Tim Lincecum
Encyclopedia
Timothy Leroy Lincecum (ˈlɪnsəkum, LIN-se-kum; born June 15, 1984) is an American professional baseball starting pitcher
for the San Francisco Giants
of Major League Baseball
. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed.
Lincecum was known for his long stride, unorthodox mechanics, and ability to generate high velocity despite his slight build: originally listed as 5'11" and 160 pounds, Lincecum put on about 15 pounds prior to the 2011 season.
His repertoire included a two-seam fastball
that he throws at 91–95 mph, a changeup
that he gripped like a split-fingered fastball (his "out pitch" against left handers), a curveball
, notable for its sharp 12–6 action, a slider
(his "out pitch" against right handers), and a power four-seam fastball
that ranged between 98–102 mph.
in Renton, Washington
, where he played two seasons of varsity baseball. As a senior he won state player of the year and led his school to the 2003 3A state championship title.
After high school Lincecum went on to pitch for the University of Washington
. In 2006 he finished with a 12–4 record and a 1.94 ERA
, 199 strikeouts, and three saves in 125⅓ innings as a Washington Husky. He won the 2006 Golden Spikes Award
, which is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball
player.
In the summer of 2004 Lincecum played for the amateur National Baseball Congress
(NBC) Seattle Studs and won two games in the NBC World Series that year. In 2009 he was named NBC Graduate of the Year.
In the summer of 2005 he played for the Harwich Mariners
in the Cape Cod Baseball League
.
of the NL in the forty-eighth round (1,408th overall) of the 2003 MLB Draft
, but did not sign. He decided to attend college instead, and was selected by the Cleveland Indians
in the forty-second round (1,261st overall) upon re-entering the draft in 2005
, but once again failed to sign. The next year
, he was drafted tenth overall by the San Francisco Giants
, becoming the first player from the University of Washington to be taken in the first round. He signed for a $2.025 million signing bonus on June 30, which at the time was the highest amount the organization had ever paid to any amateur player (until they gave $2.1 million to Angel Villalona
a little over a month later).
During his brief minor league career he was frequently named as the top pitching prospect in the Giants organization.
Lincecum made his professional debut on July 26, 2006, with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
(the Giants' Class A Short Season affiliate) against the Vancouver Canadians
, pitching one inning and striking out all three batters he faced. After his second outing on July 31 against the Boise Hawks
, in which he pitched three innings, striking out seven and allowing just one baserunner
, he was promoted to the High Class-A San Jose Giants
.
On August 5, in his first start in San Jose against the Bakersfield Blaze
, he pitched 2⅔ innings, allowing three runs
(two earned
), and striking out
five. Lincecum finished the year 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA
, 48 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 27⅔ innings pitched. He also got the victory in the opening game of the California League
playoffs, giving up one run on five hits in seven innings, striking out ten and walking one against the Visalia Oaks
. Visalia would win the series 3–2.
Going into 2007 Lincecum was ranked as the #11 prospect in baseball and the #1 prospect in the San Francisco Giants by Baseball America
. He spent the first month of the season pitching for the Fresno Grizzlies
, the Giants' Triple-A
affiliate. In five starts (31 innings), he allowed just one run, twelve hits, eleven walks, while striking out forty-six and going 4–0. During his 2006 and 2007 minor league campaigns, Lincecum struck out the highest percentage of batters (minimum 100) of any minor league pitcher in the last ten years: 30.9 percent.
In the spring of 2007 Colorado Rockies
prospect Ian Stewart
called Lincecum "the toughest pitcher [he] ever faced," adding "Guys on our club who have been in the big leagues said he’s the toughest guy they ever faced too … I’m not really sure why he’s down here, but for a guy who was drafted last year … that guy is filthy."
, Lincecum was called up from Fresno to make his first major league start on May 6, 2007, against the Philadelphia Phillies
. He earned a no-decision; the Giants ultimately lost the game, 8–5. In his first career inning, Lincecum gave up two hits and two runs, and struck out three.
He earned his first major league win in his next start, on the road against the Rockies. Lincecum, who is often compared to Philadelphia Phillies
pitcher Roy Oswalt
, faced him in each of his next two starts, Oswalt with the Astros at the time. After the first match-up, Astros third baseman
Mike Lamb
said, "The stuff he was throwing out there tonight was everything he's hyped up to be. He was 97 mi/h with movement. You just don't see that every day. He pitched very much like the pitcher he is compared to and out-dueled him throughout the night." The pair dueled to a no-decision the first time, and Lincecum pitched eight innings and got the win the second time.
