Pirates relief pitcher says contract troubles behind him
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) – Mike Lincoln insists he does not hold grudges. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed relief pitcher had his contract unilaterally renewed by the club when he failed to come to terms on a one-year deal. Lincoln said Tuesday, a day after being renewed, that he will not let the somewhat acrimonious contract negotiations have an impact on his 2003 season.
“It’s all over with now and it’s time to move on,” Lincoln said. “I’m going to compete as hard as I ever have. I’m disappointed with the way this played out but it will not affect my performance.”
Lincoln will earn a salary of $315,500 this season after making $267,500 in 2002. The Pirates, under a policy instituted last year, took $10,000 off their final offer to Lincoln when he wouldn’t sign.
“It’s a lot of money to leave on the table,” Lincoln said. “I’m not saying $10,000 is anything to take lightly. But sometimes things come down to a matter of principle.
“I didn’t like what the Pirates were offering. I didn’t think it was fair considering the way I’ve pitched here the last two years and the amount of service time I have in the major leagues. I wasn’t going to sign a contract that I was uncomfortable with. I wouldn’t do it.”
Lincoln, 27, was 2-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 55 games with the Pirates last season. He was 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 31 games in 2001 after signing with them as a minor-league free agent.
Players with a minimum of two years and 139 days of major-league service time have the leverage of going to salary arbitration if they can’t reach contract terms. However, Lincoln missed that cutoff by 13 days.
But Lincoln’s contract is only part of his frustration these days. He strained his right shoulder on the first day of spring training Feb. 14 and has only started playing catch in the past few days.
While the Pirates haven’t said when Lincoln will make his first exhibition appearance, they feel he will be ready to pitch in the March 31 season opener at Cincinnati.
“As a relief pitcher working one or two innings at a time, Mike doesn’t need as much work to get ready for the season,” said Pirates pitching coach Spin Williams. “If we can get him on the mound relatively soon, he should be OK.”
Lincoln was injured in an accident at the Pirates’ Pirate City training complex, which is next to a golf course. Lincoln was jogging when he tripped over an errant golf ball that landed on the warning track of one of the practice fields.
“I can’t imagine a flukier way to get hurt and that makes it frustrating,” Lincoln said. “The hardest part is not being able to be out there and doing what the rest of the other guys on the team doing. That’s the worst part of being hurt.”
Notes: Kip Wells pitched three scoreless innings for the win Tuesday as the Pirates beat the Cleveland Indians 10-3 in a “B” game. Wells allowed only one hit and no walks while striking out three. First baseman Walter Young went 3-for-5 with a double, homer and four RBIs. Dave Doster had a home run and two RBIs and Travis Chapman also homered. John Barnes and Tomas de la Rose had two hits each. … An X-ray of second baseman Pokey Reese’s sore right finger was negative. Reese could play in his first exhibition game later in the week. … The Pirates continue to pursue free agent center fielder Kenny Lofton. He hit a combined .261 with 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and 29 stolen bases in 139 games with the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco last season.