Watch out for the Giants: Tim Lincecum

Giants ace, has his team in contention" src="http://swamigp.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/chicagocubsvsanfranciscogiantsomisvetcqoll.jpg?w=408&h=482" alt="Tim Lincecum has proved many of his doubters wrong as the ace of the much-improved San Francisco Giants" width="408" height="482" />

Tim Lincecum has proved many of his doubters wrong as the ace of the much-improved San Francisco Giants.

The San Francisco Giants have failed to make the playoffs, let alone finish better than third place since their 100-win 2003 season. They plan on ending this slide, and because of a talented collection of younger players, it appears they will.

It didn’t take the Giants long to move out of Barry Bonds’ shadow. Knowing the marred slugger’s tenure was nearing an end, the rebuilding process began in his final season, 2007. In May of that year, San Francisco called up the short in stature and unorthodox Tim Lincecum.

The 5-foot, 9-inch right-handed pitcher with a deceptive overhand delivery and a 7-foot stride to the plate (according to Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, the normal stride of a pitcher ranges from 77 percent to 88 percent of his height; Lincecum’s is 129 percent), was drafted as the 1,408th pick  by the Chicago Cubs; he did not sign. Two years later, he entered the draft once more, this time selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 42nd round as the 1,261st choice. Once again, he did not sign, instead returning to the University of Washington for his senior season.

What a difference a year makes! After finishing his senior season–12-4 record with a 1.94 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 125 innings–Lincecum entered the draft a hot commodity. He jumped up 1,251 spots in the draft, picked by the Giants with the 10th overall selection in the 2006 MLB Draft. He didn’t stay in their minor league system long, needing only eleven starts in which he struck out a staggering 104 batters in just 62 2/3 innings before making his debut.

In his rookie season, Lincecum was very impressive, managing 7 wins and a 4.00 ERA in 24 starts. With a tailing 98-miles per hour fastball, he baffled opponents, giving the organization’s brass glimpses of how dominant he could be. They received more than hints from during his second season. He was as close to un-hittable as possible, winning 18 games by allowing a minimalistic 72 runs on 182 hits in 227 innings, while striking out  a startling 265 hitters and accounting for a 2.62 ERA. Because of these incredibly efficient numbers, he won the National League Cy Young Award. Accomplishing such a feat in only his second season, the 24-year old was prodigious, already an ace and arguably the best pitcher in baseball.

In spite of his efforts, San Francisco amounted a measly 72 wins and finished fourth in a very weak division; the Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League West with 84 wins, which would have placed them no better than third in any other division in the major leagues. This year is different. Lincecum, after two rough starts to begin the season, has pitched as a reigning Cy Young should, winning three of his last five starts, striking out 48 while surrendering 26 hits in 36 innings. During this torrid stretch, he tossed eight innings twice in consecutive starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks, striking out 13 in the first and 12 in the second.

Nothing was thought of Lincecum in when he was drafted in the thousands twice. Scouts looked at his tiny frame and the powerful whipping action in his delivery and though injuries would hit him frequently. He can’t sustain such a violent movement, his arm is going to get shredded apart! they must have thought. Even when Lincecum entered the 2006 draft as a sure-fire first-round pick, he was given little respect. In his three years at Washington, he notched single-season records for wins (12), strikeouts (199), and career-records for wins (30), innings (342), starts (51), and strikeouts (491). Not only was his strikeout-total tops in Washington’s history, it was the benchmark for the entire Pacific-Ten Conference; to accomplish such a feat, he had to surpass the totals of future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, and Mark Prior (who had 423 in three seasons at the University of California). Yet, despite his accomplishments, six pitchers were taken ahead of him. Safe to say, once the Baltimore Orioles selected power-hitter William Rowell, straight out of high-school, with the ninth pick, the Giants welcomed Lincecum with open arms.

While the nine teams who passed writh in pain, San Francisco has the pleasure of basking in Lincecum’s talent. Talent that only the Giants knew would come to fruition.