In his first four starts in June he allowed twenty-two earned runs in 18⅔ innings, for a 10.61 ERA. He failed to make it to the fifth inning in any of the last three starts, against Oakland
, Toronto
, and Milwaukee
. In July, he went 4–0 with a 1.62 ERA. On July 1, in a seven inning performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, he struck out twelve, the fourth highest total ever by a Giants rookie.
Lincecum pitched into the ninth inning for the first time on August 21 against the Chicago Cubs
. He had allowed just two hits and one walk through the first eight, while throwing only eighty-eight pitches. He took a 1–0 lead into the ninth, but allowed three consecutive hits before being pulled. The Cubs scored several times against the Giants bullpen and Lincecum took the loss. Cubs shortstop
Ryan Theriot
said after the game, "He's got electric stuff. The best stuff I've seen all year."
Lincecum was shut down in September as a precaution, due to his high inning count in his first full year of professional ball. Between the minors and the majors, he pitched a total of 177⅓ innings.
The Giants asked Lincecum not to throw the bullpen sessions typical of other pitchers during the off-season. Manager Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle
that they were being careful with Lincecum because there have been studies that show that pitchers who throw 200 innings early in their career were more susceptible to injuries.
On May 15, 2008, after Lincecum struck out ten Houston Astros in six innings, Houston first baseman Lance Berkman
offered his view of Lincecum: "He's got as good of stuff as I've ever seen. ... He's got three almost unhittable pitches." After falling to Lincecum and the Giants 6–3 on May 27, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman
Conor Jackson
gave his impression of facing Lincecum: "He's got good stuff," Jackson said. "From what I saw tonight, that's the best arm I've seen all year, no doubt. You've got to almost hit a ball right down the middle. You're going to pop up the ball at your bellybutton, which we all did tonight, and the one down, it's coming in at 98 mi/h, you're not going to put too much good wood on it. Even the ones down the middle are coming at 98. He's good, man."
Lincecum was on the cover of the July 7, 2008, issue of Sports Illustrated
, and on July 6, he was selected to play in his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. However, he was hospitalized the day of the game due to flu-like symptoms and was unavailable to pitch. In a July 26 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, he struck out thirteen batters in seven innings while allowing only seven hits, two earned runs, and no walks.
Lincecum pitched his first complete game shutout against the San Diego Padres on September 13, 2008. In nine innings he threw 138 pitches, gave up four hits and struck out twelve batters. On September 23, he broke Jason Schmidt
's San Francisco single-season strikeout record with his 252nd strikeout of the season against the Colorado Rockies. He finished the season with 265 strikeouts (54 of them three-pitch strikeouts, the most in the majors), making him the first San Francisco pitcher to win the (NL) strikeout title, and the first Giant since Bill Voiselle
in 1944. His 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched were the best in the majors, and his .316 slugging-percentage-against was the lowest in the major leagues, as was his .612 OPS
-against—but his seventeen wild pitches tied for the most in the major leagues. His 138 pitches on September 13 were the most by any pitcher in a game in 2008. He finished the season with an 18–5 record. On November 11, 2008, Lincecum was awarded the NL Cy Young Award
, making him the second Giant to win the award after Mike McCormick
.
After winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2008 Lincecum continued his dominance in the NL. On July 3, Lincecum was announced as the NL Pitcher of the Month for June. In his six June starts he went 4–1 with a 1.38 ERA, and pitched three complete games. Lincecum was announced as an NL All-Star along with his teammate Matt Cain. He was also the starting pitcher for the NL. Lincecum went two innings in the All-Star Game, giving up two runs, one earned, and striking out one.
Through twenty starts in 2009 Lincecum had amassed an 11–3 record with a 2.30 ERA, 183 strikeouts, four complete games, and two shutouts. Lincecum also had a twenty-nine scoreless inning streak, third-best since the Giants moved west in 1958.
On July 27, 2009, Lincecum pitched a complete game
and had fifteen (15) strikeouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, a career high. He is the first Giant pitcher to strike out fifteen since Jason Schmidt
fanned sixteen (16) on June 6, 2006.
