Pirates’ Locke an unassuming All-Star

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Jeff Locke understands the entire premise is borderline preposterous.

Four months ago, the 25-year-old left-hander was simply hoping to escape spring training with a spot at the back end of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation.

Now he’s fielding questions about whether he’d feel comfortable appearing in the All-Star game on one day’s rest.

No, seriously.

“Every once in a while, there’s a little reality check,” Locke said.

The reality, for the moment, is that Locke is one of baseball’s biggest surprises. With one start remaining before jetting off to New York, Locke is 8-2 with a 2.15 ERA, second-best in the NL behind Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

To be honest, Locke is so surprised about his rapid ascension from question mark to steadying presence, he says he doesn’t really care. If he pitches on Tuesday night, great. If he spends a couple days star gazing in the Big Apple and giving his arm some time off, that’s just fine, too.

“My main focus is here, it will always be here,” Locke said while surrounded by reporters in the Pittsburgh clubhouse on Wednesday afternoon. “I’d like to go there and play some catch with some of those guys but that’s about it.”

In a game designed to showcase baseball’s household names, Locke may need to wear an ID tag just to get inside Citi Field.

With his mop-top of brown hair and slight build, Locke looks more like a high schooler than one of the bright lights of the season’s first half.

Yet don’t let the slender 6-foot, 185-pound frame or the kid-next-door grin fool you. Locke isn’t one for self-promotion, but he never doubted he could excel in the big leagues if given the opportunity.

“He’s always felt he’s got the skills,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s always had that confidence. He came in this year ready to hunt, ready to go earn something and get something and he’s backed that up with his performance.”

One that’s considerably outshined his higher profile teammates.

Locke’s locker inside the Pittsburgh clubhouse is sandwiched — or more technically, smushed — in between the franchise’s present and future.

Current staff ace and unquestioned leader A.J. Burnett’s sprawling estate lies to the left. Rookie and former No. 1 pick Gerrit Cole’s still relatively sparse digs are to the right.

In the middle sits the office of one of the National League’s most unlikely All-Stars, a quiet but self-assured son of New Hampshire who has baffled hitters through 18 starts with a mixture of pinpoint precision and guile.

“It’s nothing you didn’t think you couldn’t do,” Locke said. “You just hadn’t done it yet.”