Category Archives: Linceblog: Following Tim Lincecum

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Linceblog: Tim Lincecum reportedly done for season. Giants too?

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The  Freak in healthier times dangled the ball and had a motion that would turn his whole body into a flame-throwing pitching machine.

But now with his health in question, Tim Lincecum–the best Major League Baseball player ever with Filipino blood– is done for the season, according to multiple reports.

And it could signal the end of his career  as a San Francisco Giant.

Lincecum, 31, a two-time National League Cy Young Award winner for being the best pitcher in the game, four-time All-Star, and a three-time World Series Champion, is being shutdown for the rest season, San Francisco Giants general manager Bobby Evans told the Chronicle.

Lincecum has been recovering from a hip injury and sought medical treatment on Wednesday to see if surgery may be required.

I saw Lincecum last week and tried to talk to him, but with headphones on, he was riding a white motorized rover-style scooter and zipped away.

Lincecum will be a free agent in 2016 and is likely to have pitched his last inning as a Giant.

That would be hard to fathom for faithful Filipino American fans, and others, who looked on Lincecum as their special Giants hero.

Picked tenth overall in the 2006 draft, Lincecum has been the face of the franchise for much of his nine seasons and compiled a 108-83 record, with a 3.61 ERA.

The Giants are known to reward their heroes for past efforts. But Lincecum this year is being paid $18 million.

Once his health is right, Lincecum may want to test the free-agent market, but it’s unlikely he’ll command from other teams whatever the Giants might offer him to keep the fan-base happy.

Then again, the Giants got rid of Mays and brought him back. Baseball is strange that way. I could envision Lincecum trying Seattle, his home base, and a new league.

And then coming back to the Giants at the end.

But the most important thing now is his health. His hips were good enough for the motorized monorover. But just not ready for an MLB playoff drive.

Do they have Tommy John surgery for a pitcher’s hips?

As for the Giants, they may not be good enough for a last minute playoff drive. Three one-run defeats in a row to the Dodgers made for great baseball, but were heartbreaking.

The three games embodied the frustration of an entire season.  The Giants didn’t catch many breaks in the LA series and ended up falling just short. That could be the way the season ends, unless the disabled list clears and the Giants can muster one major push in September. The Giants with the second Wild Card last year have always been masters in “Just In Time.”

There may still be time. But they’ll need some luck too.

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Linceblog: Matt Duffy gives Lincecum, SF Giants the early lead v. Seattle; Makes you forget that Panda guy.UPDATE: GIants Win! Next, the Warriors?

Matt Duffy wasn’t supposed to be the Pablo replacement. But his work ethic and production has kept him on the roster and forced him into the starting lineup.

And now when the Giants are swooning, Duffy is really coming into his own.

In the 2nd inning, his two-run blast to the left field bleachers gave Lincecum and the Giants a little breathing room early.

But compare these  numbers:

6 HR, .745 plus OPS; .282 BA, 28 RBI

6 HR, .718 OPS; .261 BA, 23 RBI

The first set are Duffy’s.

But here are two other key stats:

Duffy is five years younger, and 85 pounds lighter.  (Not too mention, about $17 million lighter in salary).

Pablo’s career years may be over.  That’s what you get paid for. Duffy’s could be this year, and in the future.

LINCECUM

Tim seemed to struggle with control with 4 walks, but still managed to pitch around the Mariners and let his  fielders help him get outs. He made just two bad pitches both to Mariner Brad Miller.

Miller’s solo shot in the 5th was Seattle’s lone run. Then he came back  with  two outs in the 6th with an RBI single, to cut down the lead to 3-2.

That was enough for Lincecum, who left this line:

5.2 innings; 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 4 BB, 3 SO,  3.31 ERA.

It’s a win and a stop if the Giants and the pen can hold it from here.

Giants started game with a 5-game losing streak, 9 straight losses at home.

But they ended strong, adding some insurance runs to up the final margin to 6-2 over Seattle.

Win for Lincecum, now 7-3 for the year.

And now Game  6. Go Warriors? Or do you want a game 7 that bad.

I said Warriors in 6. Let’s keep it at that.  It’s more 1 v. 5. LBJ vs. GSW.  Can LeBron will a win?

And if so,  then there’s a Game 7 and more travel by week’s end.

