CHRIS DUFFY

4/20/80; '01 8th; Arizona State U.
L/L; 5-10, 185

Level	BA	OBP	SA	AB	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	SB	CS
2001 A-	.317	.440	.421	221	12	4	1	33	33	30	5
2002 A+	.301	.353	.425	539	27	5	10	33	101	22	7
2003 AA	.273	.355	.350	494	23	6	1	44	78	34	12
2004 AA	.309	.378	.439	453	23	6	8	33	77	30	8
2005 NL	.341	.385	.429	126	4	2	1	7	22	2	2
2005 AAA	.308	.358	.464	308	13	7	7	16	57	17	9
2006 NL	.255	.317	.338	314	14	3	2	19	71	26	1
2006 AAA	.349	.415	.509	106	7	2	2	10	13	13	3
2007 NL	.249	.313	.357	241	11	3	3	21	43	13	4
2007 R	.308	.400	.385	13	1	0	0	1	0	0	0
2008 AAA	.275	.339	.372	51	3	0	1	4	12	5	2
2008 AA	.259	.333	.431	58	5	1	1	7	10	1	1

After seemingly established himself as the Pirates' CF of the near future in 2005, Duffy's career has taken a series of odd turns. He established himself as a good CF/leadoff prospect from the start of his pro career, with a strong initial season in short season ball. He successfully skipped a level in 2002, although the decline in his plate discipline was a negative sign. He struggled in his first exposure to AA, resulting in a return trip there.

Every year one rookie becomes a sensation in spring training, and in 2005 it was Duffy, with the result that the team seemed to start thinking about him very seriously as a possible solution to its CF problem. He spent part of April in the majors when Jose Castillo got hurt. Once he was sent to AAA, he struggled initially, but eventually hit very well, with surprising power. His plate discipline remained weak, however, as he struggles with offspeed stuff. He was called up in July when Craig Wilson got hurt. He started off hot and took over the CF and leadoff roles, not relinquishing them, except for a dehydration episode in early August, until a hamstring tear ended his season in late August.

Duffy had a bizarre 2006 season. He went into the season as the starting CF and leadoff hitter. After a bad spring, however, he got off to a horrible start, hitting 194/255/276 through early May and showing little aggressiveness in the field or on the bases. The previous year's hamstring tear could have played a role in his tentative play, as it's a serious injury that never really goes away. The Pirates optioned him to AAA, but instead of reporting he disappeared. It was eventually learned that he went home to Arizona. His disappearance was never really explained, although the most common, albeit not very believable, story was that he lost his desire to play the game. There was also speculation that he was upset over Jim Tracy's effort, during spring training, to get him to try to hit everything on the ground to the opposite field, which some people believed caused his struggles at the plate. Whatever the real reason, the Pirates took no action beyond placing Duffy on the suspended list until he returned, so it's likely he had some concrete explanation that satisfied them. He eventually returned, playing very well in a AAA stint. Once back in the majors, he struggled badly for a couple weeks, going 3-for-32. From that point, however, he hit .315, played good defense, and was brilliant on the bases-he led the majors in SB %. He did sit out the final game of 2006 with hamstring tightness and declined the team's suggestion that he play winter ball.

Duffy opened 2007 as the regular in CF. He hit OK in April (264/350/352), but had a miserable month of May (219/243/344). He rebounded in June, posting a .371 OBP, but he sprained his ankle late in the month. When he returned on a rehab assignment, he began having trouble with his shoulder. It turned out that it was a problem that had bothered him for years and he had surgery in early September, ending his season. He was expected to healthy early in the 2008 season, but he had setbacks in his recovery and wasn't ready to go until July. Even after he returned, he missed time sporadically with minor problems. As a sign of his reduced status, the Pirates optioned him to AA because they had Nyjer Morgan, Andrew McCutchen and Steve Pearce in the outfield in AAA. Duffy hit OK in AA, but not as well as you'd expect from a player with his experience. When Morgan was recalled to the majors, Duffy went to AAA and hit about the same, although he did have eight hits in his last twelve at-bats. By then, however, he'd been removed from the 40-man roster to make room for the haul of players the Pirates received in the Jason Bay trade. Surprisingly, he cleared waivers.

Duffy is fast, although not so much so as, say, Morgan. He's an excellent defensive CF, although his arm isn't very strong. He's a good baserunner and has usually been a high % base stealer. The primary issue with him will remain his bat. He's shown the ability to hit for average, but he doesn't walk much and fans a lot for a player without much power. Other teams, including the Braves, have shown interest in trading for Duffy in the past, so he might still appeal to somebody. I think he'll be a minor league free agent after the season, though, so the Pirates won't likely be able to trade him even if he still has some trade value.

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