C. Duncan

by DJ4508 on Jan 9, 2007 10:21 PM EST

I wish I could figure out why just about everyone is so hot on getting rid of Chris. I understand that his defense was awful but it's still a new position for him. I'd rather have him stuck out there and get some OJT than back down in Memphis not helping the club. OBP.363 SLG.589 AVG.293 these numbers look pretty good to me. I am not going to argue with anyone about this next stat since it's a fact even though I don't expect it to happen again, and don't get me wrong I'm not putting these two in the same categorty but Pujols put one over the fence at a clip of one per every 10.9 AB's. Dunc put one out every 12.7 AB's. Maintaining that pace and getting the same AB's as Albert would have put him at 42 dingers. I am not sayimng he had this power or productivity in Memphis but for everyone on the John Rod boat Dunc's were better down there too. Let's cut the kid a break, put some faith in him, and see how far he goes.

Tweet Comment 20 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

He has

outperformed his MINOR LEAGUE career stats in the bigs. I feel another Bo Hart (dun dun DUHHH) on our hands. His value won't be higher. He's cheap, he's young, and he looked good in his debut.
I think it's luck, and this season will show that he's not as good as he showed us last year.

BLaw.

by Dttl89 on Jan 9, 2007 11:05 PM EST reply actions

selling high

you said it yourself...you dont expect it to happen again. i dont think most of the people calling for his trade think he will be completely useless, they just think his trade value at present may exceed his actual value.

by dmb60614 on Jan 9, 2007 11:06 PM EST reply actions

I maintain we should hold onto him

He is obviously a fastball hitter, and where else in baseball will a person see more fastballs than hitting in front of Albert Pujols?

If you watched him, his eye improved dramatically over the season wrt the low breaking ball. (Improved in that he was able to lay off maybe 1 in 3 or 4).

His defense doesn't really bother me. I feel he will get much better at taking routes to the ball, his range might be an issue but you can't ask for superstars out of every youngster you bring up.

by TICY on Jan 10, 2007 12:39 AM EST reply actions

Until the playoffs

I was impressed with the improvement he showed defending the outfield. He sure had some spectacular misplays in October, though, when everyone was watching.

by liam on Jan 10, 2007 1:41 AM EST up reply actions

Duncan

Besides my screenname, I have always been a proponent of trading Duncan. I don't have a problem with his stick. If he hits in front of Pujols he will be a slightly above avg stick.

But his defense is flat out atrocious. It's not a matter of taking bad routes... he simply can't catch a fly ball. It's not like his drops are all coming on full sprints to the gap. More than half came on cans of corn. It's harder to field a well hit grounder than a fly ball. If you are 27 and can't catch a fly ball, you simply don't deserve to play OF. Not to mention, he doesn't quite have the Vlady or Guillen hose in RF either.

by DuncanDipper on Jan 10, 2007 1:21 AM EST reply actions

duncan

well since duncan is only 25 i'm glad you're willing to give him another year and a half to learn to catch. youre very generous.

by duckymedwick7 on Jan 10, 2007 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Look at it like stocks

If you had a stock that you bought at $10 a share and it jumped to twice its value to $20, but you had strong suspicions based on evidence you found that it was probably going to fall back to $10 within a year, would you hold onto that stock out of loyalty?

I know these are people we're talking about, but most fans value a team that wins 95 games a little more than a team that is loyal to it's overvalued players.

by mtalken on Jan 10, 2007 10:54 AM EST reply actions

can your precious stock do this?

didn't think so.

seriously, though, i agree with you. although i like that the cardinals are a loyal organization, winning games pays the bills. duncan's value will never be higher.

o8o88o888o

by ilillillli on Jan 10, 2007 12:21 PM EST reply actions

lil' Dunc

That is the greatest picture of a clubhouse celebration I have ever seen. I have it as my desktop and laugh everytime my computer comes on.

