Arizona Diamondbacks approached Dave Duncan about being pitching coach
By Bryan Rose
The Arizona Diamondbacks have cleaned house this offseason, not so much in the front office or on the bench, but in their managerial ranks. Gone is Matt Williams, who left to head the Washington Nationals and gone is Charles Nagy, former pitching coach. The D’Backs also declined future options on skipper Kirk Gibson, a suggestion that he has to earn his deal if he’s to remain around longer than for the upcoming season.
Somebody the Diamondbacks are hoping will join Gibson on the bench is former St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach, Dave Duncan. Duncan, who has been out of the game for a few years now is one of the most prominent baseball minds to ever grace a dugout and many believe he’s one of the premier pitching coaches to ever lay claim to the job.
Knowing this, the Diamondbacks recently inquired about Duncan’s desire to return to the league:
"The Arizona Diamondbacks are searching for a pitching coach, and USA Today suggested Dave Duncan, the Cardinals’ former coach and the longest-tenured pitching coach in big-league history, would be “the perfect fit.”A source confirmed that the Diamondbacks have approached Duncan."
Duncan spent 16 years in the Cardinals organization before taking a leave of absence in 2011.
It should be noted – one of Duncan’s children and grandchildren live in the Phoenix area, which the Diamondbacks may be hoping plays into their favor.