Still In Progress At Press Time

'O BROTHER...

Surely as kids, Chris and Shelley Duncan had their dust-ups between one another. What brothers haven’t?

Some of the best rivalries in all of sports are brotherly — think Peyton and Eli Manning or Ronde and Tiki Barber.

Brotherly love took a new twist in the Duncan household in Oro Valley, Ariz. when the Boston Red Sox traded for younger brother Chris on Wednesday.

The trade lands Chris, 28, in the belly of one of the most storied rivalries in the history of sports in the Red Sox and Yankees. Shelley, 29, plays for the New York Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Shelley’s already bore the wrath of the rivalry. In 2007, he allegedly John Hancocked a ball for a 10-year-old Red Sox fan adorned with the phrase “Red Sox Suck!” He later apologized.

As for the brother rivalry? Chris has gotten the edge over his older brother, hitting 55 career dingers to Shelley’s 8. Chris, a former Cardinal, is also the last player to homer in St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.

Despite playing in all but seven games this season for the Cardinals, the Red Sox will option Chris to Triple-A Pawtucket.

There’ll be no waiting for the brothers to collide in baseball’s ultimate enmity. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Pawtucket will meet on Aug. 1 at PNC Field (formerly known as Lackawanna County Stadium) in central Pennsylvania.

The young Yanks have won six of the eight meetings between the two teams this season.

above: Shelley Duncan goes spikes high on a Tampa Ray infielder