ – This wasn’t the way Matt Durkin thought his career would begin.

The 6’4”, 225 lbs righthander was going to take the South Atlantic League by storm. After all, the Mets selected the San Jose State star in the second round [44^th overall] of the 2004 draft.

But, when he took the mound for the Hagerstown Suns, Durkin couldn’t throw strikes.

“I had some mechanical issues and some of my problems with my shoulder came from those issues,” Durkin said. “After I had that setback with my shoulder, I was able to work with many of the Mets pitching coaches, who come through [Port St. Lucie]. Then coming back here and working with Shawn Barton, who is our pitching coach, I was able to stay in line and stay in a positive direction.”

Durkin went on the disabled list in mid-June with an injured shoulder and spent over a month on the shelf. After starting off April with a promising 1-1 record with a 2.45 ERA, he was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in May in six starts and had a 5.52 ERA in June.

“He needed to throw more strikes,” manager Gene Richards said. “That’s the biggest thing for me.”

After the Mets staff worked with the 22 year-old, he got back on track. In his five games, since he returned on August 7, Durkin is 1-2 with a 3.15 ERA. He has better control with only 11 walks in those appearances.

“Matt has improved since he came back to us,” Richards said. “He started [Sunday] and he was very impressive and has improved every time I have seen him.”

This season has been a learning experience for Durkin. He is learning the professional game and what it takes to win games.

“As long as I have my fastball going and I can go in and out, that’s good enough for me to get guys out [on this level],” Durkin said. “When I get behind in the count, then the hitters know what’s coming.”

Even though he knows his problems, Durkin says he hasn’t mastered this level yet, but feels it’s more him, than opponents beating him.

Yet, these are professional hitters and the righthander knows that it’s different than college.

“I have seen guys who make adjustments a lot quicker. Now I can’t stay on the outside corner, because they start to cheat. They can hit an opposite field home run in this league,” Durkin explained and added that many of the hitters also pay attention to him between at-bats, which didn’t happen in college.

All this will be something he will be working on in the Instructional League, which starts in mid-September. Durkin is going to get into a routine, so he can advance to St. Lucie in 2006.

“I learned how to take on a full season,” the pitcher said. “I am really positive on getting over some of the setbacks I had earlier this year.”

But his manager already knows the secret to Durkin’s success.

“For him to continue to advance, he needs to throw strikes,” Richards said.

Hopefully, Durkin has learned that lesson.

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