[McWickedson]

LOL@ the Royals:

One of Royals' top prospects quits baseball
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star


SURPRISE, Ariz. | Left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy, one of the Royals’ top prospects, left camp late Tuesday night after informing club officials that he was quitting baseball.

“Danny informed us (Tuesday) that his desire is to leave baseball at this time to reassess his life priorities,” assistant general manager J.J. Picollo confirmed in a statement released by the club.

“Should Danny decide in the future to return to the game, we will be happy at that time to discuss the possibility.”

Club officials say Duffy’s decision appears unrelated to a recent injury -- a strained left elbow -- that was expected to prevent him from pitching in games until mid-May.

Duffy, 21, is ranked by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect in the organization after going 19-10 with a 2.49 ERA in 52 games since his selection in the third round of the 2007 draft.

His resume includes an appearance in the 2009 All-Star Futures Game.

Duffy was expected to open the season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas and was generally viewed as the organization’s most-advanced pitching prospect.

The Royals cited Duffy as the pitcher of the year in 2008 at Class A Burlington after he helped the Bees win the Midwest League title by going 6-1 with a 0.99 ERA in his final 11 starts.

Duffy was a Carolina League All-Star last season after going 9-3 with a 2.98 ERA at Class A Wilmington.