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Chance meeting Matt Le Ducq gave up baseball a couple of years ago when he injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his left arm for the second time in a fall scrimmage at Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College.
brought Le Ducq
back to baseball
The left-hander has turned into
one of Hawaii's top pitchers
out of the bullpenBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe doctor told him it was 50/50 that he would ever be able to pitch again. He quit baseball.
But, when spring rolled around, a chance meeting with another athlete changed his mind.
"I was working for a delivery company and made a delivery to a guy who played football for the San Francisco 49ers. I can't remember his name, but we got to talking," said Le Ducq. "He just kind of told me to try baseball again or I would kick myself for the next 50 years. I didn't have surgery, just went to rehab."
He made a comeback and helped Santa Rosa to the Bay Valley Conference title even though he never regained the velocity he had in high school.
It took two months for Le Ducq to be game-ready and he understood his approach had to change.
"I knew I wouldn't throw as hard as before. It made me a different pitcher. I became a pitcher instead of a thrower," Le Ducq said. "I've always been blessed with having really good coaches. They've always worked for me so hard, believed in me and let me believe in myself."
Recruiters from Western Kentucky, Morehead State, Hawaii and Lewis-Clark State were interested in the left-hander. He was so sure he would be headed East from his home in Santa Rosa to further his career that he bought a truck.
"I just figured I would be driving to wherever I was going," Le Ducq said. "Then Carl (Furutani, former UH assistant coach) called me and basically gave me an offer right up front. I told him I would think about it.
"I sat down with my folks for about half an hour, talked about what a great conference Hawaii was in and what a great place it would be to play. The JC season had just finished and I planned to wait until June to sign, but I signed in May."
Always a starting pitcher, even after suffering the injury for the first time in high school, Le Ducq moved to the bullpen after his comeback.
The transition to a relief role took some time. He certainly didn't think he was his old self last year with the Rainbows. He posted a 2-3 record in 19 appearances, but carried a forgettable 9.23 earned run average.
"I got a little caught up with the velocity thing. It was hard to accept the fact I wasn't throwing hard, so I lost the pitcher that got me here," said Le Ducq. "I'm a soft lefty who spotted his pitches and threw everything for strikes. It cost me the whole year, the worst I've ever had in baseball."
The 6-foot-1 senior went back home and played for a very relaxed summer team. He concentrated on going out, playing and having fun but not putting any pressure on himself.
Le Ducq figured if he stayed within his abilities and threw the way he could that it was plenty good enough to get anybody out. He brought that mental approach back to Hawaii last fall and is one of the most consistent Rainbows out of the bullpen.
Yes, he did have one lousy outing in the Rainbow Easter Tournament, but he told coach Mike Trapasso after the game, "That's my one for the year. It won't happen again," said Le Ducq, who credits his parents, Barry and Barbara, with never letting him bask in success too long or spend much time experiencing failure.
Le Ducq has pitched in 11 games this season, has a 1-2 record and sports the best ERA on the team, 2.20.
"Matt relies on movement, command and location. He doesn't worry about trying to throw hard. You need velocity in certain cases, but velocity clouds pitchers' minds so much and it often ends up being a curse," Trapasso said. "When you lose command, hitters don't care if the pitch is 82 or 92 miles an hour if it's right down the middle. It's just what they want."
Although he is from California, Le Ducq isn't much of a beach person. He'd much rather spend his free time on a golf course. He figures his handicap is around 10 or 12.
However, he does remember when teammates and fellow Californians Jean-Paul Gauthier and Jeff Coleman got him out on a surfboard last year.
"I got seasick and they had to bring me in," Le Ducq said.
A geography major, he wants to get into construction management following graduation.
When: Today and tomorrow, 6:35 p.m.; Saturday, 1:05 p.m. Gameday
Where: Murakami Stadium
TV: Today, live, KFVE, Channel 5
Radio:All games live, KCCN, 1420-AM
Internet: kccn1420am.com
Tickets: $6 Orange, Blue levels. $5 Red level. $4 Seniors, children age 4-18, UH students in the Red level.
Parking: $3
Probable starting pitchers
Hawaii (12-20, 1-5 WAC)
W-L ERA K RHP Chris George (Jr.) 2-2 5.17 45 RHP Sean Yamashita (Sr.) 2-2 3.96 30 RHP Ricky Bauer (Fr.) 1-3 6.88 35 San Jose state (14-15, 2-4 WAC)
W-L ERA K RHP Darrell Rasner (Jr.) 4-3 3.12 63 RHP Mateo Miramontes (So.) 3-4 5.23 57 RHP James Holcomb (So.) 1-3 3.72 35 Notes: The Rainbows and Wolf Pack have played 10 games, with UH holding a 6-4 edge. However, the Wolf Pack have a 4-2 advantage in conference games. ... Last year, UH won 2 of 3 in Honolulu while Nevada swept the three-game series in Reno. ... UH's Brent Cook (13-for-13) and Arthur Guillen (11-for-14) are the top two base stealers in the WAC. ... Wolf Pack coach Gary Powers picked up his 600th career victory when the Wolf Pack beat Louisiana Tech 4-2 on March 29. He is 601-444-4 in his 20th season at Nevada. ... Hawaii's Gregg Omori is tied with Rice's Vincent Sinisi for the WAC lead in doubles with 12. ... Senior shortstop Matt Maguire needs to play 15 more games to reach 214 in his career and become Nevada's all-time leader in that category.
UH Athletics