Courtney Duncan was not surprised to learn Tuesday that he had been optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room for fellow reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who was activated from the disabled list.
What did surprise Duncan was the way in which manager Don Baylor explained the move to him.
“He said I was using my breaking pitch too much and not throwing my fastball enough,” Duncan said.
“I really didn’t think it mattered when you’re getting guys out.
“If that’s a legitimate excuse, I can handle it. But from where I sit it’s like: `Nothing’s good enough right now.'”
Duncan, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in two appearances with the Cubs, would have preferred to hear the explanation that Baylor gave the media for his demotion: that he was being sent down for Farnsworth.
“I guess you can’t just shoot a guy straight anymore and tell him what the deal is,” Duncan said. “You have to try to `soup’ it up a little and make it seem like it’s their fault. And I know it’s not my fault.
“[Baylor] did make a statement that if I pitch well enough, I’ll be back. It’s like a double-edged sword right now. I’ll pitch the way I’ve always pitched.”
Duncan, a 27-year-old right-hander, excelled for the Cubs last season before pulling a muscle in his back. Relying heavily on his changeup and darting slider, he posted a 2.88 ERA over his first 29 appearances and was tops among all National League relievers by allowing just 4.7 hits per nine innings.
“But coming in this year it was like I wasn’t even considered,” he said. “What gets me is when [teammates] come up to me and say I should be here.
“Don’t just feed me excuses. Tell me the real deal and I can handle it better. I’m a grown man and I’ve had tougher things to deal with in my life than this.”
Duncan endured a family tragedy before the 2000 season when his older brother, Thomas, killed his pregnant wife and then took his own life.
That helps Duncan keep his present woes in perspective. But it doesn’t alter his views.
“I know it’s a business and I know what they have to deal with,” he said. “But be real to me and tell me what’s what. I can swallow that better.”
Interleague action: Baylor said he plans to use Roosevelt Brown as his designated hitter this weekend against Seattle right-handers Joel Pineiro, Freddy Garcia and Rafael Soriano. That should come as welcome news for Brown, who has started four games since April 28.
Ready to return: Baylor said Carlos Zambrano would be activated for the Seattle series after another impressive performance at Triple-A Iowa. Zambrano threw three hitless innings Monday, striking out four batters and walking two. Indications are veteran reliever Pat Mahomes will be traded or designated for assignment to clear room for Zambrano.
Never mind: On the anniversary of his selection by the Cubs, Mark Prior didn’t want to remember the draft and ensuing negotiations.
“I’m glad I never have to go through it again,” he said. “We were in the middle of the playoffs [at USC], and that was my main focus. We had the draft in the morning, then practiced, then had three to four hours of talking to the media. Then I jumped on a plane and went to the [College] World Series the next day. It was: Boom, boom, boom.”