Lincecum missed his first game since coming up to the big leagues on September 8 against the San Diego Padres. Madison Bumgarner
took his place that day, making his major league debut. Lincecum was healthy enough to make his next start on September 14, pitching seven innings with eleven strikeouts lowering his ERA to 2.30, and picking up his fourteenth win of the year. Lincecum finished the 2009 season with a 15–7 record, 2.48 ERA and 261 strikeouts. Following the season, Lincecum was named Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year
for the second consecutive year. He was later cited during a traffic stop on October 30 for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. On November 19, Lincecum was awarded his second consecutive Cy Young Award
, narrowly edging out St. Louis Cardinals
pitchers Chris Carpenter
and Adam Wainwright
, who actually had the most first place votes. In doing so, he became the first pitcher in history to be awarded the Cy Young in each of his first two full seasons in the Major League Baseball.
Lincecum eventually recovered somewhat from his slump and made the 2010 National League
All-Star
Team. As of the All-Star break, Lincecum was 9–4 with a 3.16 ERA over 116.2 innings pitched. One of his great first half accomplishments was that Lincecum defeated Houston's Roy Oswalt three times in three months. All three games were pitchers duels.
On July 15, 2010, in his first start after the All-Star game, Lincecum pitched a six-hit, complete game shutout against the New York Mets
.
After a disappointing August, Lincecum came out of his slump on September 1; pitching against one of the league's top pitchers, Ubaldo Jimenez
, Lincecum went 8 strong innings of 1 run ball. This was Lincecum's first win since July 30. Lincecum continued to improve throughout September, finishing 5–1 with 52 strikeouts and 6 walks as compared to the 20/13 ratio in August. Lincecum managed to win his third consecutive National League strikeout title, he also set a record for most strikeouts by a MLB pitcher in his first four seasons.
On October 7, 2010, in his first postseason game, Lincecum pitched a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 14, against the Atlanta Braves in game 1 of the NLDS, breaking the all time record for strikeouts in Giants postseason history. In his next postseason start, he outdueled Roy Halladay by pitching 7 innings and giving up 3 earned runs, while striking out 8 in the Giants' 4–3 victory over the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Lincecum pitched in both Games 1 and 5 of the World Series, earning a win in both. Game 1 of the 2010 World Series
saw Lincecum contribute to an 11–7 win over the Texas Rangers
. After presenting a strong start, he sat out the final 3 1/3 innings as the San Francisco bullpen preserved a comfortable win. On November 1, 2010, Lincecum started Game 5 of the World Series with an opportunity to clinch a world championship for San Francisco. Lincecum utilized all his pitches in throwing 8 solid innings, collecting 10 strikeouts while giving up only 3 hits, including a home-run, en route to a 3–1 victory. His victory in Game 5 ended the Giants' 56-year drought between championships and also gave San Francisco its first baseball world championship in history. Lincecum also became the franchise leader for wins in a single post-season with 4.
. Mathewson accumulated his 28 ten-plus-strikeout games in 551 starts over seventeen seasons of pitching for the Giants; Lincecum collected his 29 in 129 starts over five seasons. On May 21, he threw his 8th career complete game and his 5th career shutout, which he threw against the Oakland Athletics. On June 6, he recorded his 1,000th career strikeout against the Washington Nationals, striking out Jerry Hairston, Jr.
. He accomplished this during his fifth year in the Major Leagues, becoming only the eighth pitcher in history to do so. He is now the second player ever to have 1,113 strikeouts by his 5th season in the Major Leagues. In 2011, Los Angeles Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw
and Lincecum matched up four times, evoking fans of both teams memories of the days Sandy Koufax
and Juan Marichal
traded zeroes in the 1960s. In those four games the scores were 2-1, 1-0, 2-1, 2-1, all going in the Dodgers favor. On September 10, 2011, both men struck out a combined 20 batters.
