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Is Jeff Locke for real?

jrbolesjrboles Posts: 566 ✭✭
in Sports Talk
In desperate need of fantasy league wins (Offense and middle relief are killing me with Felix the King and James Shields) I am thinking of using my last free agent pickup on Jeff Locke. Any thoughts?

Comments

  • gosteelersgosteelers Posts: 2,668 ✭✭✭
    He is racking up the wins right now, but he is walking a lot of guys right now...pick him up!
  • lanemyer85lanemyer85 Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭
    Two possible outcomes:

    1. In a neutral environment, Locke seems destined for some heavy regression with his 2.06 ERA belied by a 3.85 FIP, 4.11 xFIP. His K/BB ratio of 67/41 in 96 IP doesn't exactly inspire confidence; he's keeping the ERA low as the result of allowing just 66 hits, a .199 BA, and .225 BABIP. That doesn't mean his regression will come in the second half, as Wade Miley showed last season, it might take a full spin around the league for an overachieving pitcher to see that ERA jump by a run. As it is, he's faced one team (MIL) more than once. Scoreless in the first outing, game up 3 ER in the second over 6 IP. That's generally the trend.

    2. He's suppressing HRs at 0.56 HR/9 and keeping the ball on the ground 53% GB/FB. If one takes his xFIP and adjusts it downward by 5% for (pitcher friendly PNC) park factors and 15% for the stellar Pirates defense, one can come up with something around an environment equivalent xFIP of about 3.30, which somehow almost seems moderately believable.

    that said, tough sledding looking to chase wins with any Pirates starter when they have an offense that rivals that of the Cubs.

    Pirates: .242/.308/.395 (tied for 27th in K's 15th in HRs, 20th in walks).
    Cubs: .241/.299/.405





  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,686 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ride him while he's hot..


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • jrbolesjrboles Posts: 566 ✭✭
    Well I got him and in the lineup for 2 starts this week. It's been tough:

    Felix Hernandez - 8 wins
    Patrick Corbin - 10 wins - 3 more of which were given away by Putz and Bell
    James Shields - 3 wins - I gain more respect for this guy with each game he loses giving up less than 3 runs

    and then I drafted Trevor Cahill and Wade Davis who have since been dropped. I have to field another starting pitcher out of: Zito, Pelfrey, Ubaldo, Buehrle, and Locke.

    If all else fails with Locke I am going to put in Buehrle who I am guaranteeing will win exactly 13 games this year.

    Thanks for the advice fellas. Good luck in your leagues
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