Around The EL: Phillies Prospects

Over the course of the season, I’m fortunate enough to get to talk to not only all the top prospects in the Yankees organization that come through Trenton, but most of the best players from the other teams as well.

With the Phillies having just made their second consecutive appearance in the World Series, I thought now would be as good of a time as any to look back at interviews with Domonic Brown, Brad Harman and Mike Zagurski from earlier this season.

Mike Ashmore: You had the opportunity to go to the University of Miami and play both baseball and football, but ended up getting drafted by the Phillies and signing with them instead.  What did you envision yourself doing down at Miami had you not signed with Philadelphia?

Domonic Brown: “I would have been a wide receiver, hopefully.  With baseball, I would have played the outfield and pitched a little bit.”

Ashmore: Did you pitch at all in high school?

Brown: “Yeah, I was more of a pitcher in high school.  Actually, I thought I was going to get drafted as a pitcher, but the Phillies were like, ‘We want you to play the outfield,’ and that was fine with me.  I love to hit, so that wasn’t a problem at all.

Ashmore: The Phillies ended up taking you in the 20th round in 2006.  Take me back to draft day, what was that like for you?

Brown: “It was a great day for me.  I actually had a AAU game that day for baseball, and I was playing in the game and my dad got a call.  It went from there, you know.  It was a great day, you know.”

Ashmore: Were you expecting to go in the middle rounds, or were you expecting to go a lot higher?

Brown: “I was expecting to go in the top 5 (rounds), but we knew with the football and everything, that I probably was going to go later.”

Ashmore: A lot of people seem to be comparing you to Darryl Strawberry — and those comparisons are obviously related to what he accomplished on the field and not off of it.  I’m sure you’ve heard that before and would assume you’ve seen him play, whether it be on tape or in person.  Do you agree with those comparisons?

Brown: “I really don’t know.  I know we have the same body type and speed, and I’m getting to the power.  But I don’t know, man.  He put up some great numbers.  It’s kind of hard to compare myself to Darryl Strawberry right now anyway.”

Ashmore: A lot of people are trying to throw out projections for your power, which you said you are “getting to.”  What are you doing…or really, what can you do to try to get that going a little more like you said?

Brown: “There’s nothing, really.  I think that’s the last tool that comes.  I’m just working hard and not really worrying about the power coming.  If it comes, it comes, you know?”

Ashmore: So what do you think is your best tool right now?

Brown: “My speed, running.  My arm is pretty good, too.  Those two, I’d say right now are the two best.”

Ashmore: This is kind of a weird question, but have you always been fast?

Brown: “Yeah, always.  The speed was always there when I was younger and everything.  I could always hit a little bit, and my arm was always there, too.”

Ashmore: Baseball America ranked you as the Phillies top prospect heading into this season.  Was that something that meant anything to you, or do you not really think about things like that?

Brown: “That doesn’t really mean too much.  There’s a lot of great guys, like Carrasco and those guys, so I really try to put it in the back of my head and not think about it.  It’s extra pressure, so it’s not a big deal to me.  But it’s humbling to be the number one prospect, of course.

Ashmore: Making the jump up to Double-A this season, how big of an adjustment was that for you?

Brown: “It’s a big adjustment, because the pitchers here can locate and hit their spots with every pitch they have.  That was a big thing.  And it’s a much quicker game than High-A, so I had to make adjustments pretty soon.”

Ashmore: Being involved in the trade talks like you were earlier this year, was that the first time your name had really come up in something like that in your career?

Brown: “Yeah.  Last year, there was a little bit, they were talking about something with the Orioles.  But it was a big thing this year.  I really didn’t worry about it.  I’d see my name on ESPN and I was like, ‘Is that really me?’  It was great, but it was also a little stressful.  But I tried to take it day by day, and play my game and not worry about it.”

Ashmore: Did you kind of get tired of hearing about it after a while?

Brown: “Of course.  Of course you do, but it really wasn’t that big.  I guess I’ve got to get used to it if I’m going to play at the big league level, which I hope comes soon.”

Ashmore: For a while, it seemed like a given that you were going to be traded.  Were you looking at it that way as well, like it was just a matter of time?

Brown: “I really didn’t know.  I just wanted it to be over with, and whatever happened, happened.  But I’m still with the Phillies, and that’s a great deal.”

Ashmore: You talked about wanting to get to the big leagues.  Is that something you feel like you’re ready for now?

