Brad Lincoln

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Brad Lincoln

| image = 20120824-0318 Brad Lincoln.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Lincoln with the Toronto Blue Jays

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|5|25}}

| birth_place = Lake Jackson, Texas, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = June 9

| debutyear = 2010

| debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = April 8

| finalyear = 2014

| finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 9–11

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 4.74

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 169

| teams =

Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2010}}–{{mlby|2012}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2012}}–{{mlby|2013}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2014}})

| highlights=

Dick Howser Trophy (2006)

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

Brad Eric Lincoln (born May 25, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, and Philadelphia Phillies. Prior to playing professionally, he attended the University of Houston, where he played college baseball for the Houston Cougars.

Amateur career

Lincoln played baseball for Brazoswood High School of Clute, Texas, though he also played on the football team, and did not concentrate exclusively on baseball until after his sophomore year.Anderson, Shelly. "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06173/700325-63.stm Pirates sign 1st-round pick Lincoln]", The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 22, 2006. 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 played college baseball for the Houston Cougars baseball team. In 2005, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Bourne Braves, where he was named an all-star, and received the league's 10th Player award.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2005&T=Bourne_Braves |title=2005 Bourne Braves |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |date= |accessdate=July 20, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodbaseball.org/news/index.html?article_id=678 |title=10th Player: Brad Lincoln |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=August 3, 2019}}

He began the 2006 season by being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Houston College Classic.{{cite web|url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/021306aas.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126110839/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/021306aas.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 26, 2016 |title=#1 in College Sports |publisher=CSTV.com |date=2006-02-13 |access-date=2012-06-08}} For the season, he posted a 12–2 win–loss record and a 1.69 earned run average (ERA), with 152 strikeouts in {{frac|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."[https://archive.today/20130208163713/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_460639.html Pirates' first-round pick earns award]", The Associated Press, July 5, 2006. At the end of the season, he was named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team,{{cite web |title=2012 Conference USA Baseball Media Guide |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/c-usa/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/c-usa-m-basebl-guide-2012.pdf |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112132014/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/c-usa/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/c-usa-m-basebl-guide-2012.pdf |archive-date=2012-11-12 |page=93 |url-status=dead }} recognized as the Conference USA Player of the Year, and won several major national awards, including the Dick Howser Trophy"[https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=2488418 Houston pitcher Lincoln wins Howser Trophy]", The Associated Press, June 17, 2006. 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."[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/baseball/2006-07-13-clemens-award_x.htm UNC's Miller wins Roger Clemens Award]", The Associated Press, July 13, 2006.

Professional career

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

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.Rutter, Joe. "[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_456955.html Pirates want top pick on fast track] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130131124526/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_456955.html |date=2013-01-31 }}", The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 7, 2006. Lincoln received $2.75 million to sign with the Pirates, and almost immediately encountered injury problems. An oblique 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.Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2008, Ed. Jim Callis, Will Lingo, and John Manuel. Baseball America Inc.: Durham, NC, p. 355. {{ISBN|1-932391-19-3}} He first experienced elbow pain while pitching in the Florida Instructional League in late 2006,Kovacevic, Dejan. "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07094/774963-63.stm Pirates Notebook: Lincoln has major elbow surgery]", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 4, 2007. 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.

File:Brad Lincoln on June 12, 2012.jpg in {{Mlby|2012}}.]]

