<!--StartFragment-->
Chicago Cubs righthander Carlos Zambrano is currently a bad contract, emotionally unstable, and a mediocre pitcher. He is currently on the restricted list with no timetable for a return after his tirade in the dugout last week. He’s a wreck, emotionally and on the mound. But a change in scenery could improve his mood and his performance. Seemingly, the Cubs would have a difficult time finding a suitor who would take the remaining four years and over $60 million left on his deal, but if there is a pitching coach that could work wonders and rejuvenate the former ace, it is the St. Louis Cardinals Dave Duncan.
Duncan has been by manager Tony La Russa’s side since 1983. He’s gained a tremendous reputation over the years as a person who has the ability to take on presumed hopeless cases and push them in the right direction. He has had a knack for noticing flaws. Arm angles may be too low or high, pitches may be tipped, and mentalities may be shaken. Duncan has possessed the ability to fix all of that.
As The New York Times’ David Waldstein wrote, “He has worked his craft with every kind of pitcher to come through St. Louis, whether young or old, left-hander or right-hander, wild or controlled, loud or quiet, crafty or crude.”
Zambrano would definitely be his most serious and complicated case, but after what he did with the likes of the late Darryl Kile, Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse, as well as many others, there is reason to believe magic could be worked again.
Kile died on June 24th, 2002 of a heart attack at the young age of 33. Before his tragic end, he was Duncan’s most noteworthy and eye-opening reclamation project. The righthander was 21-30 with a 5.84 ERA in two seasons with the Colorado Rockies after a stellar stay with the Houston Astros in the late 1990’s. In 2000, his first year in St. Louis, Duncan’s tutelage and his newfound confidence translated to a 20-9 record with a 3.91 ERA and five complete games. In 1999 with the Rockies he allowed a league-leading 140 runs in 190 innings. In 2000, he relinquished 39 fewer earned runs in 42 2/3 more innings.
The next season, his win total decreased to 16 wins, but his ERA dropped to 3.09, as he allowed just 78 earned runs while throwing just five less innings.
The three-time All-Start who finished fifth in the Cy Young voting twice in a career that was far too short did his best work in the heart of the steroid era. And Duncan was a big reason for that. Kile finished 41-24 with an ERA more than two points lower than he had in Colorado.
Carpenter was also performing very poorly before signing on with the Cardinals. He was a game below .500 at 49-50 with a 4.91 in six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, everything changed. His ERA that was 5.28 in his last season with Toronto dropped to 3.46 with St. Louis. He also went 15-5, winning three more games than his previous career-high. His 2005 campaign was even better, as he finished 21-5 with a 2.83 ERA, tossing seven complete games and four shutouts.
His 2007 and 2008 seasons were shortened due to injury, but, having gone 51-18 in his first three seasons under Duncan, the pitching coach quickly helped him regain his form after an assortment of arm troubles. It was believed that Carpenter couldn’t return to the Cy-Young winning form of 2005, but he did, finishing second in the award’s race by going 17-4 with a league-leading 2.24 ERA. This season has been more of the same, as he carries a 9-1 record with a 2.70 ERA.
Lohse went from a perennial 10-13 game loser to a 15-game winner in 2008, his first season with the Cardinals. He said of Duncan in Waldstein’s article: “Before I got here, I heard he’s the best in the business and can get the most out of anybody. Having seen it up close now, I’d agree.”
Duncan has made the most out of anybody, that’s for certain. Braden Looper, who had predominately been a close with the New York Mets and Florida Marlins, was turned into a starter in 2008 in his second season with the Cardinals and won 12 games. He lost the same amount and carried a 4.94 ERA, but he was serviceable and his transition was deemed a success. The following season, he won 12 more games and saw his ERA drop 78 points.
Todd Wellemeyer’s story was similar. He struggled for the first seven years of his career then wins 13 games in 2008, his first full season with the Cardinals. His previous high had been three wins, and that was also done with St. Louis upon coming over midseason of 2007.
Joel Pineiro was mediocre in Seattle, losing 11, 11, 11, and 13 games in successive seasons during the beginning of the decade, then joins the Cardinals and wins 15 games in his second season, which helped him sign a lucrative deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this past offseason.
Jeff Suppan compiles 16 wins in his first two seasons with the Cardinals, 2005 and 2006 after putting up below average numbers with Boston, Kansas City, Arizona, and Pittsburgh. He then falls off the map upon leaving St. Louis for Milwaukee. He was designated for assignment earlier this season after allowed 29 runs in 31 innings and is picked up by the Cardinals for a second go-around. What does he do? He has allowed six runs in three starts and has a 3.95 ERA, nearly four points better than he had in 15 2010 appearances with the Brewers.
Duncan even toyed with John Smoltz’s mechanics, informing a future Hall of Famer he was tipping his pitches during his very unsuccessful stint with the Red Sox. He joined the Cardinals halfway through the 2009 season. During his half with Boston, he allowed 59 hits, 37 runs, and eight homers in 40 innings. Once with St. Louis, he allows 23 less hits, 19 less runs, and five less homers in just two less innings.
Pitchers can turn themselves around, but too many have done so in St. Louis over the years for Duncan to not take most of the credit. He’s been a miracle worker. Turning around Zambrano would indeed take a miracle, but with Duncan and the incentive of playing for the Cubs rival, the 29-year old could resurrect his career as so many of Duncan’s projects have.
<!--EndFragment-->
Written by:
