Gary Lucas (baseball)

Gary Lucas
Lucas with the Beloit Snappers in 2008
Pitcher
Born: (1954-11-08) November 8, 1954 (age 69)
Riverside, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 16, 1980, for the San Diego Padres
Last MLB appearance
October 3, 1987, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Win–loss record29–44
Earned run average3.01
Strikeouts410
Saves63
Teams

Gary Paul Lucas (born November 8, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the San Diego Padres (1980–83), Montreal Expos (1984–85) and California Angels (1986–87).

Career

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Playing career

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Lucas was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 1973 amateur draft. He failed to come to terms with the Reds on a contract and became re-eligible for the draft, subsequently being selected by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of the 1976 amateur draft.[1]

Lucas made his major league debut on April 16, 1980, pitching one relief inning in a Padres' loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was used as a starting pitcher for much of his rookie season before being used exclusively as a reliever for the remainder of his major league career. In 1981, Lucas led all National League pitchers by appearing in 57 games. In his final major league appearance, Lucas pitched 2+13 innings of scoreless work to close out a Jack Lazorko win for the California Angels on October 3, 1987.[2]

In eight major league seasons, he posted a career record of 29–44 with 63 saves and a 3.01 ERA in 669 innings.

Coaching career

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Lucas has served as a pitching coach for a variety of minor league baseball teams. He was the pitching coach with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Milwaukee Brewers' Class-A team in 2015 before spending the following two seasons as a coach with the Class-AA New Britain Rock Cats. Wanting to be closer to his home in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Lucas asked to be reassigned back to Beloit, where he remained through 2012,[3] when the Twins moved their Midwest League team to Cedar Rapids. Lucas spent one year in Cedar Rapids, before being moved to the Twins High-A franchise, the Fort Myers Miracle in 2014. Lucas was dismissed by the Twins following the 2014 season.

References

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