Published: January 28, 2008 12:09 am      

Duke looking forward, not back

Zach Duke would prefer to forget recent history, as in last summer’s injury-marred season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

But the left-handed starter probably wouldn’t mind reliving a few moments like those he enjoyed during his major league debut season in 2005, when Duke stormed onto the scene after a July call-up to finish 8-2 with a 1.58 ERA.

In 2006, Duke made some mechanical adjustments under the watch of then-Pirates manager Jim Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn. Whether coincidental or not, the lefty struggled to a 10-15 record and 4.47 ERA in 2006 and a 3-8 mark with a 5.53 ERA last year in only 1071/3 innings.

“There were some changes (in mechanics) made but that’s all in the past,” Duke said during a Thursday stop at Greater Johnstown Middle School with the Pirates Winter Caravan. “I’m only looking to the future and really to the present. I’m just trying to control what I can control right now and improve where I need to improve and just get healthy and try to stay healthy all year this year.”

Duke was Pittsburgh’s opening-day starter last season. He got a win in his second start, but then stumbled while dropping five consecutive decisions from April 13 to May 22.

He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 1 with left elbow tendinitis, a diagnosis that changed to an irritation of the ulnar collateral ligament a day later. Either way, Duke eventually landed on the 60-day DL and didn’t pitch in the majors again until Sept. 15, when he made his first pro relief appearance in Houston.

Duke hopes to revive his career under new Pirates manager John Russell and first-year Pittsburgh pitching coach Jeff Andrews.

“It is a new regime, but we have a lot of familiarity with each other,” Duke said. “I think it’s going to be a great situation and a good environment for learning how to win at the major league level.”

Andrews had been a pitching coach/coordinator in the minors for 22 seasons, the past five in the Pittsburgh organization, where he worked with Duke and other members of the Pirates staff while working at Class AAA Indianapolis (2006-07) and Class AA Altoona (2003-05).

“Andrews is a very good pitching coach and he deserves this position,” Duke said. “I think most of our pitchers think the world of him and we trust him. We know he has our best interests at heart. We’re just anxious to get out there.”

Duke joins a group of projected starters that includes Tom Gorzelanny, Ian Snell, Paul Maholm and Matt Morris.

“We’re young and we’re going to be real good,” Duke said of the pitching staff. “We have a lot of experience for our age. That’s something that I think fans can be pretty excited about, the possibility of what might happen this year.”

His time in Altoona made an impression on Duke, who went 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA in 511⁄3 innings for the Curve in 2004.

“Altoona was an absolute blessing for every guy who comes through there,” Duke said. “It’s such a professionally run place. It’s such a good area. Fans flock out to that ballpark. There are thousands every night and that’s something special for a Double-A ballplayer.”