The Kansas City Royals need a few pitchers to step up in the starting rotation this season to provide the team with what it needs most. Perhaps no one is in better position to do that than Danny Duffy, the heralded starter who came up last season for his debut with the Royals. While his initial season had its ups and downs, it was enough to make a believer out of Baseball Prospectus' Derek Carty:
Duffy has front-line stuff and a spot in Kansas City's rotation; the strikeouts and groundballs will be there, so it's just a matter of his control. Adding a cutter this spring should help that, and with even a 3.5 BB/9 he could find himself among the top 25 starters in the American League.
Duffy went 4-8 last season with a 5.64 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 105+ innings pitched. Yet the promise is there for the former third round pick of the 2007 MLB Draft. In parts of five minor league seasons, Duffy's career numbers of 407 Ks in 350 innings and a 2.65 ERA show he can dominate. Duffy said he was ready to approach this season differently now that he had ML experience. The Royals certainly hope so.