Shelley Duncan
Encyclopedia
David Shelley Duncan is a Major League Baseball
first baseman
, outfielder
, and designated hitter
for the Cleveland Indians
.
, a MLB catcher
and pitching coach. His younger brother, Chris
, is also a MLB first baseman and outfielder.
, located in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley
, in 1998. While there he was a teammate of current All Star second baseman Ian Kinsler
. He played on the school's 1997 baseball team that went on to capture the 5A State Championship title.
, where in 1999 he was a Freshman First Team All-American outfielder, and in 2001 he was a First Team College All-American outfielder and Pacific-10 Conference All-Star for the Arizona Wildcats baseball
team. He was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
, 62nd overall.
. In 2002, while playing outfield for the Greensboro Bats
he had 10 assists from the outfield in 69 games, and had a .375 on base percentage.
In 2004, he hit 19 home runs in 424 at bats for the Tampa Yankees
of the Florida State League
. In 2005 he hit a league-leading 34 home runs and had 92 RBIs for the Trenton Thunder
, and was an Eastern League (AA) mid-season and post-season All-Star first baseman. He was also the winner of the 2005 Eastern League All-Star Game Home Run Derby. In 2006 he hit 19 home runs for Trenton in 351 at bats, and was twice the league's player of the week.
In 2007, Duncan was a member of the International League
All-Star Team, and was the Topps IL Player of the Month in May while playing for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Duncan hit .296 for the Yankees AAA team, hitting 25 home runs (2nd in the International League at the time of his call-up) with a .577 slugging percentage in 336 at bats.
Duncan made his major league debut on July 20, 2007, as the designated hitter
against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and recorded his first career hit and RBI. The next day, he hit his first major league home run against the Devil Rays, and the following day had his first multi-home run game, going deep twice in front of the Yankee Stadium
crowd. Duncan later hit his fourth Major League home run at Yankee Stadium on July 31, 2007 against the Chicago White Sox
.
He spent time in 2008 with both the major league Yankees, and their Triple-A affiliate, before suffering a shoulder separation. Duncan remained in Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He was designated for assignment that offseason, but cleared waivers and remained in the Yankees organization.
On July 31, 2009, Duncan was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre temporarily as an extra bat. He was optioned the following day. On September 7, Duncan was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by the Yankees. In each of his 3 starts he went 1 for 3 and recorded 1 RBI. Duncan was named the International League Most Valuable Player for 2009 leading the league in home runs and RBIs. Following the 2009 season, Duncan was outrighted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but refused the assignment and elected to become a free agent
.
On January 4, 2010, Duncan signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians
. He began the season with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers
.
said in an interview with the YES Network
that he tried to avoid Duncan whenever Duncan would celebrate. Following his first home run, he was interviewed by YES Network's Kim Jones
, who asked him for a high five, which he enthusiastically gave her.
During a spring training game on March 12, 2008, leading off the 2nd inning in a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays
, Duncan reached first on a fielding error by third-baseman Evan Longoria
. However, he continued on to second, where second baseman Akinori Iwamura
caught the ball well before Duncan arrived. Duncan slid, raising his left foot up and spiking Iwamura high and inside of his right thigh. Iwamura sustained a cut above his right knee but was otherwise fine, and made the tag regardless. Duncan was called out and ejected. Many believe that this was in response to Elliot Johnson
's aggressive hit on Francisco Cervelli
, which resulted in a broken wrist for the catcher. Shortly thereafter, as the Rays and Yankees benches cleared
, Rays right fielder Jonny Gomes
rushed Duncan and tried to body-block him, only to stumble and eventually be restrained. Gomes was also ejected, as were two of the Yankees' coaches, Bobby Meacham
and Kevin Long
. On March 14, Duncan and teammate Melky Cabrera
both received three game suspensions for their parts in the incident. Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes
was also suspended for his actions on the field. Each of these three players' suspensions was reduced one day in length after they decided to drop their appeal of the suspensions.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
Personal
Duncan is the oldest son of Dave DuncanDave Duncan (baseball)
David Edwin Duncan is an American former professional baseball player and current pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
, a MLB catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and pitching coach. His younger brother, Chris
Chris Duncan
Christopher Edwin Duncan is a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman who is currently a free agent.He is the youngest son of Dave Duncan, a former catcher and current pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
, is also a MLB first baseman and outfielder.
High school
Shelley graduated from Canyon del Oro High SchoolCanyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School, also known as CDO, is a comprehensive public high school in Oro Valley, Arizona, located north of Tucson at the base of Pusch Ridge. Established as a high school in 1964, CDO is one of three high schools of Amphitheater Public Schools and serves about 1,800 students in...
, located in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley
Oro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA in Pima County. According to a July 2008 estimate, the population of the town is 43,223, an increase from 29,700 in 2000 Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson,...
, in 1998. While there he was a teammate of current All Star second baseman Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
. He played on the school's 1997 baseball team that went on to capture the 5A State Championship title.
College
Duncan attended the University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
, where in 1999 he was a Freshman First Team All-American outfielder, and in 2001 he was a First Team College All-American outfielder and Pacific-10 Conference All-Star for the Arizona Wildcats baseball
Arizona Wildcats baseball
The Arizona Wildcats baseball team is the intercollegiate men's baseball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The baseball team had its first season in 1904...
team. He was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
, 62nd overall.
