Lucy gets initial pro experience

Donny Lucy’s first professional baseball season produced a .239 batting average for the Great Falls White Sox, but he is being patient as he transitions from college ball to the minor leagues.

“It was a good experience. I got to go to a lot of places I probably never would have gone,” he said. “Got a little taste of what minor league baseball was like.”

Lucy started 2004 on the Stanford University baseball team, where he batted .313 for the college season. He was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the amateur draft and signed with the White Sox on June 12. Lucy was assigned to the Great Falls affiliate in the Rookie classification Pioneer League.

The Great Falls White Sox opened their season June 13 with an exhibition against the American Legion All-Star Team and opened the Pioneer League season June 18 against Missoula. The first road game was against Billings June 21, and the team had five scheduled days off during the regular season, which ended September 6.

College teams also travel but typically play three to four games in a week. Not only did Lucy have to adjust to the more intensive schedule, but he also had to make the transition from aluminum to wooden bats. “It’s difficult. Going from metal to wood can be a bit of a challenge,” he said. “I had to make some adjustments, but for the most part it was a good learning experience.”

In 50 games Lucy had 42 hits in 176 at-bats. His seven doubles, one triple, and one home run gave him a .307 slugging percentage to go with his .239 batting average. He scored 19 runs while driving in 26, walked 17 times, and struck out 36 times.

“I didn’t put up huge numbers but at the same time didn’t have a horrible summer,” he said.

One statistic which was far from mediocre was his 13 stolen bases, which would not only be a noticeable total if extrapolated over a major league season but also ranked third on the team behind two players with 14 steals apiece.

“For a catcher, he is fast,” said Great Falls general manager Jim Keough.

“He’s definitely got the tools, got a good arm, good speed,” Keough said. “I can see why he went so high in the draft.”

Lucy was one of three catchers on the Great Falls roster, including one player who returned from the 2003 season. The platooning limited him to fewer than 200 plate appearances. “It’s difficult in that time to get into any rhythm,” Lucy said.

When Lucy was playing, he was still impressing team executives. “Went out there and played hard every game,” Keough said.

“He’s got the drive and the determination to make it,” Keough said. “You can just tell his desire and drive to succeed are going to carry him.”

Although Great Falls is the first step of the professional ladder, the club’s alumni include pitching star Pedro Martinez, who was on the team in 1990 when it was a Dodgers farm club. “We start out every year with 30 players,” Keough said. “They all have the dreams to make the majors.”

Pioneer League players stay with host families during the season. Martinez has kept in touch with his host family, and when the Red Sox reached the 2004 World Series Martinez obtained tickets for his host family to the two Red Sox home games.

From June 15 until the first week of September, Lucy stayed with Scott and Stacie Olson. “I thought he was a great guy,” Scott Olson said. “I have nothing bad to say about him.”

The Olsons saw Lucy during the games. Lucy went fishing about 20 miles from Great Falls, although he and Scott Olson did not have any common days off and were not able to fish together.

“Just like a normal person. A really nice guy,” Olson said of Lucy. “He was very nice and polite and very gracious.”

Fans leave the ballpark after games earlier than players, so Lucy would arrive by himself late at night and there were some issues involving Lucy and the Olson family dog. Although there was tension between Lucy and Bailey during the late-night arrivals, the two got along well when they played fetch together.

“They really enjoyed Donny in the house,” Keough said of the Olsons.

Great Falls went 42-33 during the regular season, which is divided into two halves. Great Falls won the second half, putting the White Sox into the Pioneer League playoffs against first-half winner Billings. Billings defeated Great Falls, two games to none, in the first round.

“It was a good experience for him to catch some of our better pitchers,” Keough said of Lucy.

“Donny’s got the natural ability that most scouts are looking for,” Keough said. “He’s a great kid. He’s got tremendous ability.”

Lucy will likely be spending the 2005 season with one of the White Sox’s full-season Class A affiliates, and he hopes to improve upon his 2004 professional debut. “I’m looking forward to next season,” he said.