Lincecum finished the 2011 season 13–14, despite a top-tier ERA of 2.74 (4th in the NL) and a stellar second half ERA of 2.31. Lincecum's win-loss record was largely due to low run support, receiving the 2nd worst run support in all of Major League Baseball. Lincecum received 0 runs of support in 10 of his outings and 2 runs or fewer in 21 of them, becoming one of just 6 pitchers in modern major league history to have at least 200 strikeouts, an ERA of below 2.75, and a losing record.
at 93–97 mph, but mostly used a two-seam fastball
grip which he threw around 90–93 mph for more sinking movement to get more ground balls. This pitch had little lateral movement, due to his overhand delivery and the speed at which the pitch is thrown. He had a big breaking curveball
that was thrown at a range of 77–81 mph and broke away from a right-handed hitter. Lincecum used a changeup
that he gripped similar to a splitter
with sinking two-seam action. His changeup appears similar to his fastball for the first 30 feet (9.1 m), but then dives down sharply tailing away from a left handed batter, with a difference of 10 mi/h or more in velocity from his fastball (82–85 mph). The majority of his strikeouts were recorded with this pitch. Lincecum also had a hard slider
that breaks down and away from a right-handed hitter at a speed slightly higher than his changeup (84–88 mph). With his power fastball and strong secondary pitches, he had established himself as one of the elite pitchers in the game.
Lincecum is part Filipino
. His mother, Rebecca Asis, is a daughter of Filipino immigrants.
Tim used MGMT
's song "Electric Feel
" and The Doors
song "Light My Fire
" as his walk-up music during every game.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed.
Lincecum was known for his long stride, unorthodox mechanics, and ability to generate high velocity despite his slight build: originally listed as 5'11" and 160 pounds, Lincecum put on about 15 pounds prior to the 2011 season.
His repertoire included a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
that he throws at 91–95 mph, a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
that he gripped like a split-fingered fastball (his "out pitch" against left handers), a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, notable for its sharp 12–6 action, a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
(his "out pitch" against right handers), and a power four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
that ranged between 98–102 mph.
High school and college
Lincecum attended Liberty Senior High SchoolLiberty Senior High School
Liberty High School, also known as Liberty Senior High School or LHS, is a secondary school located in the East Renton Highlands in King County, Washington. Founded in 1977, Liberty anchors the southern region of the Issaquah School District which includes the areas of Mirrormont, Issaquah, Four...
in Renton, Washington
Renton, Washington
Renton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
, where he played two seasons of varsity baseball. As a senior he won state player of the year and led his school to the 2003 3A state championship title.
After high school Lincecum went on to pitch for the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. In 2006 he finished with a 12–4 record and a 1.94 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 199 strikeouts, and three saves in 125⅓ innings as a Washington Husky. He won the 2006 Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
, which is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball
Amateur baseball in the United States
Amateur baseball is a form of baseball in which the players either are not paid for playing, or receive only a modest stipend or employment arranged by the team's boosters...
player.
In the summer of 2004 Lincecum played for the amateur National Baseball Congress
National Baseball Congress
The National Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas is an organization of 15 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada...
(NBC) Seattle Studs and won two games in the NBC World Series that year. In 2009 he was named NBC Graduate of the Year.
In the summer of 2005 he played for the Harwich Mariners
Harwich Mariners
The Harwich Mariners are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Harwich, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division. Harwich currently plays its home games at Whitehouse Field in the historic village of Harwich Center...
in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
.
Draft and minor league career
Lincecum was selected by the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
of the NL in the forty-eighth round (1,408th overall) of the 2003 MLB Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
, but did not sign. He decided to attend college instead, and was selected by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the forty-second round (1,261st overall) upon re-entering the draft in 2005
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
, but once again failed to sign. The next year
2006 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 6 and 7. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.-First Round Selections:...
, he was drafted tenth overall by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, becoming the first player from the University of Washington to be taken in the first round. He signed for a $2.025 million signing bonus on June 30, which at the time was the highest amount the organization had ever paid to any amateur player (until they gave $2.1 million to Angel Villalona
Angel Villalona
Angel Miguel Villalona is a first baseman in the San Francisco Giants organization.He had been rated by many baseball websites as the Giants #1 prospect...
a little over a month later).
During his brief minor league career he was frequently named as the top pitching prospect in the Giants organization.
Lincecum made his professional debut on July 26, 2006, with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a minor league baseball team in Keizer, Oregon, United States. They are a Short-Season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants since the Volcanoes' inception in 1997...
(the Giants' Class A Short Season affiliate) against the Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
, pitching one inning and striking out all three batters he faced. After his second outing on July 31 against the Boise Hawks
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks are a minor league baseball team, located in Boise, Idaho. The team is currently a farm team for the Chicago Cubs and play in the Short-Season Class A Northwest League.-History:...
