POTD Jeff Locke
90-92 MPH could be 93-95 in the 'pen

.

Bat571 sez,

Well, if Matt Palmers throw a bullpen rather than starting tomorrow for the Rainiers, we'll know who's taking that next start. if Palmer takes the start, it's either E-Ram again or they'll try Pries. Not much in choices left.

[Later] That's my idea with Jeff Locke - bring him in as an interim starter and keep him as a LOOGY once Walker and K-Pax are back.

Hadn't noticed.  Good catch Bat.

Palmers started and lost ... Pries would take a 40-man move, right?  We certainly hope that their trepidation over Taijuan's "readiness" doesn't cost them that much.

.........

Interesting 'put on Jeff Locke (10-7, 3.52 ERA in 2013) - could you expand, Bat?  Maybe in an article?

In the meantime, Ron Shandler at Baseball HQ said, after the 2013 season,

  • Held groundball gains (58% gb, 26% fb)
  • Second half K rate rose (7.5/game)
  • Second half "luck" was terrible (BABIP, strand rate way high, leading to "unfair" 2H ERA) or -- Dr. D -- was it lack of toughness?
  • BB were always a problem
  • "Horrid stretch run" -- 10% great starts, 50% terrible ones in last 10 starts - jeopardizing SP status (prophecy came true)
  • Until BB come down, not worth your roto time

Hmmmmm.

A glance at F/X shows:

  • A solid fastball
  • A good changeup
  • His curve has been detonated by MLB hurlers

Soooo, maybe that switch to the bullpen (and therefore 2 pitches) is just the thing.

.........

Another glance, this time at video, reveals an Erikkk Bedard-like body and throwing motion, a mushy curve, an impressive changeup and non-MLB-level fastball command.  That would jibe with HQ's assessment.

He sits 90-92 in the rotation, hitting 93 without much problem ... he touches 94 and 95.  His fastball is presumably a foot or two longer than that of Charlie Furbush.

No idea whether the shoulder turn would cost him, with runners on base?  Probably not, as Felix' and Erikkk's don't.  But who knows.

.......

As a LOOGY?  

His two good pitches are FB-changeup, which would be unusual for a LOOGY (the change dives into a lefty's wheelhouse).  But of course the mushy curve might be fine when LH-on-LH.

Career, he's got a slight reverse platoon split.  Statistically, in only 200 plate appearances, that means little.  But the FB-changeup issue is legit.

.......

How much would he cost?  A fast surf around the 'net says:

  • He's available
  • He's optioned and way out of favor
  • He made the All-Star Game as a rookie, so ....

You'd want to pay Brandon Maurer prices, but the ASG appearance ratchets it up (imagine if Maurer had gone 8-2, 2.15 in the first half last year).  And if you grabbed him, you'd have to pay the price for a SP, but you'd be getting an RP.

On the other hand, McClendon wants 3-to-6 lefthanders in the bullpen ... and maybe Locke is so far out of favor that they recognize he ain't makin' many more All-Star teams?

Serious, Bat?  Smoak for Locke and then see if you can get your second Charlie Furbush?

Help me out here,

Jeff

 

 

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Comments

1

Locke has a good, but a limited arsenal of pitches. Good enough to start out quite well before adjustments were inevitably made. He lacks the variety and/or quality of pitches to counter-adjust enough to be a successful starter in the long-term.
He may be somewhat stubborn and a bit of a whiner when he's frustrated - this is apparently why he fell out of favor so quickly in Pittsburgh (taken as lack of toughness?). But unlike, for instance, Brandon League, he seems to have come to terms with his situation and is trying to get back. Classic "change of scenery" situation.
His game logs, the games I've watched, and reports all show the same syndrome as Maurer - he has more trouble the more he's seen (again, a limited arsenal without precision command, though he doesn't appear to be as stubborn on pitch selection as League). He looks like a smoother Furbush without the funkiness in the motion - so he's presumably easier for RH to pick up at release. But I suspect he'd be the kind of pitcher that plays WAY up when he can just come in and throw his best stuff for 1-2 innings.
I think he'd be a useful spot starter/ long reliever for no more than 2 times through a lineup that hasn't seen him recently (which would be most AL clubs). I also think he'd be a useful middle reliever when you just need an inning to get to the fireballing setup guys. Being a lefty, he'd be a good contrast pitching between Young or 'Kuma and Farquhar or Medina - much like McClendon uses Furbush.
The big thing? -- He probably IS available at a reasonable cost and would be facing some different lineups, which would help him be effective. If we could get either him or Brad Mills (currently in the Brewer's system - another established pitcher who has started and relieved, but coming back from injury) in trade with Justin Smoak as the main piece from the Ms, I'd be all for it at this point.

2

The Pirates called up Locke to pitch against Yovanni Gallardo and the Brewers - 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5K. Not a bad outing; lost 1-0. Faced 24 batters - gave up the run in his last inning after a double by the 21st batter he faced, then 2 productive outs plated the run - couldn't get the K when he needed it.

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