Blue Jays Reward Lincoln By Optioning Him To Buffalo

May 23, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons congratulates relief pitcher Brad Lincoln (49) after a win over the Baltimore Orioles at the Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated Baltimore 12-6. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY SportsYou’ve just done your team a huge service, pitching four beautiful innings of relief and only surrendering a single hit and a walk, while striking out three. There was only one man left in the bullpen, so you had suck it up and be the man, and you were. You kept your team in the game so that they could score the winning run in the bottom of the 18th inning.

All is great! The team celebrates the walk-off hit in front of the home crowd. Afterwards, you get called into the manager’s office, presumably to get patted on the back and told, “good game son”. The pat on the back comes through and so does the obligatory inflation of the ego.

Oh, and by the way, you’re also getting sent down to Triple-A after the game.

That was the fate of Brad Lincoln, the sometimes embattled reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays who put the bullpen on his shoulders and helped the Jays secure their third straight victory. Lincoln hit two batters, allowed one single, and walk, but managed to keep the Rangers off the board long enough for Aaron Loup to relieve him and Rajai Davis to plate the winning run the next inning.

Because of the fact that the team used all of its relievers in the 18-inning victory, and got five innings of relief out of their bullpen on Friday night with Esmil Rogers starting, Toronto was forced to dip into the pitching well for a fresh arm for Sunday’s series finale.

Unfortunately for Lincoln, the only reliever in the bullpen with options, that meant he would get shuttled down to Buffalo in order to create roster room. The Blue Jays will announce a corresponding move later tonight or in the morning.

As he told Shi Davidi, “that stinks”.

Well, sometimes the short end of the straw comes up no matter what you do. Lincoln will undoubtedly be back with the team at some point this season, and after working 4 innings Saturday, the rest will do him well.

Until then, thank you for this one Mr. Lincoln! You did a hell of a job!