San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 10, 2015, in San Diego. (Lenny Ignelzi, The Associated Press)
Spotlight on … Tim Lincecum, RHP, Giants
What’s up: Lincecum has been forced to reinvent himself as a starting pitcher. The fastball velocity that he once used to overwhelm hitters is now relatively tame, coming in at 87-88 mph. It might not be accurate to label Lincecum a “finesse pitcher,” but he definitely has to hit his spots and throw a variety of pitches in order to be effective. He’ll face the Rockies on Wednesday night at AT&T Park, and if the Rockies aren’t patient, he can make them look silly. In San Diego on Friday night, Lincecum threw seven shutout innings, allowing four hits.
Background: There was a time when Lincecum really was “The Freak.” He threw a 94 mph fastball that peaked at 99, with a diabolical curveball that froze even the best of hitters. Though he’s only about 5-foot-7 (he’s generously listed at 5-11), he was a giant on the mound, winning two National League Cy Young Awards.
Saunders’ take: The press box at AT&T sits low and in a perfect place to study a pitcher’s delivery. Lincecum’s long stride and whiplike motion has always been wondrous to watch. The motion is still there, even if the results have dimmed. He was 12-9 with a 4.74 ERA last season, but it will still be interesting to see how the Rockies deal with the reinvented Lincecum.
Tags: San Francisco Giants, Spotlight, Tim Lincecum
