Meet Your Bucs: Brad Lincoln

by Zane Heiple.

Photo by zimbio.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a move on Saturday to help strengthen a weak and tired bullpen.  The Pirates called up Brad Lincoln for the second time this season.  Lincoln’s role this time won’t be to make a spot start, as he did on July 2^nd of this year, but to help a bullpen that had pitched 65.1 innings and allowed 32 runs in the sixteen previous game before Sunday.  In order for Brad to claim a spot on the 25-man roster, Tony Watson was sent back to AAA Indianapolis.

Lincoln was drafted by the Pirates with the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft.  Injuries quickly took a toll on his early work with the Pirates.  An oblique strain in 2006 and then Tommy John Surgery in 2007 prevented him from moving up through the organization quickly.  However, once healthy, he moved through four levels of minor league baseball in a little over one season. 

His Major League debut came on June 9, 2010 against the Washington Nationals.  His debut was less than spectacular as he would go six innings allowing five runs and walking two while striking out three.  He remained with the Buccos until July 25 of the 2010 season when he lost his fourth game of the season.  General Manager Neal Huntington cited a change in mechanics were the reason for his struggles. He would not return to the Majors until July 2 of this year.  His excellent start was overshadowed due to the bullpen not being able to hold a lead.

While his time with the Pirates has been short he has posted a 1-4 record with a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts.  Scouts say that his potential will probably be that of a third man in the rotation, which is a tough pill to swallow for fans considering that he was a overall number four pick in the draft.  His minor league numbers are a little better overall as he posted a 28-32 record in five seasons with a 4.07 ERA 379 K’s and 97 walks.