NL Wild Card: Pirates vs. Giants

Choosing who to root for tonight is basically a no-brainer for me. The most obvious reason is the fact that the Giants have won two World Series titles in the last five years, while the Pirates haven't tasted victory in over three decades.

But as I've noted in this space before, the Pirates boast a player from my home town of North Conway, NH (population: 2,349). Though Jeff Locke isn't starting tonight's game, if Edinson Volquez can best Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, the Redstone Rocket is likely to get a chance moving forward.

The entire region is fiercely proud - we didn't boast nearly as much about our two winter Olympians a few months back as we do about Locke. It's simple supply and demand: if you live in the north mountains, excellent skiers are a dime a dozen, while baseball season is often snow-shortened, making professional-caliber players a rarity.

It's likely that Locke won't see the field tonight - he is, after all, a starter - but I can promise that New Hampshire will be watching for a glimpse of him in the dugout, and rooting for the Pirates to take the win so we can cheer him on in the next round.

It would be difficult for tonight's Wild Card game to top the drama of the Royals twelfth inning walk-off last night, but nothing is impossible in baseball!

Congrats, Jeff Locke!

I've mentioned Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Locke before in this space, because he's the first major leaguer that my hometown of North Conway, New Hampshire, has ever produced.

Of course, locals have followed Locke's career closely, from the time he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves, through the trade to Pittsburgh, and every step up the minor league ladder. He made his major league debut as a September call-up in 2011, and his friends and family made the trek to Pittsburgh to see him.

Last season, he made six starts for the Pirates, racking up a 1-3 record.  This year, Jeff Locke has officially been named the fifth starter in the Pirates rotation coming out of spring training, and my Facebook newsfeed has absolutely blown up with hometown pride.

Locke will be one of three southpaws in the Pirates rotation, joining Wandy Rodriguez and Jonathan Sanchez, while the other two spots have been claimed by righthanders James McDonald and AJ Burnett.

Local hero > local 9

Last night's spring training game was a strange one for people from my hometown. Being from the White Mountains in New Hampshire, most people are diehard Red Sox fans; sure, you get people transplanted from other parts of the country who bring their fandoms with them, but anybody local is a Red Sox fan for life.

But last night, there was a conflict of interest. No, not because there are an unusual amount of Pittsburgh expats around, but because local hero Jeff Locke was starting for the Pirates. Locke took the loss, giving up three runs in the first inning, but the thrill of watching him pitch on NESN won't wear off for residents of Mount Washington Valley anytime soon.

Unlike Californians and Floridians who frequently see their local high school heroes playing in the bigs, Jeff Locke was a once-in-generation second round pick for northern New Hampshire. As such, he is followed closely by local fans, who are much more used to producing world class skiers than major league ballplayers.

It's simple to root for Locke when he's playing against 28 of the thirty major league teams, but there's a certain feeling of conflict when he faces off against the local nine. Most New Hampshirites hoped that the Red Sox would select him in the 2006 draft, but the Atlanta Braves got there first (Locke ended up with the Pirates as part of the 2009 Nate McLouth trade).

Yesterday was the first time Locke faced off against the Red Sox, and given this year's schedule, it will be the last for a while (barring a trade, of course). But I know I'm not alone in saying that yesterday I rooted for Locke, and I'll root for him again - the Boston Red Sox will always be a household name in baseball, but watching a local hero become a national name is something new and exciting.

Down on the farm

I missed my second Sox game in a row last night, postponing my visual reunion with a certain previously-injured second baseman. Some might question my dedication to the local nine, but only if they didn't know where I actually was: watching some baby Red Sox at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine.

Four summers ago, a young man from my hometown of North Conway, New Hampshire was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round. Since then, southpaw Jeff Locke was included in a trade for Nate McLouth, and is now in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, currently pitching for the Double-A Altoona Curve, meaning his schedule finally includes an easily reachable game for his legions of local well-wishers.

Locke delivers to Sea Dogs right fielder Matt Sheely.

Of course, I love Hadlock Field and the Sea Dogs, and would go any day of the week, but the Curve's presence in Portland made it easier to entice people to accompany me, so I've been there the last two nights. Unfortunately, the Sea Dogs lost both games, but what seemed like all of North Conway was happy last night as Locke, the "Redstone Rocket," pitched seven innings of shut-out baseball and got the win.


All was not lost for the junior Red Sox, as their own pitchers allowed just one run on four hits, and all three of the hits allowed by Locke were for extra-bases, as Jorge Padron (LF), Ryan Khoury (3B), and Che-Hsuan Lin (CF) all smashed doubles against the overpowering lefthander.

Tuesday night was less crowded, but still disappointing for those who root for the home team, as the Sea Dogs fell, 2-4. However, Jose Iglesias returned from the disabled list with a hit and several spectacular plays in the field, while catching prospect Luis Exposito went 2-for-5 with a double.

The "road to the show" stops in Portland, Maine.

While injuries on the big club have all but depleted the major league-ready talent from the Sox system, there is a light at the end of Theo's "Bridge." The Sea Dogs, at least, look like they're weathering the storm; their players are performing well, and though they currently have a losing record, that can be attributed to the loss of stars like Ryan Kalish and Felix Doubront to bigger and better things.

If you can, I highly recommend a visit to Hadlock Field. The Sea Dogs put everything they have on the field nightly, and it's fun to watch the future. The field itself is a gem: you won't pay more than $12 to watch, and there's not a bad seat in the house - unless a local hero is in town, general admission seats can easily land you 10 rows behind home plate.

It's a great destination, and Portland is a great city. The local fans are knowlegable - both about the Sea Dogs and the big club - and are always happy to chat. Every Red Sox fan should make it a point to catch some minor league games, and if Portland is a feasible destination, you'll have a great time.

You might also see a sweet vanity plate like this one... Spotted outside Hadlock Field last night.