Nagging leg injuries have hampered Frederick Keys outfielder Jake Duncan throughout much of this season. But no one will ever hear the 25-year-old Texas native complain about a pulled hamstring or a sprained knee.
Duncan learned first-hand how frail life is after dealing with a potentially deadly blood clot prior to the 2006 season.
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Currently, Duncan is batting .301 with one home run and 15 RBI in 41 games for the Baltimore Orioles? Single-A affiliate. In his first full season at Frederick last year, he hit .252 with five homers and 27 RBI in 96 games.
“I?m just happy to be here,” Duncan said. “It was a great reminder of the brevity of life, the uncertainty of life, and it helped refocus and reprioritize a lot of what I had on my plate from baseball to family and friends. It really helped me to remember what things are most important. I?m here to play baseball, but there?s so much more to life than that.”
Dealing with the blood clot, along with missionary work he did in Africa, also helped the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Duncan strengthen his Christian faith, a central part of his life for the last six years.
Duncan said properly aligning his baseball career with the rest of his life actually allowed him to become even more focused on the field. Now, he no longer gets stressed over his day-to-day performance.
“I?m so blessed the Lord allowed me to go through that blood clot,” Duncan said. “It showed me a lot and put things in the right perspective.”
Frederick first-year manager Tommy Thompson said he is impressed with Duncan?s character on and off the field and his versatility. Duncan?s ability to play all three outfield positions gives Thompson a number of lineup options.
“He?s been a little tender at times, but when he?s in the game, he?s very active and useful and knows how to play,” Thompson said.
Orioles director of minor league operations David Stockstill said there aren?t many people in the entire organization with a better character than Duncan. The 2003 10th-round selection out of Texas Christian University received the 2005 Elrod Hendricks minor league community service award.
“I can?t say enough good things about Jake,” Stockstill said. “He?s a good baseball player who we just need to keep healthy to see everything he can do.”
THE DUNCAN FILE
» Age: 25
» Height/weight: 5-11, 190
» Hometown: Marshall, Texas
» Position: Outfield
» How acquired: Tenth round of 2003 draft out of Texas Christian University
» Did you know? Duncan is one of the Orioles? most active minor leaguers in the community. Has made a number of appearances on the Eastern Shore, speaking at area schools, churches and libraries ? Played 52 games in left field, 32 games in right field and 15 games in center field last year.