Professional career
In 2001, Duncan had a .410 slugging percentage with the Staten Island YankeesStaten Island Yankees
The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league baseball team, located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers," the Yankees are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the New York Yankees and play in the New York - Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark...
. In 2002, while playing outfield for the Greensboro Bats
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...
he had 10 assists from the outfield in 69 games, and had a .375 on base percentage.
In 2004, he hit 19 home runs in 424 at bats for the Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. In 2005 he hit a league-leading 34 home runs and had 92 RBIs for the Trenton Thunder
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
, and was an Eastern League (AA) mid-season and post-season All-Star first baseman. He was also the winner of the 2005 Eastern League All-Star Game Home Run Derby. In 2006 he hit 19 home runs for Trenton in 351 at bats, and was twice the league's player of the week.
In 2007, Duncan was a member of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
All-Star Team, and was the Topps IL Player of the Month in May while playing for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Duncan hit .296 for the Yankees AAA team, hitting 25 home runs (2nd in the International League at the time of his call-up) with a .577 slugging percentage in 336 at bats.
Duncan made his major league debut on July 20, 2007, as the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and recorded his first career hit and RBI. The next day, he hit his first major league home run against the Devil Rays, and the following day had his first multi-home run game, going deep twice in front of the Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
crowd. Duncan later hit his fourth Major League home run at Yankee Stadium on July 31, 2007 against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
He spent time in 2008 with both the major league Yankees, and their Triple-A affiliate, before suffering a shoulder separation. Duncan remained in Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He was designated for assignment that offseason, but cleared waivers and remained in the Yankees organization.
On July 31, 2009, Duncan was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre temporarily as an extra bat. He was optioned the following day. On September 7, Duncan was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by the Yankees. In each of his 3 starts he went 1 for 3 and recorded 1 RBI. Duncan was named the International League Most Valuable Player for 2009 leading the league in home runs and RBIs. Following the 2009 season, Duncan was outrighted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but refused the assignment and elected to become a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
On January 4, 2010, Duncan signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He began the season with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
.
Enthusiasm
Duncan is joked about by announcers for his enthusiastic high fives, brother bashes, and chest bumps in the dugout with his teammates. Former Yankee manager Joe TorreJoe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
said in an interview with the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
that he tried to avoid Duncan whenever Duncan would celebrate. Following his first home run, he was interviewed by YES Network's Kim Jones
Kimberly Jones (reporter)
Kimberly Alicia Jones is a clubhouse reporter for New York Yankees games on the YES Network and a semi-regular talk show host on WFAN, a New York City-based all sports radio station...
, who asked him for a high five, which he enthusiastically gave her.
Controversies
Duncan was involved in some minor controversy on September 14, 2007, when, before the game between the Yankees and Red Sox at Fenway Park, Duncan wrote "Red Sox Suck!" along with his autograph on a 10-year-old Red Sox fan's notebook. Duncan later apologized to the boy's family, saying he got caught up in the excitement of the Yankees – Red Sox rivalry.During a spring training game on March 12, 2008, leading off the 2nd inning in a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Duncan reached first on a fielding error by third-baseman Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. Formerly, Longoria was a star infielder for the Long Beach State University baseball team, the Cape Cod League MVP, and the Big West Co-Player of the Year.He made his major league debut for the Rays in , and...
. However, he continued on to second, where second baseman Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League...
caught the ball well before Duncan arrived. Duncan slid, raising his left foot up and spiking Iwamura high and inside of his right thigh. Iwamura sustained a cut above his right knee but was otherwise fine, and made the tag regardless. Duncan was called out and ejected. Many believe that this was in response to Elliot Johnson
Elliot Johnson (baseball)
Elliot Tyler Johnson is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Major league career:...
's aggressive hit on Francisco Cervelli
Francisco Cervelli
Francisco Cervelli is a Major League Baseball catcher for the New York Yankees. He was an international signee by the Yankees in and played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the Italian team. He is Hispanic of Italian descent...
, which resulted in a broken wrist for the catcher. Shortly thereafter, as the Rays and Yankees benches cleared
Bench-clearing brawl
A bench-clearing brawl, sometimes known as a basebrawl or a rhubarb, is a form of ritualistic fighting that occurs in sports, most notably baseball and ice hockey, in which every player on both teams leave their dugouts, bullpens, or benches and charge the playing area in order to fight one...
, Rays right fielder Jonny Gomes
Jonny Gomes
Jonathan Johnson "Jonny" Gomes is an American professional baseball outfielder.-Early years:...
rushed Duncan and tried to body-block him, only to stumble and eventually be restrained. Gomes was also ejected, as were two of the Yankees' coaches, Bobby Meacham
Bobby Meacham
Robert Andrew Meacham is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who spent his entire six year career with the New York Yankees...
and Kevin Long
Kevin Long (baseball)
Kevin Richard Long is a former minor league baseball player and the current hitting coach for the New York Yankees.-Playing career:Long graduated from Thunderbird High School in Phoenix, Arizona....
. On March 14, Duncan and teammate Melky Cabrera
Melky Cabrera
Melky Astacio Cabrera is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.-Minors:Cabrera was signed by the New York Yankees on November 13, 2001, at age 17...
both received three game suspensions for their parts in the incident. Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes
Jonny Gomes
Jonathan Johnson "Jonny" Gomes is an American professional baseball outfielder.-Early years:...
was also suspended for his actions on the field. Each of these three players' suspensions was reduced one day in length after they decided to drop their appeal of the suspensions.