Brown: “I really don’t know.  Whenever I’m ready, the Phillies will know and they’ll get me to the big leagues.  But I guess I’m not ready now, so I’ll take it one day a a time and that’s all I’ll worry about.”

Mike Ashmore: A lot of people seem to be pretty curious about your background.  You grew up in Australia and ended up getting discovered by the Phillies.  Can you take me through how that all happened?

Brad Harman: “Basically, I was playing baseball back home.  I’ve been playing my whole life, basically.  A Phillies scout saw myself at the National Junior Championships that we have over there, and it went from there.”

Ashmore: Has there been more scouting over in Australia in recent years?

Harman: “It’s definitely grown over the past five years, I’d say.  Now there’s quite a few teams represented out there.  I don’t know how many, but there’s at least five or six full-time scouts living over there, and then there’s some scouts that will travel over to see guys play.”

Ashmore: You got to make your Major League debut last season, what was that experience like?

Harman: “Awesome, everyone here wants to get there, everyone in pro ball.  And even people not in pro ball, it’s a dream for many people.  Being able to achieve it last year was obviously a highlight of my career, and I’m just working towards getting back there.”

Ashmore: Is there any one moment from your experience up there that stands out?

Harman: “My hit.  To get a hit in the big leagues, to get that first one out of the way was obviously memorable.  But the guys that I got to hang out with over there on a daily basis and play against was pretty impressive.”

Ashmore: Were you able to get a World Series ring from their success in October last year?

Harman: “I did get a ring this year, the Phillies gave one to me.  It was cool.”

Ashmore: Considering where you were last season, is it a little tough to be back in Double-A this season?

Harman: “Yeah.  It’s just about performing, it doesn’t matter what level.  I’m not performing at the moment, and it’s something that’s frustrating.  But it’s just a grind, and I’ve got to keep going out there and playing baseball.”

Ashmore: You got to play in the World Baseball Classic as well this season, tell me about that…

Harman: “It was awesome.  It was my second time there, and it was a great experience.  Great level of competition.  And it was fun to play with all the Australian guys.  They were all Double-A, Triple-A guys with some big leaguers.  It’s good to get the group together, so it was a lot of fun.” 

Mike Ashmore: You made your big league debut with the Phillies in 2007, coming out of virtually nowhere to do so.  What was that whole experience like?

Mike Zagurski: “It was great.  I think it’s something that everybody who plays this game strives for.  The way it happened was kind of unique, I guess, like you said.  I was in A-Ball three weeks before I was in the major leagues, so it was a little different.  But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Ashmore: You didn’t really get scouted that much or even drafted.  So I’d be curious to know at what point in your career did you have the confidence to think that a moment like that big league debut was a realistic possibility…

Zagurski: “I think probably when I was in High-A at the beginning of ‘07.  Going into spring training, they gave me a chance to make the Double-A team out of camp, and I knew at that point that I had a chance to do something.  I didn’t make the team out of camp, but I went down to Clearwater and threw the ball pretty good and I think that once I got moved here, I realized that hey, I am close now.  They always say that you’re one call away when you’re in Double-A, and at that point, I finally realized that I had a chance.”

Ashmore: Is there a particular moment that you’ve taken away from that big league experience?

Zagurski: “I think the experience as a whole was big for me.  Just in the sense that I certainly wasn’t young in age, but in terms of minor league baseball experience, I was a little bit younger.  Maybe I didn’t quite understand the whole layout of the major leagues, and that’s something that now, when I hopefully get back, I’ve been there and I’ve experienced it and understand it and know how it goes.  I know how to carry myself and how to do things, and that can hopefully translate into success at the big league level.”

Ashmore: So how big of a setback was the Tommy John surgery considering the track you seemed to be on?

Zagurski: “I think timewise, it certainly was.  From a mental standpoint and stuff, it kind of forced me to make sure I do everything the right way.  I’ve been there, so I’d have a taste of what it would be like to get back.  If I’d gotten hurt in A-Ball or Double-A, I might have wondered if this was really worth it.  But having been in the big leagues, I knew this was what it was going to take to get back, and this was how I wanted to do it.  Timewise, it cost me the year.  But in the long run, hopefully it won’t be too big of a setback in the grand scheme of things.”

Ashmore: How close are you now to what you were prior to the surgery?

Zagurski: “I don’t think I’m quite there yet.  I think the velocity has been kind of coming and going, which is pretty normal.  The breaking ball has been quite a bit better, which was nice.  Early on, at about the 12 month mark, it was not where I wanted it to be.  So I’d say I’m not quite where I was before, but I would say it’s starting to get there.”

