Locke Excited For Opportunity To Start Season In Bucs' Rotation
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - It's the second time in three years that Jeff Locke begins the season as a Pirates starter. The last time was in 2013 due to injuries to Francisco Liriano and Charlie Morton.
Locke said he was, "looking at the hour glass" that year waiting to get bumped for a healthy pitcher, but it's different this time.
"It's not pitching nervous, it's not pitching for your job every time out," Locke said. "It's nothing like that. If anything, now is the time to harness things in and say now I can go in and focus on winning games for my team."
Manager Clint Hurdle said it's his second toughest decision as Pirates manager - picking Locke over Vance Worley.
"I don't think there is anything in particular that really swayed it one way or the other," Locke said. "It helps being left-handed. It helps being out of options."
"The difference between this year or other years where I was competing for a job, I had a pretty good idea I was going to be in the big leagues, regardless," Locke said. "You were going to have some kind of way where you can contribute to help this team win."
Locke said he's tried to stay even-keeled this Spring and has learned from his successes and failures in the big leagues.
Locke is 18-19 in his Major League career with a 4.00 ERA. Locke was an All-Star in 2013, but struggled in the second half and was 7-6 with a 3.91 ERA last season.
"My best role is out of the rotation, and I'm sure Worley feels the same way. He and I have chatted a lot thinking one of us would have to go to the pen, but it didn't matter. Both of us just want to help this team win any way we could."
