Sunday, September 23, 2007

Duncan Brothers Looking Grim


Chris Duncan and brother Shelley Duncan both play in the major leagues. Both Duncans: 1) are at least 8-foot-2, 2) awkwardly flail tree-trunk-like limbs, and 3) know how to hit fastballs a long way.

Oh yeah, the brothers Duncan are also extremely competitive... with each other. Apparently, the sports hernias which both Chris and Shelley suffer from, can be linked to an unhealthy sibling rivalry.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan believes the sports hernia that ended his season a few weeks early may have been a result of a heated offseason sibling rivalry in the weight room.

The 26-year-old Duncan said he and brother Shelley, 27, an outfielder with the New York Yankees, usually lift weights and work out together in the offseason. As kids, the sons of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan constantly battled, and it has carried over to their professional careers.

"This offseason we tried to work out together, and it got so bad we started going to the gym at separate times," Chris Duncan said. "We'd warm up playing basketball and the next thing you know we were going full on.

"We can't do that, we're going to get hurt."

In the weight room, they're forever trying to top one another. Now both brothers have a sports hernia. Shelley Duncan, who also has a bone bruise in his left pelvis, is postponing his operation until the Yankees' season is over.

"I'd go and then he would put another plate on, then I would go and I'd try to slip one on, and the next thing you know we're like blown out," Chris Duncan said. "We can't work out together, it gets too competitive."

No offense, but maybe pops (St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan) should take a minute out from teaching Mike Maroth how not to suck, and pry Shelley off the lifeless body of his younger brother. Shelley's version of the bash brothers may result in permanent damage, if not a fatality of Mortal Kombat proportions.

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