Finding a "lucky penny" is swell but having an "ace" in the hole is the best.
After eleven days off, Tim Lincecum returned to the NL Wild Card race by dominating the pesky Crockies. Tim didn't have a spectacular career record against Colorado over his first 9 meetings (3-3, 4ish ERA) but that all changed during this year's chance at the post season. His last outing against the rookies he threw 8 scoreless innings, this time he went 7 innings, one run on 6 hits, 4 walks and 11 strikeouts. Those numbers, though studly, don't really convey the true control he had of this game. Of the 6 hits, only three were hit hard, the other three were bloops and what sounded like an Ishikawa error (anyone see it?). The most impressive out was not a strikeout, but rather a limp tapper back to the mound by future HOFer Helton. (BTW Helton entered the game with a ton of success against Lincecum, .529 average). I admit I was worried for a second...silly me, Tim knew what he had to do and did it. Isn't that the true definition of "Ace?" Will I ever get used to having a Giant pitcher that almost always can't be beat???
So, Ladies and Gentlemen, modern medicine be damned. The cure for what's illin' you, whether its wild card letdown or injured ace paranoia, is Tim Lincecum!! (void where prohibited by law, offer good til 2013, then WE BETTER RE-SIGN HIM!!)
ps. Don't give up on the Cy Young! Leading in ERA, K's and avg against (not to mention the sabermetrics) is better than leading in wins.
5 comments:
I can't believe he's OUR pitcher. In all my years as a fan we've had a few GOOD pitchers but never a superstar. Even Marichal (his glory days were before my time) was never this dominant. Tim's ERA+ for his last two seasons? 167 and 187! In 87 appearances he has659 strikeouts in 580-2/3 innings! But the truly freakish thing is how few HRs he allows--11 last year and only 9 this year! Tim clocks in at 8.0 WAR, the best in the NL BY FAR and even better than last year's 7.5 WAR.
I just keep pinching myself. It's real--he's OUR guy.
I've been having a feeling that Tim's absence took a toll on the team's morale. They all know he's the best there is, and a real cool dude to boot. It had to take the proverbial wind out of their sails to realize he would be unavailable for an unknown length of time.
So hope has woken up from a nap (Mark has the numbers; I have the mixed metaphors) and things are interesting again.
If we win the next 2 games things will be very interesting indeed.
Great postings guys! Really having fun reading them... Those Giants keep teasing me with this Wild Card run I tell ya. I think I am officially a fan FOR ME now not just because I married in.. :-) Wearing the full Giants garb today at work and talkin smack with my misguided Dodger lovin co-workers. GO GIANTS! Oh yeah, Tim is amazing... That was the topic right?
It was, indeed. Tim's awesome. Did we mention that already?
Go Giants!
Hey Eddie! Welcome and thanks for joining in. It sounds like you have jumped right into the deep end...trash talking with the blue goo is a pretty high level of fandom. Give my love to the whole frutcheyclan.
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