Regular work suits Duffy
PITTSBURGH — Chris Duffy has needed only one week to show the Pittsburgh Pirates what they have been missing for four months.
Duffy's batting average is only .215, with no homers and seven RBIs in 154 at-bats — hardly the numbers associated with a productive major league leadoff hitter. But after settling into the center fielder's job for the first time this season, Duffy was 10-of-24 (.417) with seven runs scored, three RBI, three walks, four stolen bases and several excellent defensive plays during a six-game homestand against the Cardinals and Brewers.
"My confidence is pretty high right now," Duffy said.
Despite going 0-for-5 during a 5-2, 13-inning loss Wednesday to Milwaukee, Duffy made what might have been the Pirates' defensive play of the season by stretching out on the warning track to run down Jeff Cirillo's drive into the right-center gap in the 12th inning.
"That's as fine a play as a center fielder can make," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "He gave it everything he had. And you know what? I think that shows you a little about the message Chris Duffy is trying to send to all of us."
Duffy's play for the last week has been reminiscent of that when he was first called up by the Pirates last season. He hit .341 and made a number of exceptional defensive plays until a hamstring injured sidelined him in September.
So where has that Chris Duffy been all season?
The answer: Bradenton, Fla., Indianapolis and parts unknown. Everywhere, it seems, but perhaps where he should have been: in center field in PNC Park.
Despite Duffy's excellent debut, Tracy — hired by Pittsburgh after the season ended — felt his hitting style wasn't ideal for a leadoff hitter. Duffy is more of a line-drive, slash-it-and-run hitter than a patient, walk-drawing leadoff man who works the count deep and sprays the ball.
Duffy clearly wasn't comfortable when the Pirates' staff started tinkering with his approach during spring training. While he was struggling with the changes, fellow outfielder Nate McLouth was making an impression on Tracy with his strong defense and ability to get on base.
As a result, the Pirates may have been guilty of falling into the trap of putting too much emphasis with results during spring training, when starting pitchers don't go as deep into games as they do during the season, late-inning relievers often are marginal prospects and batters haven't always regained their swings.
As a result, Duffy looked uncomfortable when the season started, as evidenced by his .194 average when he was demoted him to Triple-A Indianapolis on May 14. It also didn't help that Tracy had begun giving regular playing time to McLouth, who hits for more power than Duffy does.
"Maybe I was pressing a little bit," Duffy said.
Duffy, convinced the Pirates had unfairly altered what had been a successful offensive approach, was upset with the demotion and failed to report to the minors. He sat out for more than a month, an absence neither he nor the Pirates have fully explained.
Once Duffy decided to play again, he was sent to the extended spring camp in Bradenton before joining Indianapolis, where he hit .349 with 13 stolen bases in 26 games. He was promoted to Pittsburgh on Aug. 1, but started 3-of-32 until he finally started looking comfortable last weekend.
Now, Duffy wants a solid finish to the season to convince the Pirates they don't need to look for another outfielder during the offseason. It is evident what he brings to the offense when he plays like he has for the last week, when NL batting leader Freddy Sanchez and All-Star Jason Bay always seemed to be hitting with runners on base.
"When Chris Duffy is in that lineup, he can be a terrific player for us," Tracy said.
The last-place Pirates can only wonder if their season might have been a lot better if this Duffy had been in that lineup all season.
