Danny Duffy arrives at Royals camp with a heavy heart and interesting perspective
The Kansas City Royals have 39 pitchers and seven catchers in camp along with several position players who got an early start. Even with all those players as well as numerous coaches and front office types roaming around the clubhouse, Danny Duffy’s presence was felt.
Duffy, a veteran left-handed pitcher and one of two Royals pitchers who were on the World Series winning team in 2015, made his first appearance in the clubhouse this spring training.
While pitchers and catchers reported on Tuesday and held their first workout on Wednesday, Duffy remained in California with his family following the death of his grandmother.
When Duffy appeared in the clubhouse on Saturday morning, he elicited a multitude of smiles, handshakes and hugs.
He threw his first bullpen session of camp — manager Mike Matheny said he also threw one while at home and provided video to the coaching staff — then continued to unpack his gear and set up his locker while receiving more greetings from teammates. Then he spoke with reporters myriad topics, including his grandparents, the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, taking on more of a leadership role this season and the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
When asked by The Star about this past week, Duffy replied with his voice trembling at times, “Grandma was the sweetest person I’ve ever met, and I got to be around her for 31 years. I’m a really lucky dude. I think (she gave me) a lot of perspective. Gosh, her and my grandpa set the standard for what it means to love somebody.
“It’s a tough situation, but she’s in a really good place right now. She doesn’t want to come back. She’s in a really good place. I’m at peace. We miss her. Hold on tight to your loved ones. Make sure they know that you love them, for sure.”
Duffy has spent part of nine seasons in the major leagues, all with the Royals. He started last season on the injured list and stayed in Arizona for extended spring training instead of breaking camp with the club.
He posted a 7-6 record in 23 starts with a 4.34 ERA and 115 strikeouts, 46 walks and a 1.31 WHIP in 130 2/3 innings. He missed several weeks in August on the injured list because of a hamstring injury.
Duffy enters this season confident because of the offseason training plan the club put together for him and the success he felt like he found last season with the help of adjustments made by pitching coach Cal Eldred and former bullpen coach/current third base coach Vance Wilson.
“Just watching Danny, watching his stuff and seeing the potential in there, watching some of his outings and realizing just how good he could be,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “That leads you to believe that there’s something special in there if we can figure out how to get it on a consistent basis.”
Remembering Kobe
Duffy grew up north of Los Angeles in Lompoc, California, and is a huge fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. He admired former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who died last month along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
Duffy relayed a story from the Royals’ 2014 postseason when he was pitching through a rib injury the club hid from the public and a laminated picture of Bryant that appeared in his locker.
“Dave Eiland and Jeremy Guthrie knew how I idolized that guy,” Duffy said. “Through everything, all his injuries, he was able to get the job done. They ended up putting up a picture of Kobe and his mamba face with WWKD on it, what would Kobe do. I’m sitting there just like, ‘Man, this is brutal. I can’t talk about it. I’m hurting. I’m not my best but I’m going to give my best.’ I look up on that and he’s got that mamba face on dude. I was ready to go after that. It sounds corny, but it helped me a lot. Just that constant reminder that there’s always a little more that you can give.”
Roughly three weeks ago, Duffy got a tattoo on his right wrist that features Bryant’s original jersey number eight in Roman numerals above his second jersey number 24, also in Roman numerals.
Astros scandal
The Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal and the subsequent penalties and apologies have been a topic of discussion around baseball this offseason as well as the early days of spring training.
Duffy didn’t take as hard line of a stance as his teammate Whit Merrifield. Merrifield said earlier this week that he’d lost all respect for the players involved with the Astros scandal.
“I’m not a perfect man,” Duffy said. “I don’t appreciate cheating in this game, but I know that they’re getting worn out right now. It’s hard for me to say. Obviously, you never condone that. It’s a bummer dude. I think that’s the best way I could put it without getting too in-depth. It’s a bummer.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how the league handles it. It’s going to be interesting to see how the commissioner’s office handles the possible repercussions, whatever they may be from teams that feel like they need to do what they have to do.”
Duffy said he and his catchers “knew enough” and made adjustments when playing the Astros because of the suspicion that they were stealing signs. He wouldn’t say exactly when he heard about the Astros’ tactics, but just said that it was “out there” among players.
“I have friends on that team. I’m not going to bury them here,” Duffy said. “I don’t like what they did. I think it’s horrible for the game. The game has a black eye right now. It’s not for me to say. I’m not shining my halo. I’m a flawed human being, but I’m bummed out about the way that World Series unfolded.”
Leadership mantle
Duffy’s 181 career starts in the majors are just 13 shy of Brad Keller, Jakob Junis and Mike Montgomery’s combined career starts (194).
The Royals also have a bevy of pitchers in big-league camp for the first time. Matheny has said he’ll look to guys like Duffy to take on a leadership role among the pitching staff.
“I’m 31 years old now,” Duffy said. “This has gone by very quickly, and not too long ago I was in those chairs. I’m going to do everything I can do be a part of that. I want to see those guys absolutely maximize their potential, while also my primary focus is on doing my job. I want to see those guys win man, and I want to win with them.”
This story was originally published February 15, 2020 at 3:52 PM.
