Brad Lincoln
Encyclopedia
Brad Eric Lincoln (born May 25, 1985 in Lake Jackson, Texas
) is an American professional baseball
pitcher
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
of Clute, Texas
, though he was also a quarterback for the football team, and did not concentrate exclusively on baseball until after his sophomore year. After his senior season, the Texas Rangers
selected him in the 28th round of the 2003 draft, but he elected to attend college rather than turning pro at that time. He matriculated at the University of Houston
, where he built on a strong year in the Cape Cod League in 2005 to emerge as a top-level talent during his junior season in 2006. He posted a 12-2 won-lost record and a 1.69 ERA
, with 152 strikeout
s in 127 2/3 innings pitched
, and also excelled with the bat, achieving a .295 batting average
with 14 home runs and a team-leading 53 RBI. At the end of the season, he was recognized as Conference USA
Player of the Year, and he won several major national awards, including the Dick Howser Trophy
and the Brooks Wallace Award
. He was also one of four finalists for the Roger Clemens Award
, but lost out to Andrew Miller
of the University of North Carolina
.
strain limited him to 24 innings in 2006, and then he had Tommy John surgery
on his right arm in April 2007, which sidelined him for the entire year. He first experienced elbow pain while pitching in the Florida Instructional League in late 2006, and then the pain recurred in spring training in 2007, leading to the discovery of the injury and the subsequent operation, performed by Dr. James Andrews
in Birmingham, Alabama
. Lincoln returned with the class A Hickory Crawdads
in 2008, and was promoted to the advanced class A Lynchburg Hillcats
at midseason. In 2009, he started 13 games for class AA Altoona Curve
with a 1-5 mark but a 2.28 ERA
. before moving up to the Bucs AAA Affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians
, in June, 2009. Lincoln started 12 games, compiled a 6-2 record with a 4.70 ERA.
Lincoln made his MLB debut on the mound on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 vs. the Washington Nationals
. He went 6 innings giving up 5 earned runs allowing 2 walks and recording 3 strikeouts. His first strikeout was against John Lannan
. He was 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA in 11 starts for Indianapolis prior to that point.
Lincoln earned his first Major League victory on June 30, 2010 by pitching a shutout against the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field
. He pitched seven innings, striking out six and walking just one as the Pirates won 2-0. "I felt like it was going to be my day. With the wind blowing in, I used it to my advantage," said Lincoln.
Lincoln was demoted back to Triple-A after his fourth loss of the season on July 25, 2010 against the San Diego Padres
. It marked the third time in four July starts where he allowed 5 or more earned runs, including a night where he was spotted a 9-0 lead to work with after the 1st inning against the Milwaukee Brewers
yet failed to get out of the 3rd inning. Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington
cited a drop in Lincoln's velocity since he was promoted and that he had strayed from the mechanics that made him a prolific starter with Indianapolis. "For me, it's probably the best move," said Lincoln.
Brad was called back to the majors on July 2, 2011 to pitch in a Game 2 of a Pirates doubleheader against the Nationals. During the game, he pitched six innings and gave Pittsburgh a chance to sweep the doubleheader in front of 39,638 at Nationals Park. However the Pirates bullpen failed to hold on to game allowing the Nationals to a 4-3 rally. The Pirates optioned Lincoln back to Indianapolis the next day, when they recalled Chris Leroux to take Lincoln's spot on the roster and add much-needed depth to the bullpen. Pirates' manager, Clint Hurdle
stated "[Lincoln] did nothing to disappoint. He obviously made a very good impression. I don't have a starter I'd put him in front of right now, but as we move into the second half we might look at how we shuffle things. What I saw coming out of his hand last night was crisp, clean and firm. I would like to think we haven't seen the last of Brad Lincoln."
Lake Jackson, Texas
Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614....
) is an American professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
Amateur career
Lincoln played baseball for Brazoswood High SchoolBrazoswood High School
Brazoswood High School is a secondary school located at 302 West Brazoswood in Clute, Texas. It educates grades nine through twelve and is part of the Brazosport Independent School District....
of Clute, Texas
Clute, Texas
Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 10,424. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel...
