Duffy still here

John Perrotto writes up the strong spring of Chris Duffy.

While Duffy has hit .298 and stolen 117 bases in four pro seasons, he has really made his mark in the field. Baseball America picked him as the best defensive outfielder in the Eastern League last summer.

"We haven't had many players like him (in the organization) the last few years," Pirates scouting director Ed Creech said. "He can really go get the ball in center field. He's an outstanding defensive player, the type of guy who could win a Gold Glove at the big-league level some day.

"He also has a chance to be a good top-of-the-order hitter with his speed, especially if he continues to improve as a hitter."

Plate discipline remains his glaring flaw. This is a familiar story.

On a related subject, I wonder how Matt Lawton's arm has looked out there. Is he giving up a ton of doubles and triples, as the Indians predicted after he was dealt? My guess is that offense is probably twice as important as defense. If Duffy's fielding is worlds better than any other centerfield candidates, he still has to hit nearly as well as the other candidates.

Last year the Bucs promoted Jose Castillo a bit ahead of schedule and stuck it out with him. Before that, they did the same with Jack Wilson. If you don't expect to contend this year, maybe you consider investing a year in Chris Duffy. Let him hit eighth and expect about nothing from his bat for the first half of the season? It could be an investment that pays dividends in 2006.

Then what do we do with Tike? Trade him to the Astros?

Duffy is to Redman as Duke is to Vogelsong. A cost of promoting a young guy is giving up on one of your old guys. Vogelsong can go to the pen and pitch long relief, so perhaps the analogy is not perfect. If Duffy joins Lawton, Bay, Wilson, and Mackowiak, Redman would be something like a fifth outfielder, unless Ward fails to make the team, we're planning on starting Mackowiak often in the infield, or someone looks to start the year on the disasbled list.