Duncan Wants Reds to Trade Him, and He’d Welcome Return to Dodgers

Mariano Duncan, who batted .306 last season in his finest year at the plate, wants the Cincinnati Reds to trade him because he says it’s obvious that newly signed Bill Doran--not Duncan--will be the Reds’ second baseman.

Duncan said he is very disappointed with the news of Doran’s three-year, $7.4-million contract.

“It looks like they don’t want me,” Duncan said. “If that’s the way they want to treat me, I don’t want to be there.

“With the numbers I had this year, I think I could be very valuable to somebody,” Duncan said. “A lot of teams are looking for a second baseman. Look at the Dodgers, or San Diego. If the Reds don’t think I can play every day, they should send me somewhere else.”

“You don’t pay a guy $7.4 million to platoon at second base. It doesn’t make sense,” said Duncan’s agent, Tony Attanasio.

Attanasio said Duncan would have no objection to returning to Los Angeles, despite his stormy history with Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda. In 1988, Duncan called Lasorda a “liar” when the Dodgers sent him to the minors.

“I think Mariano would adjust very nicely,” Attanasio said. “He had some problems with Lasorda, but Tommy doesn’t dislike Mariano. He just disliked some of the things Mariano said.”