Jake Locker, the baseball player? Angels say they’re not interested
Fun fact: The Los Angeles Angels own the baseball rights to Jake Locker, who until recently was a quarterback for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Well, Locker retired from the NFL on Tuesday at just 26, something of a stunner considering his age and how much hype he got in college. Not long after the retirement announcement, people in the sports world keen enough to know Locker’s connection to the Angels started to wonder: What if he wanted to play baseball next?
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The Angels drafted Locker in the 10th round of the 2009 draft, paying him $300,000 to hold on to his rights until August 2015. Obviously, that clock is ticking. But Angels GM Jerry Dipoto — who didn’t draft Locker — isn’t jumping at the opportunity to see what Locker can do on the baseball field.
From Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times:
Dipoto shot down that speculation forcefully, saying he had “no interest” in Locker as a baseball player and would release Locker if he has any interest in playing baseball again. …
“I really don’t know much about him as a football player, and I only know a little bit about his baseball past as an amateur,” Dipoto said. “We’re going to focus on the group we have here.”
Locker hasn’t played baseball since high school, where he was a star pitcher and center fielder. And it’s not like the Angels need a center fielder anytime soon, eh Mike Trout?
Pitching, as always, is what every team needs. But considering how long it’s been since Locker’s played baseball, it would be an uphill climb to the big leagues.
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Russell Wilson is the NFL quarterback best known for his connection to MLB. The Rangers own Wilson’s rights and fawn over him every chance they get. But Locker showed neither Wilson’s success nor his leadership pizzazz in the NFL. Wilson also played in the minor leagues, before his NFL career.
Locker could very well decide he wants to try baseball — he’s been mum on the issue thus far — and another team might be willing to give him a chance, but it ain’t gonna be the Angels.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
