Skip Lockwood

Claude Edward (Skip) Lockwood Jr. (born August 17, 1946) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers (1969–1973), California Angels, New York Mets (1975–1979) and Boston Red Sox (1980).

Lockwood was the last of the original Seattle Pilots to play for the Brewers, being traded to the California Angels prior to the 1974 season.

Baseball career Third base Lockwood attended Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, where he earned 14 varsity letters in four years. His school record time in the 100-yard dash in 1964 still stands. Lockwood was a third baseman when he signed with the Kansas City Athletics out of high school in 1964 as an amateur free agent. The scout representing the Athletics came to the Lockwood home with a $35,000 contract. Lockwood said that he needed to make one change before signing, and added a "1" in front of the contract amount, changing the number to $135,000. The scout was nervous and asked to use the Lockwood's phone to call Athletics' owner Charlie Finley. Finley spoke to Lockwood directly, asking why he should give Lockwood the money. "Because I'll make you a winner," said Lockwood. The scout went back on the phone, and Finley approved the higher amount.

Despite batting only .208 with the Burlington Bees, he showed decent power with five home runs in 236 at bats, and was brought up to the majors for the season. With the A's, he batted only .121 with eleven strikeouts in 33 at bats, and was back in the minor leagues the next two seasons. Lockwood could hit fastballs, but struggled with breaking balls. During their first and only season, Lockwood made his major league debut on the mound with the Pilots, going 0–1 with a 3.52 earned run average in six games (three starts). He was used almost exclusively as a reliever by the Angels (35 relief appearances, two starts). With the Angels, he earned his first save. After a 2–5 season, he was dealt from the Angels to the New York Yankees for Bill Sudakis at the Winter Meetings on December 3, 1974.

In 1975, Lockwood joined the New York Mets, with whom he blossomed as a reliever. In and , Lockwood earned 19 and 20 saves, respectively, and established a Mets season record for games pitched in 1977 with 63. Unfortunately, Lockwood played for the Mets during one of the darker times in franchise history (98, 96 and 99 losses in 1977, and , respectively).

He signed with the Boston Red Sox for the 1980 season, going 3–1 with two saves and a 5.32 ERA in 24 games (one start). He has two master's degrees, one from Fairfield, and the other from MIT. Lockwood was also an accomplished candlepin bowler.

In 2018, Lockwood released a memoir titled Insight Pitch, which he wrote without using a ghostwriter.