Paul Lo Duca
| Paul Lo Duca | |
|---|---|
| File:PaulLoDuca.jpg | |
| New York Mets – No. 16 | |
| Catcher | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| June 21, 1998, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Career statistics (through 2006) | |
| Avg | .290 |
| RBI | 412 |
| HR | 71 |
| Former teams | |
| |
Paul Anthony Lo Duca [loh-DOO-kuh] (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and Florida Marlins (2004-2005).
High School Years
Lo Duca attended Apollo High School in Glendale, Arizona and was a letterman in baseball.
Collegiate career
Paul Lo Duca walked on to the baseball team at Glendale Community College after he was not recruited or drafted out of high school. He hit .449 and .461 in his two years at at the community college before transferring to Arizona State University.[1] Playing only one year at ASU, Lo Duca was named The Sporting News Player of the Year in 1993, setting school records with a .446 batting average and 129 hits. He was also named a finalist for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award and his 37-game hitting streak remains the second longest in school history.
Professional career
Despite his college success, Lo Duca spent many years in the minor leagues, finally achieving a breakthrough year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001, at age 29. Lo Duca drew comparisons to Dodgers predecessors Mike Scioscia and Mike Piazza -- all three were capable and popular everyday catchers who were homegrown through the Dodgers' organization, and all three are of Italian-American ancestry. On the other hand, Lo Duca's primary strength is as a contact hitter, like Scioscia but unlike the power-hitting Piazza. Lo Duca would forge another connection with Piazza in being traded away (to the Marlins, and eventually to the Mets) in two of the Dodgers' most unpopular trades in recent memory. Lo Duca still receives a warm response from fans whenever he visits Dodger Stadium.
Since becoming an everyday big league player, Lo Duca has logged some of the best statistics for catchers and been named to three All-Star Games. In 2002, he was one of the best contact hitters in the majors – only Jason Kendall struck out less often and no one had a better percentage of swings and misses[2]. In 2003, Lo Duca's 25-game hitting streak was the second longest in Los Angeles Dodgers history and, defensively, he ranked first in the National League in throwing out baserunners trying to steal. In 2004, he led National League catchers in runs batted in despite a mid-season trade to the Marlins.
2006 season
| 2006 Season | |
| Batting Average | .318 |
| Home Runs | 5 |
| Runs Batted In | 49 |
| Hits | 163 |
| Runs Scored | 80 |
| Stolen Bases | 3 |
| On Base Percentage | .355 |
| Slugging Percentage | .428 |
Lo Duca was traded to the Mets for two minor leaguers before the 2006 season due to the Marlins having a "market correction". Lo Duca was a member of the 2006 All-Star Team, led the Mets to a 97-65 record, and led the Mets into the postseason (his first playoff experience). Lo Duca was highly successful in 2006, hitting .318, his highest since 2001. He also had a .355 on-base percentage, a career high. The Mets advanced to the NLCS round of the playoffs but were eliminated in Game 7 after a 9th inning home run by Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals went on to win the World Series.
Career transactions
- Drafted by by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round of the 1993 Amateur Draft.
- Traded from Los Angeles along with Juan Encarnacion and Guillermo Mota to the Florida Marlins for Hee Seop Choi, Brad Penny, and minor league pitching prospect Bill Murphy at the 2004 trading deadline.
- Traded to the Mets for two minor league prospects, pitcher Gaby Hernandez and outfielder Dante Brinkley, as part of a Marlins "market correction" where most of their large salaries were traded away.
Trivia
- At the start of each game, Lo Duca writes the initials "LL" in the dirt behind home plate, in memory of his mother Luci.
- As a child, Paul's mother Luci would toss pinto beans to him in the back yard and he would use a broomstick to hit them. This technique helped him develop his hand/eye coordination and as a result, he has a very low strikeout rate. [3]
- According to an article written by Tom Verducci in the July 17, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated, Lo Duca is known as "Captain Red Ass" in the Mets clubhouse. The moniker, originally bestowed by teammate Billy Wagner, refers to Lo Duca's hot temper.
- In the 2006 Home Run Derby Lo Duca pitched to David Wright when he made it to the finals.
Highlights
- In an eight-year career, Lo Duca has a .285 batting average with 66 home runs and 363 RBI in 772 games. As with many catchers, he has a tendency to start the season strong before his catching duties seemingly wear him out around the All-Star break.
Personal life
On August 7, 2006 the New York media leaked a story about a divorce suit with his wife, Sonia Lo Duca, a Playboy model.[4] The leak by the New York Post led Lo Duca to threaten to stop giving interviews to the media. Lo Duca had been "one of the most helpful and available players in the Mets clubhouse," and has since resumed giving interviews, as long as they pertain to baseball.[5]
External links
- Template:Espn mlb
- Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
- Paul Lo Duca at IMDb