go a month without speaking? Hell, how do they go even one DAY without speaking? They may not have a problem per se but their relationship definitely sounds unhealthy.

Reyes was pitching so well that Duncan, whose job it is to deal with the pitchers who need his assistance, didn’t feel he needed to waste his time with Reyes. Duh.

Sarcasm aside, kudos to Reyes for continuing to handle this thing diplomatically.

I was working on a contrast between the other Dave Duncan newspaper article, this one in the USA Today, that is all smiles-well almost all smiles-and praise. You’d think the articles were about two different pitching coaches, as exemplified by the lede:

To St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan, there are no lost causes. Just pitchers who have lost their way.

I found this quote to be particularly ironic.

“There are lots of guys around with ability who haven’t made the most of it yet,” Duncan says. “You have to find out what works for each guy.”

I will let each and every one of the VEB community take from that what you will. Although, ”...what works for each guy…” makes one wonder why Reyes is so effective in Memphis and is not spoken to in St. Louis by his pitching coach.

I also found the nicknames that the writer bestowed on each of our five starters: The Ace, The Castoff, The Newcomer, The Makeover, and The Project.

The photo of Dunc also screams “soft-hitting journalism,” as it depicts the closest Dave Duncan ever comes to smiling.

Anthony Reyes was also quoted in the article to have said this:

“It’s tough because I never really gave him a reason not to (like me),’’ Reyes said. “I’ve always been a quiet guy, just sit at my locker. I don’t say much. I don’t know how this came about.”

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/17/

Whatever Reyes may have done that frustrated or annoyed Dave Duncan, it is well past time for him to establish a civil rapport with him and give him direct coaching to foster Reyes’ best possible success, even if the Cardinals plan to trade Reyes before the end of July. For Duncan to shun Reyes over an entire month is absolutely unjustifiable and counterproductive to the interests of the franchise.

let’s just hope he pitches well enough in this stint that none of this matters. The inning he pitched against the Phillies was a good start.

Hopefully it’s a good thing.. they can have a meeting and talk man-to-man and figure something out. They don’t have to be best buds… but they need to have a relationship that’s positive for the TEAM.

Maybe Duncan doesn’t like the fact that Reyes just sits in his locker and doesn’t talk, as in ask for assistance or advice? Maybe Reyes comes off as a know-it-all? I know I’ve had kids I coached that would screw up or do something wrong and when I would say something to them their first response is “I know.” That, after about 3 times becomes real annoying.

Should Duncan speak to his pitchers everyday? I suppose, but how much contact does he have with most of them? Doesn’t the bullpen coach usually have more day-to-day contact with the pitchers? I think it’s the pitching coach’s job to primarily work with starters and their gameplan. How long was Reyes actually a starter while he was with the Cardinals? Is it possible Duncan devotes a majority of his time to guys like Looper and Wellemeyer and other “projects”?

But that really isn’t that long when one player is in Memphis and the coach is in St. Louis. Is it really that big of a deal or is it a quote taken in by the media and spun to seem so much worse than it actually is?

Unless you follow him blindly. He has gotten a huge ego over the years that he knows everything. I will give so much props but he is not the end all of pitching. Reyes didnt follow his every word and that pisses off Duncan who thinks he the sheperd leading lambs to the slaughter. Reyes struggles continue cuz he gets no support or help or “tweaking” like the other pitchers do. I love Reyes, i think he uber talented but it is going to happen outside of stl im afraid to say. Someday we are going to face him, he is going to shut us down and he is going have the last laugh. Duncans ego is toom huge.

all this fuss over a guy who, to this point, has a 5.38 ERA in the major leagues. i want to see him succeed as much as the next guy, but at some point we need to quit making excuses.

i blame reyes as much as i blame duncan. they’re both stubborn guys, and sometimes relationships like that just don’t work. and because you can’t expect them to change, it’s really nobody’s fault. they should’ve traded him long ago…

... if Duncan and A-Rey aren’t speaking, then who is telling Anthony to throw the 2-seamer?

follow-up: if Anthony pitched the whole month of April his own way and without correction by Duncan, then why wasn’t he any good?

by Anthony telling Goold/Hayes that he is fine and could pitch tomorrow and Dave Duncan saying the Cardinals were going to put him on the DL and look at other alternatives.

How can so much drama surround one player?

Is that once Reyes is traded, he’s exactly the type of player Duncan usually fixes, i.e. guy with potential who needs a fresh start and approach.

I’m sure his elbow is as fine as any other member of the staff right now.

has been in the majors for 10 years without any real success. When Anthony Reyes has pitched 1200 innings maybe he should be compared to Wells.