Lincoln Mikkelsen, at age 39, was the best pitcher in the Atlantic League last season. In 25 starts for the Atlantic City Surf, he posted a 15-5 record and 1.85 ERA. He was named pitcher and player of the year in a poll of managers, GMs and broadcasters.
Since the season ended, the Surf have departed for the Can-Am League and Mikkelsen’s rights now belong to the Long Island Ducks. In the following interview, Mikkelsen, who also served as the Surf’s pitching coach, talks about his baseball future and why he may never play in the Atlantic League again.
What was your reaction when you found out your Atlantic League rights belonged to Long Island?
(Laughs) Well, do you think it’s right that they took all those players? That’s kind of what’s wrong with the league. You can’t have somebody do that. It’s not fair. … I heard Frank (Boulton) was going to let these contracts go. Why he hasn’t in the first place, I don’t know. Maybe he’s going to do the right thing. I would hope so. Obviously, I wouldn’t go there. I wouldn’t go anywhere that I’m not also the coach. Apparently, I’m not good enough to do either one for (the Ducks).
What makes you say that?
Nobody has asked me to come there to play and coach. I don’t think anybody did a better job than me last year and I’m talking as a coach. We finished second in the league in ERA and third in home runs allowed in a tough ballpark for pitchers. I think our staff did a great job.
Have you talked to Long Island at all?
No. Actually, Frank was supposed to call me last week. I didn’t call him and didn’t contact him, so it didn’t happen. Dave LaPoint is the manager there now. Apparently, they don’t know what they’re doing for a pitching coach. It’s no big deal, I guess.
Is there any chance you’ll soften your stance between now and the beginning of the season?
No. I would have to be a player-coach to play anywhere in the Atlantic League. I don’t think that’s a ridiculous thing to want. I really don’t. I would play for Frank Boulton’s team. If he offered me a player-coach position, I’d say sure. I have no problem with Frank. I actually like the guy.
Why not just pitch for a year and then coach after you retire?
Where I’m at in my life right now that’s not going to be enough money for me to be away from home and pay my bills. I would have been done a couple of years ago, but Atlantic City offered me enough money for me to keep being able to be a player.
At this point what are your plans for the coming season?
I’m supposed to be heading to Italy. With what I’m doing work-wise (as a credit card processor), I’d really like to stay in the States. But I don’t have to. Would I rather stay in the States? Sure. … But (An Italian team) called and offered me enough money to make it worthwhile to go.
Don’t they play around 50 games a season in Italy?
Yeah, I would pitch Friday nights and that’s it. You can’t beat that, right? This is my last year to play and players go to Italy at the end of their careers. It’s the last step before retirement.
What would it take to change your mind?
Somebody would have to call me and offer me a player-coach job. It’s really not that hard. … Atlantic City just called me today and talked about doing what I did last year but in the other (Can-Am) League. That’s absolutely not appealing to me right now because of the bus trips. But I left it open as a possibility.
If you have played your final Atlantic League game, you went out as the league’s player and pitcher of the year. What do those honors mean to you?
I guess you can’t really do any better, right? Maybe it’s a good time to quit. Physically, I feel better than I did eight years ago. That’s the shame of it, really. I know age is just a number. I feel like I’m 25 and I haven’t missed a start in 13 years. I wonder how many guys can say that.
Did the playoff loss to the Barnstormers leave a sour taste in your mouth?
It didn’t, which is weird. Usually it does if I lose a game. They came better prepared than I did. I can honestly say that. I understand they kind of knew what I was going to do, but they knew that every game I pitched against them. They had a good game plan and I definitely didn’t execute. It was ugly, but I can only blame myself. I wasn’t bitter about it. It was going to happen, I guess.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Mikkelsen said he talked to player procurement director Adam Gladstone about possibly being the pitching coach in Camden, but Mikkelsen declined an invitation for an interview because it was to be held in Baltimore. Mikkelsen played four seasons with the Riversharks from 2001-04).
