"Playing shortstop, second, third and even right field on one occasion, young Phil Linz is the Yankee handyman. Basically a shortstop, Phil competed with Tom Tresh for the position in the spring of 1962 while Tony Kubek was in service. While Phil did not win the competition, he made a major contribution to the Yankees' winning cause last season.
He was the fifth-leading hitter on the club with a .287 average. He led the Yanks in pinch-hitting, garnering seven hits in 15 at bats for a .467 mark. Phil's first major league hit was a two-run homer, his only round tripper with the Yankees.
The bespectacled infielder (he tried contact lenses this spring, but went back to his regular glasses) comes by his strong major league hitting honestly. In his last two minor league campaigns, the native Baltimorean led the Texas League in hitting (with .349 in 1961) and the Carolina League in hitting (with .321 in 1960). In each of his five full minor league seasons, Linz increased his batting average. He goes with the pitch, scattering his shots to all fields.
Phil Linz may be the Yankees' No.1 infield utility man, but he doesn't weaken the club when he's in the regular lineup. Phil's an aggressive, driving ball player, with good speed on the bases and a flair for the dramatic."
-The New York Yankees Official 1963 Yearbook
Philip Francis Linz (IF) #34
Born June 4, 1939, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he resides. Height: 6-1, weight: 171. Bats right and throws right.
-The New York Yankees Official 1963 Yearbook
Signed by Yankee organization, June 9, 1957.
Leading hitter in Carolina League (.321), 1960.
Leading hitter in Texas League (.349), 1961.
First major league hit was a home run, against Kansas City, May 23, 1962.
-1963 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"Used principally as an infield reserve in 1962, bespectacled Phil Linz nevertheless was able to bat a very respectable .287 in 71 games with the Bombers.
He was available to Manager Houk for emergency calls at second, short or third. And when asked to perform, Phil turned in a creditable job.
Linz was corralled by the Bomber organization in June 1957. After advancing through the chain with Kearney, Auburn, and Modesto, Linz lead the Carolina League in hitting with a .321 while performing for Greensboro. In 1961 he paced all Texas League batters with an average of .349 for Amarillo.
Phil, more of a line-drive hitter than a slugger type, is rated highly as a fielder and has good speed on the basepaths."
-1963 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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