KC Royals: The Evolution Of Danny Duffy

The KC Royals are going to let Danny Duffy start the game against the Braves today, but the left-handed pitcher has really evolved.

The KC Royals are going to have Danny Duffy step into the rotation later today. It’s a not a position that he’s uncomfortable with, but it’s not one that he’s flourished in.

It’s been a long and strange journey for Danny Duffy. The former third-round draft pick in 2007 has done a lot of different things in his career so far.

In 2010, he retired from baseball for a few months before finally realizing that he wanted to continue his playing career. Royals’ fans should be glad that he did.

He got promoted to the Majors in 2011 and even earned a spot in the rotation during the 2012 season before a UCL injury derailed his season.

He’s jumped from the bullpen to the rotation and back to the bullpen over the last couple of seasons. In 2014, he looked brilliant on the mound in both roles. He pitched to a 2.53 ERA across 149.1 innings of work.

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At other times, he’s looked like his ability to overcome his mental hurdles would get the better of him. He’s just kind of a hard player to figure out.

It’s always a bit of a question mark as to which Danny Duffy is going to appear. Will it be the downtrodden lefty who looks like he’s lost his way? Or will it be the bear-suit wearing pitcher who looks confident in taking on the world.

So far this season, he looks like he’s gained some confidence. It could be that he’s learned that his fastball is good enough to challenge hitters in the middle of the plate.

According to Brooks Baseball, Duffy’s fastball is averaging more than 97 mph so far this May. That’s a faster average than he’s accomplished in any month of his career.

Pitching out of the pen has allowed him to unleash that fastball rather than trying to hold back which explains the uptick in velocity. Not only has he been effective, he’s reliable in high-pressure situations. He even looks, dare I say, confident on the mound.

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In the first video, Duffy casually strikes out the reigning National League MVP and confidently walks back to the dugout.

The second video shows Duffy getting even more confident. In the second video, Duffy strikes out Espinosa with a little bit of flair. It’s that confidence and attitude that can make him be successful.

The biggest problem Duffy has had to overcome is in his own mind. He may now have the confidence to go right after them instead of trying to nibble the corners of the zone.

Today should be a good indicator on what Duffy can do with the rest of his career.

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If he’s able to attack the strike zone and trust his stuff and his defense then he should be considered a candidate to move back to the starting rotation.

If he’s worrying about what he’s going to throw a batter their third time through the lineup then he’s going to have a rough day and walk a few more batters than he can afford to walk on his 50 pitch limit.