While most people his age were preparing for the weekend, Jimmy Gallagher spent Friday on the edge of his seat, staring at his computer.
Gallagher meticulously monitored the online tracker for the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, waiting anxiously to see his name appear on the screen.
"It was a nerve-wracking time," the junior outfielder said. "But I had a pretty good idea of where I was going to end up, so it was just a matter of waiting and seeing my name pop up on the draft tracker."
When that time came in the seventh round, Gallagher felt a variety of emotions.
"Lots of different things [went through my mind when I was drafted]: relief, knowing that it was over, excitement," he said. "I haven't had a whole lot of feelings that were like seeing myself get drafted and going through that whole process actually happening. That might have been one of the greatest feelings of my life."
Gallagher was not the only Blue Devil experiencing the joy of being drafted. His classmate Brett Bartles and senior pitcher Tony Bajoczky were also selected on the draft's second day, bringing their childhood dreams one step closer to reality as well.
"I've always wanted to play pro ball ever since I can remember," Bartles said. "I started playing tee-ball when I was four years old. I just love the game, and it just worked out for me that I get a chance to play."
Gallagher's selection by the Chicago White Sox with the 239th pick headlined the day, as the junior became the earliest Duke outfielder to be selected in 13 years. Gallagher had been one of the mainstays of the Duke offense the last two seasons, hitting .360 with six home runs, 43 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases in 2007.
"Playing since I was about four or five and ever since then, I've dreamt of putting on a big league uniform and now I have that opportunity," Gallagher said. "I always felt like I was capable of playing at that level. It was a matter of putting some things together while I was there at Duke."
Bartles was one of Gallagher's partners in crime in the lineup, hitting .293 with seven long balls and 48 RBIs in his junior year. The shortstop turned third baseman was taken in the 30th round by the Cincinnati Reds, a bit lower than he expected.
"From what I heard, I was expecting to go higher," he said. "But things work out for a reason, and I was just glad that I got the phone call. I was just thankful that I was going somewhere."
Bajoczky said he did not know what to expect heading into draft day. The senior had not been on anyone's draft board following a junior season in which everything seemed to go wrong.
But his hard work in the offseason paid immediate dividends this year as he emerged as the Blue Devils' ace. At one point during the season, Bajoczky won five consecutive starts against top-notch ACC competition. He finished the year with a 9-3 mark, a 3.22 ERA and 2nd-team All-ACC honors.
The Boston Red Sox recognized that work--and its results-when the team selected Bajoczky in the 34th round.
"What a great story," head coach Sean McNally said. "A guy who, as a junior, his numbers weren't good but didn't reflect how hard he worked, and the way he handled that kind of adversity and going out and playing summer ball, coming back and emerging as the ace of that staff and having quality wins against great ACC programs. Things don't always work out that way, but Tony was one I was really hoping for. He earned it.
"He's the best 34th-round pick in the draft-I can tell you that."
Unlike Gallagher and Bartles, getting drafted was not always on Bajoczky's radar screen.
"I was prepared to be drafted, but it was not a sure thing by any means," he said. "[Playing professional baseball] was more of a dream than a goal for me."
The same even-keel attitude that helped Bajoczky through his difficult junior year also kept him from getting too excited too soon about his major-league prospects.
"After going to Duke for four years and graduating, I've seen a lot of friends and a lot of people going to work out of Duke and starting a career," the senior said. "It's sort of tough sometimes to pass that up and play baseball because the odds are against you that you'll make it. But still, it's something that very few people get the opportunity to do, and it was something that I personally wanted to do and a lot of other people would love to have the chance. I wanted to take advantage of it while it was there."
As juniors, Gallagher and Bartles each had the opportunity to turn down their big-league offers and return to Duke for their senior seasons. Both, however, decided the lure of the big leagues was just too much to pass up.
Gallagher signed with the White Sox Tuesday and was scheduled to join their rookie team in Montana Thursday.
All three players agreed that they are quickly becoming fans of their new teams. Gallagher said he is happy to be playing for Chicago, where he spent some of his youth.
"I was always somewhat of a fan, so now that I'm part of the organization, I'll probably follow [the White Sox] a little more closely," he said.
Bartles admitted that changing allegiances would be a little harder for him.
"I was a Braves fan my whole life, but now I'm checking out the Reds," Bartles said.
McNally, meanwhile, saw the day as a milestone for all of Duke Baseball.
"It's really exciting for our program and really exciting first and foremost for the kids," McNally said. "They worked very hard, and it's great to see them get drafted and get recognized for the years that they had and the hard work they put in. This is certainly a major step for our program, characteristic of the programs in the ACC."
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