Holtz makes bid to join staff of Red Sox

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February 1, 2006

By MIKE MASTOVICH The Tribune-Democrat Wed Feb 01, 2006, 11:54 PM EST

Last year, Mike Holtz was an import pitching in Yokohoma, Japan.

This season, the left-handed relief specialist hopes to make an impact on his home soil.

On Wednesday, Holtz was among 20 non-roster invitees to the Boston Red Sox spring training camp in Fort Myers, Fla. The Central Cambria graduate and former AAABA Tournament star will report on Feb. 18.

“Coming off a healthy year this past year in Japan, anything can happen,” said Holtz, 33. “I’m just looking to get a fair shot, a good look. If I perform well in spring training, even if I don’t make the team, the Red Sox are the type of team that would bring a guy like me up.

“I think the situation should be good for me. I think a team like the Red Sox, who have been contending the last couple of years, if they need an experienced guy out of the bullpen, I’m a guy with experience.”

Holtz broke into the majors with the California Angels in July 1996 and spent most of his first six years in the big leagues in Anaheim. He split the 2002 season between Oakland in the AL and San Diego in the NL, his last stop in the majors.

Holtz was part of a successful Nashville team in the Pirates organization in 2003 and began 2004 in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays system before a nagging elbow injury required surgery and ended his year.

He had six bone chips removed from his left elbow two years ago and pitched a relatively pain-free season in Japan last summer, going 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 44 innings with the BayStars.

“It was a great experience, not only just baseball, but for my family,” said Holtz, who with his wife, Kristie, and three young children, recently moved to Northern Cambria from Hollidaysburg. “It is one of those things that as a family we’re going to look back on as a great experience. As a job and playing baseball, that’s one thing. I enjoyed it.

“The whole experience of playing in a different culture and a different type of baseball is an experience I’ll never forget,” he said, noting that his family was with him in Japan from May to August. “It is going to be one of the highlights of my career.”

Holtz hopes those highlights include at least one more stop in the majors, where he has a 16-19 career record and 4.68 ERA in 350 appearances.

“The only 40-man roster guy they have as far as a left-handed reliever is Lenny DiNardo,” Holtz said. “I’m sure that they’ll have other lefties in camp competing for a spot. It is a spot of concern for them. They are looking to shore up a spot.”

Other left-handed non-roster invitees are Craig Breslow, Mike Bumatay and Phil Seibel.

“I’ve been out of the major leagues since 2002,” Holtz said. “Just to get a major league invite is a step up, especially with a team like the Red Sox.”

Mike Mastovch can be reached at 532-5083 or mmastovich@tribdem.com.

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