Ashmore: So I’m guessing that it’s not too bad being back in Double-A considering how well the recovery from the surgery has gone…

Zagurski: “For me, it didn’t make a difference.  I needed to get somewhere and pitch.  It had been almost 20 months between games for me.  I started in Clearwater a couple of times and came here.  It could have been here, Triple-A, whatever.  To me, it was just I have to get somewhere and get some innings and show that I am healthy because it hd been a while since I’d pitched being healthy.  The Double-A thing didn’t make a lot of difference to me.”

Ashmore: Kind of a tough year to miss last year with the Phillies winning the World Series, I’m sure…

Zagurski: “Sure.  It was tough, but I know a handful of those guys that I played with; and some of the newer ones like the Durbin’s, the Eyre’s and those guys that I met in spring training, and they’ve been nothing but supportive.  I’ve gotten text messages from them, seeing how things are going.  So it was certainly tough from the standpoint of being a part of the team and winning the World Series.  But I was able to watch a lot, and I think I learned quite a bit.  It’s surprising what you can learn from watching on TV and things like that.  But hopefully sometime a few years down the road, I can be a part of the next one.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

27

The New York Yankees won their 27th World Series championship last night, beating the Philadelphia Phillies, four games to two.

But they couldn’t have done it without the Trenton Thunder.

Of the 14 Yankees who have worn a Thunder uniform, one of them, Francisco Cervelli, was a regular with the club this season.

Cervelli, used as a third catcher, saw some ALDS time after starting the season in Double-A, hitting .190 in 16 games before injuries forced his call-up to the Bronx.

Interestingly enough, one of those injuries was to Jose Molina, who ended up going hitless in a rehab assignment with the Thunder during the first week of July.

And Brian Bruney rehabbed with the club in both 2008 and 2009, with his poor choice of words after his appearance this season earning him national attention.

Cervelli included, seven of the 14 Thunder alums on the Yankees roster were regular players at Waterfront Park over the past three seasons.

Ramiro Pena was a member of the Thunder for the past four seasons, finally staying healthy last year and emerging as a big league option off the bench this year.

Alfredo Aceves, who started for the Thunder in 2008, was used as a long man out of Joe Girardi’s bullpen in the Bronx this year and he continues to fill that role in the postseason.

Phil Coke, one of the best starters in the Eastern League last year after overcoming a rough first few weeks, is also coming out of the bullpen, serving as the club’s most reliable lefty reliever.

David Robertson was actually used as a reliever when he was with the Thunder last season, and he’s emerged as one of the more important pieces in the Yankees bullpen, helping to build the bridge to Mariano Rivera.

Part of that bridge seems to have included Joba Chamberlain, who was a starter for all of the 2009 regular season, but pitched his way out of a spot in the postseason rotation and returned to what may be his most comfortable role: Reliever. Chamberlain was a starter for Trenton in 2007, and made one relief appearance for the club when they fast tracked him to the big leagues.

And Brett Gardner spent the first half of his 2007 season as Trenton’s center fielder, currently sitting in the Top 5 of the franchise’s all-time stolen bases leaders. Now, his speed has proven to be invaluable off the Yankees bench.

The remaining players? Well, I suppose you’ve heard of Derek Jeter, who provided the club with a circus-like atmosphere during his rehab appearance with the Thunder in 2003. Hideki Matsui, who would win the World Series MVP, also rehabbed with the club during the 2006 postseason, establishing an unlikely to be broken record for press credentials issued to Japanese media members at Waterfront Park.

Matsui photos: Mike Ashmore (2006)

Phil Hughes (‘06, ‘07 rehab), Robinson Cano (‘03-’04, ‘06 rehab) and Melky Cabrera (‘05) make up the final trio. Hughes has been a revelation out of the Yankees bullpen, Cano has served as the club’s starting second baseman for several years now, and Cabrera seems to have established himself as the Yankees starting center fielder.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

How You Can Win Phillies or Yankees 2010 Opening Day Tickets

The Thunder and their “sister team,” the Lakewood Blue Claws, are running a contest coinciding with this year’s World Series.

Check out this link to learn more about how you can win tickets to either Yankees or Phillies opening day next season.

2009 Thunder A-Z: Seth Fortenberry

Before 2009: Fortenberry was picked in the 11th round of the 2006 draft by the Yankees out of Baylor. 

