Bob Smizik: Duke Might Be One Who Doesn't Disappoint

Friday, July 08, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The tendency when evaluating young pitchers of supposedly supreme talent and limitless future who are wearing a Pirates uniform must out of necessity veer heavily toward skepticism.

How many times have we been fooled by young studs fresh out of the minors who had that fastball to die for? Or that special poise that usually was found only in seasoned veterans?
Does Kris Benson sound familiar?

Benson was the No. 1 overall pick in 1996 and the ace the Pirates had been seeking since Doug Drabek. After a massively disappointing Pirates career, Benson was traded last season to the New York Mets where he pitches today without distinction.

Before him there was Jose Silva, Jason Schmidt, Francisco Cordova, Esteban Loaiza and Jon Lieber. All inspired hope. None brought that hope to fruition with the Pirates.
Lieber, remember, was compared early in his Pirates career to Tom Seaver.

If those disappointments aren't recent enough, how about Oliver Perez and Kip Wells?

The franchise's biggest winner since the almost-glory years of 1990-92 is Todd Ritchie, a reclamation project who shined briefly enough to win 15 games in 1999. Since then there has been nothing better than a 12-game winner as all of the above floundered.

It was just a year ago we were gushing over former No. 1 pick Sean Burnett, a crafty left-hander without the blazing fastball but who had the poise of a veteran and the know-how to fool major-league hitters. Burnett is currently recuperating from major surgery, as is John Van Benschoten, another former No. 1 pick.
Pirates fans have been fooled so many times, they couldn't be blamed if they turned away and said, "No more," when the next phenom arrived on the scene.

That's particularly the case with Zachary Thomas Duke because he brings to mind Burnett. Both are left-handers, neither is overpowering, both have uncommon poise.
But a baseball fan's enthusiasm over a young prospect is eternal.

Which is why the expectations for Duke were monumental when he took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies last night at PNC Park. Once again, a prospect had emerged from that vast wasteland known as the Pirates' minor-league system to make the collective hearts of the team's fans flutter.

Duke, 22, disappointed no one. He was superb. He was all he was supposed to be and a little bit more in throwing seven shutout innings against the Phillies. He allowed six hits and walked one while striking out eight in a 2-1 Pirates win. He was good in his first major-league start last week; he was better last night in his first major-league win.

It couldn't be said that he dominated because the Phillies hit a lot of hard balls. But he did something almost as important. He was in control -- always.
The poise that everyone talked about was there in abundance. He never blinked when the Phillies threatened.
"His touch, his feel for pitching is something it takes a lot of guys quite awhile to get," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon.

When David Bell doubled with one out in the first, Duke retired the heart of the Phillies lineup, All-Star Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell, without a ball leaving the infield.
With a runner on third and two outs in the third, he retired Bell on a soft liner.
With runners on second and third and two outs in the fourth, he struck out young slugger Ryan Howard swinging.
With two on and two outs in the seventh, he retired Jason Michaels on a lazy fly ball to right field.

Duke made an impression on Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel.
"He was real good. He has poise. He came at us. We just couldn't get the big hit. He didn't break.
"He was hitting 92 [mph] with his fastball and at the same time he moved the ball around. He got his breaking stuff over. He wasn't afraid to pound the strike zone with his fastball."

He's just the kind of guy the struggling Phillies could use. But McClendon let it be known Duke's a keeper.

"I'm impressed with everything about him," McClendon said. "This kid has great makeup and the stuff to go with it. That's a pretty good combination and something to get excited about.
"I think he's going to be special."

It's hard not to get excited about this young man, whose success shouldn't be surprising after a minor-league career that was one near-flawless assignment after another.
At the same time, though, these are the Pirates and no one should forget those who came before him.

(Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.)