, in which he pitched three innings, striking out seven and allowing just one baserunner
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
, he was promoted to the High Class-A San Jose Giants
San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a minor league baseball team in San Jose, California, USA. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the Northern Division of the California League, and have been a farm team of the San Francisco Giants since 1988. Home games are played at San Jose Municipal Stadium...
.
On August 5, in his first start in San Jose against the Bakersfield Blaze
Bakersfield Blaze
The Bakersfield Blaze are a minor league baseball team in Bakersfield, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and are a farm team of the Cincinnati Reds. The Bakersfield Blaze play their home games at Historic Sam Lynn Ballpark...
, he pitched 2⅔ innings, allowing three runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(two earned
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
), and striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
five. Lincecum finished the year 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 48 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 27⅔ innings pitched. He also got the victory in the opening game of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
playoffs, giving up one run on five hits in seven innings, striking out ten and walking one against the Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
. Visalia would win the series 3–2.
Going into 2007 Lincecum was ranked as the #11 prospect in baseball and the #1 prospect in the San Francisco Giants by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. He spent the first month of the season pitching for the Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
, the Giants' Triple-A
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
affiliate. In five starts (31 innings), he allowed just one run, twelve hits, eleven walks, while striking out forty-six and going 4–0. During his 2006 and 2007 minor league campaigns, Lincecum struck out the highest percentage of batters (minimum 100) of any minor league pitcher in the last ten years: 30.9 percent.
In the spring of 2007 Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
prospect Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (baseball)
Ian Kenneth Stewart is a Major League Baseball infielder for the Colorado Rockies.-Baseball career:...
called Lincecum "the toughest pitcher [he] ever faced," adding "Guys on our club who have been in the big leagues said he’s the toughest guy they ever faced too … I’m not really sure why he’s down here, but for a guy who was drafted last year … that guy is filthy."
2007
With an injury to the Giants' fifth starter, Russ OrtizRuss Ortiz
Russell Reid Ortiz is a retired Major League baseball pitcher. Ortiz played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Lincecum was called up from Fresno to make his first major league start on May 6, 2007, against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He earned a no-decision; the Giants ultimately lost the game, 8–5. In his first career inning, Lincecum gave up two hits and two runs, and struck out three.
He earned his first major league win in his next start, on the road against the Rockies. Lincecum, who is often compared to Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
, faced him in each of his next two starts, Oswalt with the Astros at the time. After the first match-up, Astros third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Mike Lamb
Mike Lamb
Michael Robert Lamb is an American professional baseball Utility Player for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He can play the infield but shortstop, corner outfield and catcher...
said, "The stuff he was throwing out there tonight was everything he's hyped up to be. He was 97 mi/h with movement. You just don't see that every day. He pitched very much like the pitcher he is compared to and out-dueled him throughout the night." The pair dueled to a no-decision the first time, and Lincecum pitched eight innings and got the win the second time.
In his first four starts in June he allowed twenty-two earned runs in 18⅔ innings, for a 10.61 ERA. He failed to make it to the fifth inning in any of the last three starts, against Oakland
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Toronto
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, and Milwaukee
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. In July, he went 4–0 with a 1.62 ERA. On July 1, in a seven inning performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, he struck out twelve, the fourth highest total ever by a Giants rookie.
Lincecum pitched into the ninth inning for the first time on August 21 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He had allowed just two hits and one walk through the first eight, while throwing only eighty-eight pitches. He took a 1–0 lead into the ninth, but allowed three consecutive hits before being pulled. The Cubs scored several times against the Giants bullpen and Lincecum took the loss. Cubs shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Ryan Theriot
Ryan Theriot
Ryan Stewart Theriot is a Major League Baseball infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals.Theriot is the son of Randy and Mary Theriot, and has an older brother Wes and younger brother Austin. Both his father and older brother played baseball at Broadmoor High School.Theriot graduated from Broadmoor...
said after the game, "He's got electric stuff. The best stuff I've seen all year."
Lincecum was shut down in September as a precaution, due to his high inning count in his first full year of professional ball. Between the minors and the majors, he pitched a total of 177⅓ innings.
2008
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
that they were being careful with Lincecum because there have been studies that show that pitchers who throw 200 innings early in their career were more susceptible to injuries.