Let’s see Curry and Thompson,  get super hot and end the madness with a super splash.

They got a lake over there in Cleveland. And it’s no mistake if the Warriors win in 6.

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Linceblog: No decision as Lincecum exits game that SFGiants eventually lose in 9th; DUBS updated here in GAME 4; Final, 103-82, and NBA Finals are tied at 2.

Lincecum line: 4.2 innings, 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, 3 walks, 5Ks, ERA 3.33.

Labored with 102pitches, 58 for strikes. Had a lead early. But Mets rallied with an RBI single in 4th, sac fly in 5th to tie at 2-2.

Cuddyer doubled in 5th to give Mets 3-2 lead.

Lincecum would have taken loss but for a Crawford homerun to put the Giants back up in the 6th.

But bullpen couldn’t hold and Mets scored in the 7th and 9th to win, 5-4.

So no sweep, but Giants had successful road trip and come home without any trace of swoon. They’re hitting. The pitching is decent. And they’re coming home.

DUBS– following AND UPDATING HERE.

Warriors up 63-55 with 7:13 left in 3rd.  Just missed a D.Lee layup. That’s at least 2 easy ones they’ve missed. Now lead is 5.

Game getting sloppy now at 65-58, with players on the floor rolling around like Delly.

OK, Delly ally-oop at 5:03 in 3rd. 65-62 Warriors,  getting serious.

Dubs looking careless. Cavs coming on hard.

BARNES for three, 68-62.

Mozgov gets an easy 2 back. 68-64

At 69-65, Warriors defend their basket, and get ball back. Curry misses shot.

Then ref blows a call on loose ball out-of-bounds.

—

Iguodala sweet three, 71-65 at 2:31

but can’t make it two in a row at 1:51.

He gets fouled by James at 1:29. Iggy making a difference tonight,73-67.

LBJ battles back in the paint, 73-69 on a second shot. Then Dubs turn ball over. And a foul is called on Livingston.

LBJ misses FT. Makes second. 73-70.

Curry gets three with 18 seconds left. 76-70. Clutch.

James misses long three at buzzer.

76-70 after Three Quarters.

Dubs outshooting on threes/ 36p to 21p

But big rebounding difference to Cavs, 35-27.

Everything about even. Six point lead? Not much of a margin going into 4th Q.

>>>>

The start of the 4th.

LBJ on bench. Delly misses 3.

Barnes rebound, to Curry to Green for a fastbreak dunk.

That’s Warrior pace. 78-70.

—

At 10:15, Curry hesitation dribble to Thompson and the lead is 10, 80-70.

—–

Barnes with rebound, and then assist to curry , and it’s 82-70 with 9 plus left.

—-

Cavs with multiple shots at the basket, ,but getting rebounds. finally at 8:11 Dubs get it back…and Curry hits a three 85-72 , 7:45 left.

___

Iguodala with third 3— 88-74, 7:12 left.

___

Lee gets a dunk on a Thompson assist. 90-75.

Mozgov gets a quick 2, 90-77

Livingston misses at 6:06.

___

Another 3 by Iggy, 93-77, shooting 8/15, 22 points.

—-

Mozgov FT, 93-78.

—

Lee to the line. Misses first. Both!  93-79 4:41 left.

Delly miss, Lee rebounds.Delly is 3/14 for the night. Not a good Gael.

Curry fouled. 4:24

—-

Green assists to Livington layup, 95-79. 3:35 in 4th.

96-79, 3:21.

Curry with scoop 98-79, 3:06 left.  Hello Oakland?

——

100-79 with 2:08 left.  Maybe Warriors just needed to figure out what it’s like to be the only game that counts.

Difference here is Warriors made their shots: 47p to Cleveland 34p.

Dubs shot 41p from three, Cavs just 15p.

That’s why Game 4 goes to the Warriors.

James on bench with 1:17 left.

103-82 final.

Team stats tell story.

Dubs shot 47p from floor, 40p from three

Cavs shot 33p from floor, 15p from three. UGH.

Delly just 3/14.

LBJ 7/22.

Cavs were the Cavs and the Dubs were the Dubs tonight.

Game 5 now in Oakland on Sunday. But will come back to Cleveland no matter on Tuesday for a game 6.  It could  be the final nail for someone.