Lincoln returned with the Class A Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League in 2008, and was promoted to the Class A-Advanced Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League at midseason. In 2009, he started 13 games for the Double-A Altoona Curve of the Eastern League with a 1–5 win–loss record and a 2.28 earned run average (ERA).Kovacevic, Dejan. "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08356/936648-63.stm Hot Stove: Pirates set to push Alvarez]", The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 21, 2008. before moving up to the Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in the International League in June, 2009. Lincoln started 12 games, compiled a 6–2 record with a 4.70 ERA.[https://www.milb.com/player/brad-lincoln-453184 MiLB.com]

Lincoln made his MLB debut on the mound on June 9, 2010 against 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.{{cite news|url=http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=300630116|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704064807/http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=300630116|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 4, 2010|title=Pirates 9–3 vs. Cubs on Lincoln's 1st MLB win|publisher=ESPN}}

Lincoln was demoted back to Triple-A after his fourth loss of the season on July 25, 2010 against the San Diego Padres.{{cite news|title=Cook: Demoting Lincoln right move for him, team|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=July 26, 2010|page=D5}} 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 his mechanics.

Lincoln 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 add depth to the bullpen.{{cite news|url=http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110703&content_id=21347424&vkey=news_pit&c_id=pit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002044531/http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110703&content_id=21347424&vkey=news_pit&c_id=pit|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 2, 2012|title=Pirates option Lincoln to Triple-A, recall Leroux|work=MLB.com}}

Lincoln started the 2012 season at Triple-A Indianapolis. Lincoln was recalled April 18. For the 2012 season, Lincoln was being used by the Pirates as a long relief or a spot starter. On July 30, 2012, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Travis Snider.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=401918|title=Blue Jays trade OF Snider to Pirates for RHP Lincoln|work=TSN.ca|date=July 31, 2012|access-date=July 31, 2012}}

=Toronto Blue Jays=

Lincoln made his Blue Jay debut on August 1, 2012, against the Seattle Mariners and threw 1.1 innings without yielding a hit.

Lincoln started the 2013 season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons until he was called up by the Blue Jays on April 25.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-call-up-pitcher-brad-lincoln-1.1402880|title=Blue Jays call up pitcher Brad Lincoln|date=April 25, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2013|work=CBC News}} Lincoln was optioned back to the Bisons on April 28 when Adam Lind returned from paternity leave. Lincoln was recalled by the Blue Jays on May 2 when Josh Johnson was placed on the disabled list.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/5/2/4294118/blue-jays-josh-johnson-to-dl-brad-lincoln-up-ricky-romero-to-rotation|title=Blue Jays place Josh Johnson on disabled list, recall Brad Lincoln|date=May 2, 2013|access-date=May 2, 2013}} On June 8, after pitching four scoreless innings in an 18 inning victory over the Texas Rangers, Lincoln was optioned back to the Buffalo Bisons.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/6/8/4410472/blue-jay-roster-moves-brad-lincoln-sent-down|title=Blue Jay Roster Moves: Brad Lincoln Sent Down |first=Tom|last=Dakers|date=June 8, 2013|access-date= June 8, 2013|work=Bluebird Banter}} Lincoln was recalled on August 3,{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130802&content_id=55685758¬ebook_id=55747258&vkey=notebook_tor&c_id=tor|title=Redmond optioned to bring up another reliever |first=Gregor|last=Chisholm|work=mlb.com|date=August 3, 2013|access-date=August 3, 2013}} and optioned back to the Bisons on August 24.

=Philadelphia Phillies=

On December 3, 2013, Lincoln was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Erik Kratz and pitcher Rob Rasmussen.[https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/408060756148891648 #Phillies announce acquisition of RHP Brad Lincoln from #Blue Jays for C Erik Kratz and LHP Rob Rasmussen.] Lincoln was outrighted to the minors on April 12, 2014, to make room on the active roster for Jonathan Pettibone.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/04/phillies-outright-brad-lincoln.html|title=Phillies Outright Brad Lincoln|last=Wilmoth|first=Charlie|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=April 12, 2014|access-date=April 12, 2014}}

=Second stint with Pittsburgh=

On November 18, 2014, Lincoln signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite web|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/18/pirates-sign-brad-lincoln/|title=Pirates Sign Brad Lincoln|last=Gleeman|first=Aaron|work=hardballtalk.nbcsports.com|date=November 18, 2014|access-date=November 30, 2014}}