He was sent to Short Season-A Staten Island and was one of the club’s everyday outfielders, hitting .268 with four home runs and 25 RBI in 67 games.

Fortenberry really broke out in 2007, when he spent the year with Low-A Charleston.  He hit. 255 with a career high 18 home runs and 87 RBI, playing in all 140 games and finishing in the top 5 in the league in walks with 73.

His strong offensive run continued the following season, when he hit .263 with12 home runs and 46 RBI at High-A Tampa in 2008.

2009: At media day, just prior to the start of the season, Fortenberry told me: “Hopefully, (the fans will see in me) a lot of what they saw last year in AJ.  That would be nice.  I guess I’m the same type of player; speed, run around the outfield, play defense.  He has big shoes to fill, but I’m going to do my best.”

That didn’t entirely happen.

Fortenberry lasted about two months with the Thunder, hitting just .160 with no home runs and eight RBI in 38 games.  He got sent down to High-A Tampa around the first week of June, and things didn’t get much better.

In 59 games with Tampa, he hit only .175 with six home runs and 27 RBI.  Seems he could just never get that bat going.

His arm, rated as the best in the Yankees farm system, never really seemed to make much of an appearance, as Austin Krum actually made a stronger impression with his throwing arm than Fortenberry ever did. 

After 2009: Fortenberry’s prospect status took a big hit last season, and it’ll be interesting to see where he starts out in trying to get it back.  With Austin Krum likely set to start out the season as Trenton’s starting center fielder, Fortenberry’s unlikely to be able to take that spot back.

At some point, even if he doesn’t start the season there, Fortenberry will likely return to Trenton to try to pick his career back up.  If he can get his offensive numbers back on track, especially his power numbers, he’ll have a chance to re-establish himself as one of the outfielders to keep an eye on in the system.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Cross-Promotion! Yay!

When people meet me at Thunder games for the first time, one of the questions I tend to get from women is if I’m single is what I do in the off-season.  My answer, of course, is that I really have no off-season.

I’ll be back covering the Trenton Devils for a second season at my Inside the Trenton Devils blog, which I’d encourage you to check out.  In fact, you should come out and check out a game.  It’s not too far away from Waterfront Park, and I’m usually pretty accessible before games if you have any Thunder questions.

The T-Devils 2009-10 season starts off tonight at 7 PM when the Kalamazoo Wings make their inaugural trip into Sovereign Bank Arena…or, ummm…whatever they’re calling it these days.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

So, How Goes It In The AFL?

Zach Kroenke (Photo: Ashmore/2008)

Were the Arena Football League still around, it might be a bit confusing for some for me to report on the Yankees farmhands that were assigned to the AFL.  But sadly — and I say that sincerely, as I really enjoyed my experience covering that league — the league has folded and the Arizona Fall League is the only AFL in town.

Now, the fact that just about as many people care about the Arizona Fall League — they routinely draw triple-digit crowds over there — as did the Arena Football League aside, here’s a look at how the seven Yankees minor leaguers playing for the Surprise Rafters are faring:

Brandon Laird: 2 GP, .818 AVG (9-for-11), 1 2B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Austin Romine: 2 GP, .500 AVG (4-for-8), 0 XBH, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

Colin Curtis: 3 GP, .333 AVG (5-for-15), 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 1K

Ian Kennedy: 1 G/1 GS, 1-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Mike Dunn: 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 SV, 1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Zach Kroenke: 1 G, 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Grant Duff: 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Alumni Q&A: Mark Melancon

Mark Melancon came to the Thunder in 2008 with about as much hype as any relief pitcher in franchise history.  A 6-0 record, two saves and a 1.81 ERA later and it became pretty clear that it was all justified.

All in all, Melancon lasted all of about two months at Waterfront Park before being called up to Triple-A Scranton at the end of July.  Since then, he’s helped Scranton win an International League championship and got to make his big league debut in the first month of the 2009 season.

Melancon was back in the New York Yankees clubhouse in September, and I had a chance to ask him a few questions about his time with the Thunder and what he’s been up to since:

Mike Ashmore: I haven’t had a chance to see you since you were with the Thunder back in 2008…take me through what the roller coaster has been like since then.

Mark Melancon: “It’s been great.  It wasn’t a great year this year, but there’s always things to improve on.”

Ashmore: Did things go the way you thought they would in terms of when you would get to the big leagues?