On May 15, 2008, after Lincecum struck out ten Houston Astros in six innings, Houston first baseman Lance Berkman
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
offered his view of Lincecum: "He's got as good of stuff as I've ever seen. ... He's got three almost unhittable pitches." After falling to Lincecum and the Giants 6–3 on May 27, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Conor Jackson
Conor Jackson
Conor Sims Jackson is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed. He is 6'2" and roughly 225 pounds. His father is actor John M...
gave his impression of facing Lincecum: "He's got good stuff," Jackson said. "From what I saw tonight, that's the best arm I've seen all year, no doubt. You've got to almost hit a ball right down the middle. You're going to pop up the ball at your bellybutton, which we all did tonight, and the one down, it's coming in at 98 mi/h, you're not going to put too much good wood on it. Even the ones down the middle are coming at 98. He's good, man."
Lincecum was on the cover of the July 7, 2008, issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, and on July 6, he was selected to play in his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. However, he was hospitalized the day of the game due to flu-like symptoms and was unavailable to pitch. In a July 26 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, he struck out thirteen batters in seven innings while allowing only seven hits, two earned runs, and no walks.
Lincecum pitched his first complete game shutout against the San Diego Padres on September 13, 2008. In nine innings he threw 138 pitches, gave up four hits and struck out twelve batters. On September 23, he broke Jason Schmidt
Jason Schmidt
Jason David Schmidt , is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher.Schmidt was born in Lewiston, Idaho. In his career he has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves , by whom he had been drafted in the eighth round, 206th overall, of...
's San Francisco single-season strikeout record with his 252nd strikeout of the season against the Colorado Rockies. He finished the season with 265 strikeouts (54 of them three-pitch strikeouts, the most in the majors), making him the first San Francisco pitcher to win the (NL) strikeout title, and the first Giant since Bill Voiselle
Bill Voiselle
William Symmes Voiselle was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1942 through 1950, Voiselle played for the New York Giants , Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs . He batted and threw right-handed.While born in Greenwood, South Carolina, Voiselle grew up in the nearby town of Ninety Six...
in 1944. His 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched were the best in the majors, and his .316 slugging-percentage-against was the lowest in the major leagues, as was his .612 OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
-against—but his seventeen wild pitches tied for the most in the major leagues. His 138 pitches on September 13 were the most by any pitcher in a game in 2008. He finished the season with an 18–5 record. On November 11, 2008, Lincecum was awarded the NL Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
, making him the second Giant to win the award after Mike McCormick
Mike McCormick (pitcher)
Michael Francis McCormick is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the New York Giants from 1956 to 1958, then the San Francisco Giants from 1958 to 1970...
.
2009
Through twenty starts in 2009 Lincecum had amassed an 11–3 record with a 2.30 ERA, 183 strikeouts, four complete games, and two shutouts. Lincecum also had a twenty-nine scoreless inning streak, third-best since the Giants moved west in 1958.
On July 27, 2009, Lincecum pitched a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
and had fifteen (15) strikeouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, a career high. He is the first Giant pitcher to strike out fifteen since Jason Schmidt
Jason Schmidt
Jason David Schmidt , is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher.Schmidt was born in Lewiston, Idaho. In his career he has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves , by whom he had been drafted in the eighth round, 206th overall, of...
fanned sixteen (16) on June 6, 2006.
Lincecum missed his first game since coming up to the big leagues on September 8 against the San Diego Padres. Madison Bumgarner
Madison Bumgarner
Madison Bumgarner is an American baseball pitcher with the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Bumgarner is listed 6'5" and 225 pounds and has a 90–95 MPH fastball...
took his place that day, making his major league debut. Lincecum was healthy enough to make his next start on September 14, pitching seven innings with eleven strikeouts lowering his ERA to 2.30, and picking up his fourteenth win of the year. Lincecum finished the 2009 season with a 15–7 record, 2.48 ERA and 261 strikeouts. Following the season, Lincecum was named Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year
The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award
Before there was a Cy Young Award, there was the Pitcher of the Year Award, established by The Sporting News in 1944, though no awards were given in 1946 or 1947. The award is given annually to the pitcher in each league judged by TSN baseball experts as having had the most outstanding season...
for the second consecutive year. He was later cited during a traffic stop on October 30 for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. On November 19, Lincecum was awarded his second consecutive Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
, narrowly edging out St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
pitchers Chris Carpenter
Chris Carpenter
Christopher John Carpenter is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played for the St. Louis Cardinals since 2003, and is currently signed with the team until the 2011 season, with a club option for 2012.Carpenter was 22 years old and a highly-regarded prospect when he broke into the...
and Adam Wainwright
Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...
