After three-straight balk calls late against his reliever John Locker in this July 1989 game, Elmira Pioneers manager Mike Verdi defended his hurler to The Elmira Star-Gazette.
"The second time he balked," Verdi told The Star-Gazette after the 5-2 loss. "But there's no way he didn't stop the other two times. And I couldn't get the guy to give me any answer. It's just a shame, they had to take the game away from the kids."
Locker's game continued that season and into the next. His next season proved his last. He played both campaigns at short-season Elmira.
Locker's career began in 1989, taken by the Red Sox in the 40th round of the draft out of the University of Michigan. Locker is also the nephew of former major leaguer Bob Locker.
Locker started with the Red Sox at Elmira. He got into 19 games in relief and went 1-2, with a 3.29 ERA.
He then returned to Elmira for 1990. Verdi returned, too, and praised Locker as having new-found control, according to The Star-Gazette.
That control, however, didn't show itself on the field. Locker got into 20 games, starting four. He ended with a 3-4 record, with a 6.03 ERA to end his career.
- Elmira Star-Gazette, July 13, 1989: Erie edges Elmira, 5-2
- Elmira Star-Gazette, June 19, 1990: Pios hope to strong-arm way to pennant
Made the Majors:1,256-34.0%
Never Made Majors:2,444-66.0%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:522
10+ Seasons in the Minors:309
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