Buster Olney's latest (insider only) includes an excellent story about Danny Duffy and how he was informed of his big league callup:
Duffy rushed back to the clubhouse, and Jirschele and pitching coach Doug Henry put on their best angry faces and chastised Duffy for being a bad teammate. Two guys had been called to the big leagues, the manager and coaches explained with a straight face, and Duffy hadn't been there to congratulate them. Duffy apologized and felt terrible about the whole thing.
"Well, good," Jirschele said. "Go out and shake [Teaford's hand]. And then he can shake your hand."
That's the moment when Duffy realized that he, too, was going to the big leagues. He started to get emotional. "Glassy-eyed," Henry recalled Tuesday over the phone.
Sometimes, with our continued focus on the biggest stars and baseball celebrities getting the headlines, it's easy to forget how big these moments can be for players. Great story.
Other MLB Thoughts, News, and Notes:
- Hosmer, Teaford, Duffy, (and today's move for Holland) indicate the Royals have moved up their development timetable (per Royals beat writer Sam Mellinger).
- The Red Sox, the Yankees, and several other teams are already looking for help with starting pitching -- but the market is "shaping up to be very thin."
- Speculation indicates Francisco Liriano, Brett Myers, and Wandy Rodriguez might be options.
- Dustin Ackley further away from Mariners' promotion than buzz indicates.
- Rafael Soriano's DL stint is a sign that his signing is an "enormous bust."