, though he was also a quarterback for the football team, and did not concentrate exclusively on baseball until after his sophomore year. After his senior season, the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
selected him in the 28th round of the 2003 draft, but he elected to attend college rather than turning pro at that time. He matriculated at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, where he built on a strong year in the Cape Cod League in 2005 to emerge as a top-level talent during his junior season in 2006. He posted a 12-2 won-lost record and a 1.69 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, with 152 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in 127 2/3 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, and also excelled with the bat, achieving a .295 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 14 home runs and a team-leading 53 RBI. At the end of the season, he was recognized as Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
Player of the Year, and he won several major national awards, including the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
and the Brooks Wallace Award
Brooks Wallace Award
The Brooks Wallace Award is an award given by the College Baseball Foundation to the best college baseball shortstop of the year. The award has been given annually since 2004. Until 2008 the award was presented to the nation's most outstanding player; however in 2009 the recipient list was changed...
. He was also one of four finalists for the Roger Clemens Award
Roger Clemens Award
The Roger Clemens Award was an award that honored the top NCAA Division I college baseball pitcher of the year. The award was created prior to the 2004 season and succeeded the Rotary Smith Award....
, but lost out to Andrew Miller
Andrew Miller (baseball)
Andrew Mark Miller is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-College:...
of the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
.
Professional career
Scouts regarded Lincoln as one of the best players eligible for the 2006 draft, and the Pittsburgh Pirates chose him with the fourth overall selection of the first round, with the intention of advancing him through their system quickly. Lincoln received $2.75 million to sign with the Pirates, and almost immediately encountered injury problems. An obliqueOblique
Oblique may refer to:*Oblique angle, in geometry, an angle that is not a multiple of 90 degrees*Oblique angle, synonym for Dutch angle, a cinematographic technique*Oblique , by jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson...
strain limited him to 24 innings in 2006, and then he had Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
on his right arm in April 2007, which sidelined him for the entire year. He first experienced elbow pain while pitching in the Florida Instructional League in late 2006, and then the pain recurred in spring training in 2007, leading to the discovery of the injury and the subsequent operation, performed by Dr. James Andrews
James Andrews (physician)
James Rheuben Andrews, M.D., born 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located at St....
in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. Lincoln returned with the class A Hickory Crawdads
Hickory Crawdads
The Hickory Crawdads are a Minor League Baseball team in Hickory, North Carolina, USA. They are a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2009. Previously, they were a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Crawdads play home games...
in 2008, and was promoted to the advanced class A Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
at midseason. In 2009, he started 13 games for class AA Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
with a 1-5 mark but a 2.28 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. before moving up to the Bucs AAA Affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, in June, 2009. Lincoln started 12 games, compiled a 6-2 record with a 4.70 ERA.
Lincoln made his MLB debut on the mound on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 vs. the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He went 6 innings giving up 5 earned runs allowing 2 walks and recording 3 strikeouts. His first strikeout was against John Lannan
John Lannan
John Edward Lannan is a left-handed starting pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization....
. He was 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA in 11 starts for Indianapolis prior to that point.
Lincoln earned his first Major League victory on June 30, 2010 by pitching a shutout against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. He pitched seven innings, striking out six and walking just one as the Pirates won 2-0. "I felt like it was going to be my day. With the wind blowing in, I used it to my advantage," said Lincoln.
Lincoln was demoted back to Triple-A after his fourth loss of the season on July 25, 2010 against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. It marked the third time in four July starts where he allowed 5 or more earned runs, including a night where he was spotted a 9-0 lead to work with after the 1st inning against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
yet failed to get out of the 3rd inning. Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington
Neal Huntington
Neal Alden Huntington is the 12th person to serve as General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball organization...
cited a drop in Lincoln's velocity since he was promoted and that he had strayed from the mechanics that made him a prolific starter with Indianapolis. "For me, it's probably the best move," said Lincoln.
Brad was called back to the majors on July 2, 2011 to pitch in a Game 2 of a Pirates doubleheader against the Nationals. During the game, he pitched six innings and gave Pittsburgh a chance to sweep the doubleheader in front of 39,638 at Nationals Park. However the Pirates bullpen failed to hold on to game allowing the Nationals to a 4-3 rally. The Pirates optioned Lincoln back to Indianapolis the next day, when they recalled Chris Leroux to take Lincoln's spot on the roster and add much-needed depth to the bullpen. Pirates' manager, Clint Hurdle
Clint Hurdle
Clinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...
stated "[Lincoln] did nothing to disappoint. He obviously made a very good impression. I don't have a starter I'd put him in front of right now, but as we move into the second half we might look at how we shuffle things. What I saw coming out of his hand last night was crisp, clean and firm. I would like to think we haven't seen the last of Brad Lincoln."