Lincoln Holdzkom
Pittsburgh Pirates — No. --
Pitcher
Born: March 23, 1982 (1982-03-23) (age 27) Pasadena, California
Bats: Right	Throws: Right

Lincoln H. Holdzkom (born March 23, 1982 in Pasadena, California) is a Minor League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Holdzkom graduated from Cibola High School in Yuma, Arizona, and attended Arizona Western College.

Contents 1 Professional career 2 Background legend 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Professional career

Holdzkom was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 7th round (212th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. Holdzkom began his career with the Rookie League Gulf Coast Marlins in 2001. Making 7 starts and 5 relief appearances, he went 1-3 with a 2.49 ERA.

Holdzkom pitched for the Single-A Kane County Cougars in 2002. He made 30 relief appearances and went 1-5 with a 2.53 ERA and led the team with 11 saves.

In 2003, Holdzkom split the season between the Single-A Greensboro Bats and the Advanced Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads. In a combined 56 relief appearances, he went 1-6 with a 2.92 ERA. Holdzkom would miss the entire 2004 season after Tommy John surgery.

In 2005, Holdzkom played for the Gulf Coast Marlins and the Hammerheads again. In 12 relief appearances, Holdzkom went 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA.

On March 28, 2006, Holdzkom was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with Zach McCormack for Todd Wellemeyer. Holdzkom pitched at three different levels for the Cubs in 2006, the Rookie League AZL Cubs, the Advanced Single-A Daytona Cubs, and the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. In a combined 25 games, Holdzkom went 0-1 with a 1.76 ERA.

On December 7, 2006, Holdzkom was selected by the Houston Astros in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. He did not make the team and was returned to the Cubs on March 11, 2007.

On April 20, 2007, Holdzkom signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox and was assigned to the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox Double-A affiliate. It was with the Sea Dogs that he got his first win since 2003 and overall with the Sea Dogs, he went 4-1 with a 3.47 ERA in 30 relief appearances. Holdzkom also played at the Triple-A level for the Pawtucket Red Sox. With Pawtucket, he made 12 relief appearances and went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA.

On December 6, 2007, Holdzkom was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Holdzkom appeared in only 3 Grapefruit League games for the Phillies, and was then offered back to the Red Sox on March 12, 2008. When the Red Sox declined, he was released making him a free agent.^[1] On March 13, Holdzkom was signed by the Red Sox and placed on the team's 40-man roster replacing pitcher Curt Schilling who was placed on the 60-day disabled list.^[2] On March 17, he was optioned to the Pawtucket Red Sox.^[3]

The Red Sox designated Holdzkom for assignment on August 13, 2008 to make room for Marcus McBeth who they had claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. While at Pawtucket, Holdzkom appeared in 33 games with a Win-Loss record of 5-5 and a 5.24 Earned run average. On August 21, 2008, he was outrighted to Pawtucket.^[4] In October 2008, Holdzkom was granted free agency[1] and signed with the Pirates in December.

During 2009, he has played on with Pirates minor-league affiliate Altoona Curve^[5]

[edit] Background legend

Holdzkom has had to refute a persistent rumor about his background that he says originated as a joke he and his brother thought up.^[6][7] The rumor alleges that Holdzkom is the son of Christopher Holdzkom, an Austrian pianist who trained him to perform on the piano which led Lincoln to a 1988 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and a contribution to a song on the soundtrack of the movie Forrest Gump. The rumor gained so much traction that it was referenced in an article by MLB.com reporter Alyson Footer.^[8]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or The Baseball Cube
• Baseball reference minor league statistics
• Red Sox Prospects