, who actually had the most first place votes. In doing so, he became the first pitcher in history to be awarded the Cy Young in each of his first two full seasons in the Major League Baseball.
2010
Lincecum continued his dominance in the league by starting 5–0. His strikeouts piled up quickly and was atop the Major Leagues in the category through the early season. However, issues concerning Lincecum's control over the movement of his pitches arose when he walked five batters for the fourth consecutive start on May 31. Although the early struggles have been mostly dismissed as a "lack of confidence" or "mental" issues, Lincecum himself admits that the slump lasted "longer than I was hoping it would".Lincecum eventually recovered somewhat from his slump and made the 2010 National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
Team. As of the All-Star break, Lincecum was 9–4 with a 3.16 ERA over 116.2 innings pitched. One of his great first half accomplishments was that Lincecum defeated Houston's Roy Oswalt three times in three months. All three games were pitchers duels.
On July 15, 2010, in his first start after the All-Star game, Lincecum pitched a six-hit, complete game shutout against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
After a disappointing August, Lincecum came out of his slump on September 1; pitching against one of the league's top pitchers, Ubaldo Jimenez
Ubaldo Jimenez
Ubaldo Jiménez García is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He pitched the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies history on April 17, 2010, against the Atlanta Braves.-Colorado Rockies :...
, Lincecum went 8 strong innings of 1 run ball. This was Lincecum's first win since July 30. Lincecum continued to improve throughout September, finishing 5–1 with 52 strikeouts and 6 walks as compared to the 20/13 ratio in August. Lincecum managed to win his third consecutive National League strikeout title, he also set a record for most strikeouts by a MLB pitcher in his first four seasons.
On October 7, 2010, in his first postseason game, Lincecum pitched a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 14, against the Atlanta Braves in game 1 of the NLDS, breaking the all time record for strikeouts in Giants postseason history. In his next postseason start, he outdueled Roy Halladay by pitching 7 innings and giving up 3 earned runs, while striking out 8 in the Giants' 4–3 victory over the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Lincecum pitched in both Games 1 and 5 of the World Series, earning a win in both. Game 1 of the 2010 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
saw Lincecum contribute to an 11–7 win over the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. After presenting a strong start, he sat out the final 3 1/3 innings as the San Francisco bullpen preserved a comfortable win. On November 1, 2010, Lincecum started Game 5 of the World Series with an opportunity to clinch a world championship for San Francisco. Lincecum utilized all his pitches in throwing 8 solid innings, collecting 10 strikeouts while giving up only 3 hits, including a home-run, en route to a 3–1 victory. His victory in Game 5 ended the Giants' 56-year drought between championships and also gave San Francisco its first baseball world championship in history. Lincecum also became the franchise leader for wins in a single post-season with 4.
2011
On May 4, he struck out twelve Mets becoming the Giants franchise record holder for the number of games pitched with 10 or more strikeouts with 29, surpassing Hall of Fame "first five" inaugural member Christy MathewsonChristy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
. Mathewson accumulated his 28 ten-plus-strikeout games in 551 starts over seventeen seasons of pitching for the Giants; Lincecum collected his 29 in 129 starts over five seasons. On May 21, he threw his 8th career complete game and his 5th career shutout, which he threw against the Oakland Athletics. On June 6, he recorded his 1,000th career strikeout against the Washington Nationals, striking out Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
. He accomplished this during his fifth year in the Major Leagues, becoming only the eighth pitcher in history to do so. He is now the second player ever to have 1,113 strikeouts by his 5th season in the Major Leagues. In 2011, Los Angeles Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...
and Lincecum matched up four times, evoking fans of both teams memories of the days Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
and Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
traded zeroes in the 1960s. In those four games the scores were 2-1, 1-0, 2-1, 2-1, all going in the Dodgers favor. On September 10, 2011, both men struck out a combined 20 batters.
Lincecum finished the 2011 season 13–14, despite a top-tier ERA of 2.74 (4th in the NL) and a stellar second half ERA of 2.31. Lincecum's win-loss record was largely due to low run support, receiving the 2nd worst run support in all of Major League Baseball. Lincecum received 0 runs of support in 10 of his outings and 2 runs or fewer in 21 of them, becoming one of just 6 pitchers in modern major league history to have at least 200 strikeouts, an ERA of below 2.75, and a losing record.