Play hard, play to win, but make it fun!

by Edmonds is baseball on Jan 10, 2007 12:32 PM EST reply actions

Numbers don't lie

You don't have evidence that he's going to fail. If that is the case we should have gotten rid of every home grown prospect we've ever had that has amounted to anything their first year. We all know he has his flaws but we have seen the upside. Would you have gotten rid of Pujols after his first year. He didn't impress me with his glove out there. If I recall there were quite a few times he didn't look good at all. Chris had 6 errors and a FPCT of .965 (that's both years since in 05 he only had a few chances) and Albert had FPCT's of .964, .978, and .986 in the outfield in 01, 02, and 03. There is the possibility of improvement. By the numbers he's just a hair better than Pujols was his rookie year but did we all forget that since we all love him. I'm not an advocate to get rid of either and would have to think Jockety is nuts to even consider letting go of Pujols. The whole point of this is though why can't we believe what he's done could happen again. The power is definately there. He hit the longest HR of the year. I believe it was 455 in Arizona but I could be wrong on the location. That power is not a fluke. He can obivously put the bat on the ball with authority. The numbers don't lie and I could be making a huge mistake, but if he can maintain his stroke why let a bat like that get away.

by DJ4508 on Jan 10, 2007 6:08 PM EST reply actions

Would you want Adam Dunn in RF???

and if you say yes, know off 20-30 of those hrs and THEN would you still want him?
My answer is no

BLaw.

by Dttl89 on Jan 11, 2007 1:01 AM EST up reply actions

No evedence he's going to fail..

but years of evedence to suggest that he isn't going to be nearly this good.

o8o88o888o

by ilillillli on Jan 11, 2007 11:18 AM EST up reply actions

keep him

oh my god! that picture is gold! and yes keep Duncan. He's cheap. He'll hit you 30+ home runs and his defense can only get better -- seriously, it's technically impossible to get much worse...Keep him, no question.

by mysteryman on Jan 10, 2007 10:46 PM EST reply actions

one reason to keep lil dunc

if stl trades lil dunc how do you think the senior duncan is going to take it?

by elirock83 on Jan 11, 2007 3:13 PM EST reply actions

by sabotaging all the pitchers?

he's a pro, he'll be fine.

o8o88o888o

by ilillillli on Jan 12, 2007 3:00 AM EST up reply actions

HELLLLOO!!!!!!!!!

Who do you think the Cards are gonna get for Duncan that isgonna be any better for our team? I mean, this is a little different than stocks! When astock goes upand you sell it you make profit. If the birds ship Dunc off what profit would be get in return? I'm sorry, but if we aren't getting Miguel Cabrera or Dontrelle Willis or Zach Duke for this guy then the tradeisn'tworth it. He's an above average hitter and if he has 6-9 errors all season who cares? What's the ratio/percentage of error to run scored anyway. Think logically here people. If you don't gamble by keeping him and you trade him away, and you get someone in return you are just gambling on them. I'd rather gamble on Chris.

by onebigdummy on Jan 11, 2007 4:09 PM EST reply actions

Duncan Trade Target?

I'd feel confident trading Duncan to the Devil Rays for Jonny Gomes and a B prospect, if they'd go for it.

by liam on Jan 11, 2007 9:36 PM EST up reply actions

why would they go for that?

just asking.

o8o88o888o

by ilillillli on Jan 12, 2007 3:00 AM EST up reply actions

D-Rays

They need a power-hitting lefty for the 4-6 spot in their lineup. They need a DH. They have better, younger outfielders than Gomes and have always treated him like dirt, from what I can tell. He doesn't hit right-handers all that well and is coming off surgery—not to mention his heart condition. They've got a deep minor system. All of the projection systems, except for CHONE, see Duncan as the better hitter and he's further away from arbitration eligibility.

by liam on Jan 12, 2007 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

not sure anyone wants him

Lets face it Duncan hit way over his head. So much so we tolerated the D. I have been in favor of trading him because I do not believe he will come close to repeating last years numbers. I hope I am wrong for his sake and the teams.

Duncan has proven he can hit groved fastballs from righties. So how many to u think he will see? No matter where he hits in the line up.

He has played the outfield for two full seasons now, and he needs a lot of work. I truely hope I am wrong, but I think Duncan gets sent back to Memphis by June.

We need to sign another outfielder!

by nybirdfan on Jan 11, 2007 10:25 PM EST reply actions