TODAY: Duffy will likely remain active through the end of the week before having the surgery, Topkin tweets.
YESTERDAY: Newly-acquired Rays infielder Matt Duffy is expected to undergo season-ending surgery, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The procedure would “address the lingering soreness stemming from his earlier left Achilles injury,” per the report.
Duffy, acquired as the headliner in the swap that sent Matt Moore to the Giants, has continued to struggle at the plate since heading to Tampa Bay. All told, he owns only a .260/.312/.360 batting line over 364 plate appearances on the year. He has hit five long balls and swiped eight bases, though he has also been caught five times after going 12-for-12 on stolen base attempts a year ago.
The Rays are obviously banking on a return to form at the plate. Duffy benefited from a .336 BABIP in 2015, but nevertheless impressed with a solid .295/.334/.428 batting line. Even with some regression, a slightly above-average bat would conceivably make Duffy a highly valuable asset, as he rated as an outstanding defender at third with strong baserunning contributions last year. There are some questions there, too, however: Duffy hasn’t compiled stellar metrics since converting to short, though it’s a very small sample and he had primarily played at the hot corner of late, and his baserunning numbers took a huge dive in 2016 (-3.0 BsR, per Fangraphs).
Certainly, the nagging injury could go a ways toward explaining Duffy’s assorted struggles. He told Topkin that the soreness has lingered, with particular problems when playing on the turf infield at Tropicana Field. A surgical option has been on the table since June, the infielder noted, but the timeline for making a decision had shortened. “The only thing would be the recovery time,” said Duffy. “We want to be 100 percent sure that we’re ready to go by next season. I guess that’s one of the concerns.”
Tampa Bay still has plenty of time to make good on its end of the bargain, and certainly won’t be overly concerned with keeping Duffy on the field late this year with the postseason out of reach. The club controls him for four more seasons, and will be obligated only for the league minimum in 2017.
The need to replace Duffy for the rest of the season presents the Rays with many options, which Topkin details. Tim Beckham and Taylor Motter do not appear ticketed for the majors, he says, which could open the door for a move back to short for Brad Miller and/or some time there for Nick Franklin. Another player who could get a chance is prospect Daniel Robertson, though Topkin suggests the club may actually be “more likely” to go outside the organization and add a short-term veteran such as Alexei Ramirez.
Why not call up Beckham? He did a pretty decent job this year. Adding Ramirez for a month makes no sense for a team that is not competing and not desperate for a shortstop.
They sent out Beckham a few days ago because he wasn’t hustling, apparently.
Well, it has been a week since then, and the minor league season is finished. There’s no point in having him do nothing. Remember they kept B.J Upton for 6 years…
Agreed but upton was a much more talented and did get the message this kid is pure stupid. When he’s out that bad things happen to often
He made some stupid base running decisions, and not might have cost them a win against Boston. Probably just want him to humble up and go hard on every play
Please, please, please work out another trade to send Duffy back to SF. Interestingly right after the Duffy trade SF went on a terrible skid. Coincidence? It’s blamed on the All Star break. I call BS. SF traded one of its favorite sons and that screwed up the Club House Chemistry. Nobody will admit this because they are supposed to be professional athletes but I am totally sure it had a more than minor negative effect. After all SF rarely traded away someone from the 25 man roster.
Same thing happened to the A’s when they traded Cespedes. The team got a huge awakening to realize it was a business too and they were playing as one hell of a team.
The exact same thing happens in businesses when layoffs happen. Productivity goes to crap for a while until people deal with the loss.
You’re all gonna call me crazy but this is something I know happens. Just people are trying too hard to be manly to admit it.
I think your reaching with that comparison.
Seemed pretty reasonable to me.
Then I’m not sure how you explain why they were playing poor baseball well before Duffy exited the clubhouse August 1st. The poor situational hitting, the anemic slugging and the gascan closer goes well beyond his departure/clubhouse chemistry.
I don’t know which comparison that you’re talking about but the comparison was never meant to be based on skills, more on chemistry and how much a player is liked. Duffy is adored by Players, Coaches and Fans. Taking him away has an effect, the question really remains how much.
It’s not just that though. Players play well when they are comfortable and settled, that’s why they like to have No Trade Clauses. When a team like SF who have pretty much rarely traded anyone from the 25 man roster, even given reward contracts AND trade someone that was part of a 100% home grown infield… it sucks, it makes people uncomfortable thinking “I could be next”.
So there’s an effect on chemistry but also comfort and we all know that 80% of the game is between the ears… I am 100% sure it contributed to the Giants tanking, but not sure exactly how much, it’s hard to quantify and because you can’t quantify it, people won’t believe it because it takes critical thinking, vision and a basic understanding of psychology.
But I don’t want him back for that reason. Eventually the team will deal with it and move on. I want him back because he’s a hell of a player!
Whoever wrote this article is obviously an idiot lol. I know everything there is to know about the Rays and Duffy was batting over .300 with the Rays until late last week he had a couple 0 for’s. He has been good in the field and there has not been one report of the Rays going outside the organization for help lol. There’s a month left and we have 2 guys who can play shortstop on the roster already why would the Rays go sign a old not good player for a month? Wtf. Beckham does not to deserve to come up he had two not hustling plays within 3 days he almost cost a run the first time and the second time he did. He thinks he looks so cool and is in the “show” he’s a p.o.s and he needs to get the message he needs to stay down to get it. He’ll be back next year
I didn’t make up the idea of going outside the organization — that’s what Topkin suggests. I’d say he is familiar with the organization.
Duffy’s batting results, overall, remain underwhelming. I’m sure he has been fine at short, with no glaring issues, and maybe he’ll be stellar there in the long run. But metrics don’t love him there as they did at third — so far. Very small sample, as I said.
But believe what you wish. Just stop using acronyms for naughty words, please.
As a huge Giants fan, I miss Duffy on the roster for his grit, hard work and club house presence. I wish him the best in his surgery and hope, as we all do in SF, that he comes back strong next spring and plays the way we know he can, even though he’s no longer a Giant