Pitch repertoire
Lincecum threw a four-seam fastballFour-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
at 93–97 mph, but mostly used a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
grip which he threw around 90–93 mph for more sinking movement to get more ground balls. This pitch had little lateral movement, due to his overhand delivery and the speed at which the pitch is thrown. He had a big breaking curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
that was thrown at a range of 77–81 mph and broke away from a right-handed hitter. Lincecum used a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
that he gripped similar to a splitter
Split-finger fastball
A split-finger fastball or splitter is a pitch in baseball. It is named after the technique of putting the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball, or "splitting" them. When thrown hard, it appears to be a fastball to the batter, but suddenly "drops off the table" towards home...
with sinking two-seam action. His changeup appears similar to his fastball for the first 30 feet (9.1 m), but then dives down sharply tailing away from a left handed batter, with a difference of 10 mi/h or more in velocity from his fastball (82–85 mph). The majority of his strikeouts were recorded with this pitch. Lincecum also had a hard slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
that breaks down and away from a right-handed hitter at a speed slightly higher than his changeup (84–88 mph). With his power fastball and strong secondary pitches, he had established himself as one of the elite pitchers in the game.
Accomplishments
- 2011 National League All Star
- 2010 World Series2010 World SeriesThe 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
Champion - 2010 Babe Ruth AwardBabe Ruth AwardThe Babe Ruth Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one...
Winner - 2010 National League All Star
- 2009 NL Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner - 2009 National League All Star
- 2009 NL All-Star Starting Pitcher
- 2008 NL Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner - Sporting News NL Pitcher of the YearThe Sporting News Pitcher of the Year AwardBefore there was a Cy Young Award, there was the Pitcher of the Year Award, established by The Sporting News in 1944, though no awards were given in 1946 or 1947. The award is given annually to the pitcher in each league judged by TSN baseball experts as having had the most outstanding season...
(2009) - 2008 National League All Star
- 2008 Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Starter of the Year
- Led Major League Baseball with 265 strikeoutStrikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s (2008) - Sporting News NL Pitcher of the YearThe Sporting News Pitcher of the Year AwardBefore there was a Cy Young Award, there was the Pitcher of the Year Award, established by The Sporting News in 1944, though no awards were given in 1946 or 1947. The award is given annually to the pitcher in each league judged by TSN baseball experts as having had the most outstanding season...
(2008) - Player's Choice Award for NL's outstanding pitcher (2008)
- Major League Baseball 2K9Major League Baseball 2K9Major League Baseball 2K9 or, in short, MLB 2K9, is a MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K Sports. The game was developed for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii...
and Major League Baseball 2K9 Fantasy All-StarsMajor League Baseball 2K9 Fantasy All-StarsMajor League Baseball 2K9 Fantasy All-Stars is a Nintendo DS spin-off of Major League Baseball 2K9 in the vein of MLB Power Pros, developed by Deep Fried Entertainment and published by 2K Sports...
cover athlete - 2006 Golden Spikes AwardGolden Spikes AwardThe Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
- 2003 Gatorade Washington State Baseball Player of the YearGatorade Player of the Year awardsThe Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to male and female high-school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' football, girls' softball, girls' volleyball, boys' basketball, girls' basketball, boys' cross country, girls' cross country,...
Records
- First pitcher in MLB history to be awarded the Cy Young in each of his first two full seasons
- MLB record-holder for most strikeouts thrown in the first four seasons of a career
- Giants franchise leader for wins in a single post-season – 4, set in 2010
- Giants franchise record holder for the number of games pitched with 10 or more strikeouts −31, May 4, 2011, surpassing Christy MathewsonChristy MathewsonChristopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
- 2008–2011: Third Giant ever to have four straight seasons with at least 200 strikeouts
Personal
Lincecum's father, Chris, is a former Minor League baseball player. The elder Lincecum left the Minor League's after breaking his back in an accident.Lincecum is part Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
. His mother, Rebecca Asis, is a daughter of Filipino immigrants.
Tim used MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
's song "Electric Feel
Electric Feel
-Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result...
" and The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
song "Light My Fire
Light My Fire
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
" as his walk-up music during every game.