By PETER ABRAHAM THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: March 4, 2007)
TAMPA, Fla. - Eric Duncan was home in New Jersey in December when he heard that the Yankees had signed Doug Mientkiewicz to play first base.
He could not help but feel the pain of an opportunity lost.
"It was a rough few months. They had Gary Sheffield playing first base at the end of the season, then they signed Doug. It was incredibly frustrating to see that,'' Duncan said yesterday. "It could have been me.''
Duncan impressed the Yankees during spring training last season, collecting six extra-base hits and eight RBI in 20 at-bats. He didn't make the team, but it appeared he would get his chance within a few months.
The worst season of his career followed. Now the former first-round pick needs to remind the Yankees why they liked him so much in the first place.
"It's time,'' hitting coach Kevin Long said. "It's time for him to turn the corner and start figuring some things out. He's fully capable of doing that.''
The Yankees selected Duncan with the 27th pick of the 2003 draft. He gave up a scholarship to LSU in exchange for a $1.25 million signing bonus.
"No regrets. My lifelong dream was to be a professional baseball player. It wasn't to be a college player,'' he said. "I've learned more playing pro ball than I could have at LSU.''
But Duncan has hit only .253 in four seasons with 49 home runs. He started last season at Triple-AAA Columbus but hit .209 and was demoted after two months. A .248 average for Double-AA Trenton didn't change the perception that he was overmatched.
Duncan was once a regular on Baseball America's list of the top 100 prospects in the game. He vanished from those rankings this season. As he slides, the Yankees now call Phil Hughes, Jose Tabata and Dellin Betances their best prospects.
But had Duncan gone to college, he would be midway through his senior year. His four years in the organization make it easy to forget he is only 22 years old.
"You see him a few springs and you think he's older than that,'' Joe Torre said. "He's got a long way to go.''
In Duncan's defense, he played most of last season with a degenerative disc in his back. The injury robbed him of his power. He did not require surgery but was forced to undertake an extensive rehabilitation program.
"I had a check swing in Norfolk where I really felt it pop. The disc was bulging then,'' he said. "I never make excuses. I had some struggles when my back wasn't bothering me. But my back was part of it.''
Said Long: "I'd blame a third of his problem on his back. He's responsible for the rest and so am I. As a coach, I wasn't able to help him through it. It was a good experience in that he learned he has to make some adjustments.''
Duncan admitted he grew impatient early last season and become undisciplined.
"I gave up on my approach way too early. I struggled and I went away from what I should do,'' he said. "I was trying to do too much. I'd have four bad at-bats and try to get back all at once.''
Duncan played first base but did not get an at-bat in yesterday's 4-3 victory against the Pirates. There is little chance he will make the team but Torre plans to watch him closely.
"He's a good kid, he's just going to have to continue to work hard. It'll start to get a little easier for him,'' the manager said. "He's got talent and he's got big-league potential. It's just a matter of having that feeling and finding something that will work for him.
"His work ethic and his temperament are outstanding. Hopefully all those things will mean a breakthrough for him because this is an important season for him.''
