Adjustable Tim

Sounds like a cool action figure, huh? Maybe with "kung fu grip?" Nah, I am referring to a distinctly Lincecumian attribute clearly on display tonight as Tim won his fifth game by giving up 2 runs on 3 hits, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts over 7.1 innings.

The impressive final numbers and the fact that he entered the eighth inning with a one hit shutout could lead one to think that Tim had his best stuff. Not really. Each of the first three innings were started with walks, including one to the pitcher. A couple very wild pitches added to a very rocky and stressful beginning. Then Tim did something that he has done before, but it is not an adjustment that you see very often. To start the fourth inning, Lincecum abandoned the windup and went right to the stretch. I heard him once refer to it "having fewer moving parts" so it was easier to find his rhythm. Well, it seemed to work. Although the first guy got a single, then it was smooth sailing for about the next ten batters. He went back to the windup for the fifth and beyond, but that brief change had done the trick. Seems like a pretty savvy veteran move for such a young scrub. In fact, his ability to adjust, fine tune and monitor his unique abilities is a big part of his success. Many experts thought he would break by now. What I think they did not factor in was this remarkable and sensitive mechanism of self-correction.

SPECIAL NOTICE: I am going on a road trip to the Ball Park!! The wifey and I will see one game only (Monday 6/15 vs Angels) and I expect to take a BOATLOAD of pictures. The trip starts this Wednesday and includes camping so I may drop off the radar for a while. We are going to re-enact the good World Series game against the Angels (the one the wifey and I went to) by grabbing some small black children as we run the bases.

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