Update III:
The deal is apparently back on again! St. Louis Post Dispatch's Bernie Miklaz just tweeted that the Cardinals are in fact trading Duncan to the Boston Red Sox for Julio Lugo. The finances of this deal are going to be critical as Lugo is owed a pretty healthy amount of money over the net year and a half.
Miklaz says an announcement from the Cardinals will come soon but I would expect the Red Sox to pick up most if not all of Lugo's contract, as the Sox were apparently prepared to eat his cost this time last week.
Update II:
Chris Duncan has been optioned to the minors rather than traded according to InsideStl.com quoting Cardinals GM John Mozeliak. The soap opera surrounding the move will likely play out over the next day or two in the St. Louis media. If any of it pertains to trade rumors or trades that have been made, I'll fill you in.
Update:
Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse may have unwittingly tipped the Cardinals' hand during his appearance on a St. Louis radio station.
About half way through the interview, Lohse uses the past tense when referring the Duncan.
However, with the Red Sox apparent deal for Adam LaRoche, this deal seems unlikely. The original source is now reporting that due to LaRussa's anger over the possible trade (and again probably due in no small part to the LaRoche trade), the Cardinals will be sending Duncan to the minors instead.
This jives a bit better with John Marecek's report as well and at this point seems the most likely outcome.
More as we have it...
Please let me stress that this is as unconfirmed a rumor as I will ever post here on MLBrumorblog.com.
However, user HardCore Legend on Viva El Birdos is reporting that enbattled Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan has been traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for recently DFA'ed Julio Lugo.
He goes on to say that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan were "none to pleased" about the deal and that it may be bigger than just Duncan for Lugo. LaRussa recently criticized St. Louis fans for "unfair treatment" of Duncan, who is hitting a meager .227 on the year.
Again, I feel I must stress that this is an unconfirmed rumor, but Hardcore has a strong reputation on the Cardinal fan site Viva El Birdos. However, it would seem unlikely the the Sawx would trade for both Duncan and LaRoche and the reports of the LaRoche trade are much more substantiated than this rumor.
Cardinals reporter John Maraceck is reporting that the Cardinals may be optioning Duncan to the minors.
In either case, it certainly sounds like there are definitely moves in the works involving the struggling Duncan.
