Michael Holtz Called Up to Red Sox

May 10, 2006

Former Clemson pitcher Michael Holtz joined the Boston Red Sox Major League Roster Tuesday night. He was in uniform wearing #43 for the Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium against the New York Yankees.

The 33-year-old left handed relief pitcher has not pitched in the Major Leagues since the 2002 season when he was with the San Diego Padres. Since the 2002 season he has pitched in the minor leagues for Nashville (2003) of the Pittsburgh Pirates Organization, Durham (2004) in the Tampa Bay organization and with the Yokohama BayStars (2005) in Japan’s Central League.

Holtz was a non-roster invitee to Boston’s Major League spring training camp after being signed as a free agent on Feb. 1, 2006. He had been the top pitcher for the Pawtucket Red Sox at the Triple A level so far this season with a 1.69 ERA in 11 relief appearance. He led the staff in saves (3) and strikeouts (24). He had the 24 strikeouts in just 16 innings.

Holtz has a career Major League record of 16-20 with a 4.68 ERA and three saves in 350 appearances. He pitched for the Angels (1996-2001), the A’s (2002) and the Padres (2002) over his seven years in the Majors prior to this year. He had a career best 66 appearances and 43.1 innings pitched in 1997 with the Angels.

Holtz pitched at Clemson from 1991-94 posting a career record of 19-5 with a 3.31 ERA. He was 2-0 as a freshman on Bill Wilhelm’s 1991 Tiger team that posted a school record 60 wins and advanced to the College World Series. He was 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA as a relief pitcher on Jack Leggett’s 1994 team that won 57 games, the second most wins in a season in Clemson history. He had 220 career strikeouts in 214 2/3 innings and was a 17th round selection of the Angels in the 1994 Major League Draft.