Melancon: “Well, this is my third time up, so I guess it’s gone well.  I wish I could have stuck the first time.  But there’s always a learning curve and different things that go on.”

Ashmore: When you were in Trenton and Scranton, you were under a lot of scrutiny considering your lofty prospect status.  Now, you’re a big leaguer.  Is the attention that you’ve received any different now that you’ve finally made it up here?

Melancon: “It’s a whole different level up here.  You can’t mimic anything here in the minor leagues.  It’s a whole new level, and I think that’s why it is such a big learning curve.”

Ashmore: What do you remember from that first outing at Fenway?

Melancon: “It was exhilirating.  I came in, I think it was the seventh inning, and everybody’s standing up and singing ‘Sweet Caroline.’  It was an unbelievable feeling.  A dream come true, for sure.”

Ashmore: You were only with the Thunder for about two months, but what do you remember about your experience there?

Melancon: “Trenton was great.  The fans were great, the atmosphere was great.  It’s a good team to have in the Yankees organization.”

Ashmore: There were a lot of guys on that Scranton team that you were on this year who were with you on the Thunder as well.  Any thoughts on how those guys have progressed?  Anyone stand out to you?

Melancon: “We seemed to have a great class coming through.  It’s been fun that we’ve been able to move together.”

Ashmore: How are you viewing this opportunity in September with the Yankees?  Are you viewing it as an audition for next year?  An audition to pitch in the postseason?

Melancon: “Both.  The biggest thing for me is to do your best every day.  Long term goals are good, but I can’t worry about tomorrow when I have today to worry about.  I’m just going to do my best each day.  Ultimately, I hope it plays out next year that I earn myself a spot.  This year, earn a spot on the playoff roster.  Those things will take care of themselves if I take care of today and tomorrow.  So that’s how I view that.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Flying Squirrels? Seriously?

(PR) RICHMOND, VA – Richmond Professional Baseball held a press conference on Thursday to announce that Flying Squirrels has been chosen as the team name for the Eastern League franchise beginning play at The Diamond in 2010. Flying Squirrels was selected from a pool of more than 15,000 entries submitted during an on-line “Name the Team” contest on TimesDispatch.com and subsequent wild card entry period on CNBC.com.

“We are thrilled with the passion that selecting the name of the team has ignited within the community,” said Richmond Professional Baseball Chief Executive Manager Chuck Domino. “We have promised the baseball fans of Richmond a truly unique brand of fun. Out of all the tremendous entries we received, we believe the Flying Squirrels moniker provides the best representation of that brand, while giving us unlimited avenues to creatively explore the identity of this team.”

Brad Mead, the fan who submitted Flying Squirrels in the “Name the Team” contest, was unable to attend the press conference. However, his mother, Donna Nelson, and step-father, Kyle Nelson, accepted the grand prize on his behalf. Mead was awarded two Flying Squirrels’ season tickets for life. The fans that submitted the names of the other finalists were also on hand at the press conference, and were awarded prize packs from the newly-minted team.

Other speakers at the press conference were Richmond Times-Dispatch President & Publisher Tom Silvestri and Flying Squirrels’ General Manager Bill Papierniak. Jason Klein and Casey White of Plan B. Branding also outlined the team’s plans for logo creation and brand implementation. In conjunction with the naming announcement, the team introduced the new on-line home of the team — SquirrelsBaseball.com — which will replace RichmondProBaseball.com. The team had been operating on the temporary site while the name of the team was being selected.

2009 Thunder A-Z: Mike Dunn

Before 2009: Mike Dunn’s “Before 2009″ is a lot more interesting than…oh, wait.  I used that line already?  Well, Wilkin de la Rosa isn’t the only left-handed outfielder turned pitcher in the organization.

Picked in the 33rd round of the 2004 draft by the Yankees, Dunn debuted the following season as an outfielder in the Gulf Coast League, where he’d hit .194 with no home runs and nine RBI in 24 games.  He also played for High-A Tampa — somewhat odd considering his numbers and lack of experience — and posted similar statistics, hitting .167 with no home runs and six RBI in 28 games.

He started the 2006 season at Low-A Charleston, again as an outfielder.  His career in the outfield would last another month, as he hit just .086 with no home runs and two RBI in 14 games before starting his transition to the mound.

