Zach Duke pitched poorly again last night, as the Pirates lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1. What else is new?
I don't even mind him pitching poorly anymore. I'm used to it. All of Pittsburgh is used to it.
But after several Pirate players were hit by or brushed back by pitches from Dodger pitchers, Duke humiliated himself and his team by refusing to retaliate.
"I had to step up and retaliate," Duke said. "I dropped the ball."
The truth is, most Pittsburghers would rather see a pitcher lose 25 games every year but do things right, than be an average pitcher who also happens to be a chicken $hit.
Thanks for making us proud, Zach!
NOTE: This should be interesting. Will Jim and/or Bird defend Zach Duke? You know...will they do for Zach what he wouldn't do for his own teammates?
UPDATE (5-3-2010): Neal Huntington on Duke's cowardly performance: "We're better off just handling things behind closed doors and quietly, making a statement with how we go about things rather than publicly in the paper." Oh, to be a fly on the wall...