Dunn returned to the Gulf Coast League as a relief pitcher, and the move paid immediate dividends.  In 11 appearances, he was 3-0 with an 0.73 ERA, and the opposition hit just .155 off of him.  He was sent to Short Season-A Staten Island to finish the season, and posted no record and a 5.68 ERA in three appearances.  However, New York-Penn League batters hit just .125 off of him, as Dunn was ultimately victimized by his seven walks more than his three hits allowed in 6.1 frames pitched.

2007 marked Dunn’s first full season on the mound, and he was inserted into Low-A Charleston’s starting rotation. I n 27 starts, Dunn went 12-5 and posted a 3.42 ERA, which was good for ninth best among qualifying pitchers in the South Atlantic League.

His progression of one level per year continued in 2008, as he pitched in all but one of his games while wearing the uniform of the High-A Tampa Yankees.  He appeared in 30 games, including 22 starts.  He was 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA for Tampa before being called up at the tail end of the year to join Double-A Trenton.  Dunn picked up the win in his only relief appearance of the year, and was used in some key situations in the postseason as he helped the Thunder earn their second straight championship ring.

2009: Dunn, who was added to the Yankees 40-man roster prior to the start of the year, began his season in Trenton’s bullpen, and pitched very well until his inevitable promotion to Triple-A Scranton in the middle of July.  For the Thunder, Dunn went 3-3 with a 3.71 ERA and two saves.  He tallied 76 strikeouts in just 53.1 innings of work.

Dunn’s time in Scranton would last just a month and a half, as his 1-0 record and 2.25 ERA in 12 appearances was good enough to earn him a call-up to the Bronx when rosters expanded on September 1st. 

After 2009: Dunn is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Rafters franchise, and has emerged as a top prospect in the organization.

With a spot on the 40-man roster, his penchant for strikeouts and a lack of quality arms from the left side in the organization, Dunn has a real chance to start 2010 as a New York Yankee.  Despite the fact that he’s essentially had two careers in baseball, he won’t turn 25 years old until May 23rd of next year, so there is still time for him develop in Triple-A if need be.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

2009 Thunder A-Z: Grant Duff

Before 2009: Duff was selected out of noted baseball powerhouse The College of the Sequoias in the 21st round of the 2004 draft by the Yankees.  He debuted with the organization’s Gulf Coast League affiliate in 2005, going 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in four appearances.

He seemed to put that inauspicious debut behind him in 2006, dominating the Gulf Coast League to the tune of a 5-1 record with a 1.14 ERA in 11 appearances while holding the opposition to a microscopic .155 batting average against.  He finished the season in Staten Island, and was sent to Low-A Charleston to begin the 2007 season.

Pitching exclusively as a starter for the first time in his pro career, Duff went 14-8 with a 3.82 ERA in 27 starts, but led the league with 80 walks compared to just 82 strikeouts.  He also had 13 wild pitches to his credit.

In 2008, Duff spent the entire season in High-A Tampa, going 3-6 with a 4.30 ERA in 30 appearances, including eight starts.  But his relief splits (2-2, 3.60) were significantly better than his splits as a starter (1-4, 5.15).

2009: Duff began the year as a big, 26-year old reliever who needed a big year to finally establish himself as a legitimate prospect — it was either that or he was one year closer to needing to find another organization after being unable to solidify a spot in any key role. 

He’d end it in the Arizona Fall League after earning a brief postseason call-up to Triple-A, both signs that he’d finally made big strides in the Yankees farm system.

Inbetween those two points, Duff began the season pitching out of the Tampa Yankees bullpen, posting solid numbers (0-1, 3.82) in 24 appearances before finally being summoned to Trenton a week or so into July.  Duff immediately became one of the pillars of the bullpen, although he’d occasionally struggle with command.  Ultimately, he posted a 4-2 record with a 3.22 ERA in 21 appearances — which, when combined with his games pitched in Tampa, gave him a career high 45 appearances — and he held the Eastern League to a .222 batting average against.

After 2009: Duff has earned a reputation as one of the hardest throwers in the upper levels of the farm system, if not the whole organization.  His fastball has allegedly touched 99 MPH — he certainly never did that at Waterfront Park – and generally sits at 96 or 97 once he gets a few pitches into an outing, when he’s usually at 93-94.

At 27 years old going into the 2010 season, the time is now for Duff.  While it’s possible he could start the season in the Thunder bullpen, the more likely scenario sees him pitching out of Scranton’s bullpen to start 2010.  Depending on how things go for him at PNC Field, Duff has a legitimate chance to wear Yankee pinstripes at some point in 2010.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com