Tim Lincecum's Cy Young Case Should Be Boosted by Pitching On a Bad Team

It's not breaking news that the San Francisco Giants are one of the worst teams in the National League, thanks in large part to a inconsistent offense and less-than-stellar bullpen.

But could the lack of success this season in San Francisco help Tim Lincecum win the National League Cy Young?

It should be considered.

After pitching his first complete game shutout last night against the Padres, Lincecum answered Arizona's Brandon Webb's start from a night earlier and is now back on track after giving up five runs in five innings Sep. 2 against the Rockies.

When Lincecum (17-3) pitches, it seems as though everything clicks for the Giants. He is the team's stopper, but when you watch him pitch, he still looks like the baby-faced freshman pitching in his first varsity game at Liberty Senior High School in Renton, WA.

Considering that the Giants are 18 games under .500 and have been outscored by their opponents by 105 runs, what Lincecum is doing this season is even more remarkable.

Seriously, how many pitchers would get 17 wins on a team that has Bengie Molina hitting cleanup?

Lincecum currently leads the majors in strikeouts with 237 and is second in ERA (2.43) behind Cleveland's Cliff Lee. The only category that Lincecum trails Webb in is wins, which could have been a lot closer had it not been for Tyler Walker.

So does this mean Lincecum is a lock for the Cy? Not quite.

Webb has the history with the voters to support his case. Lincecum may be a stud, but this is not Webb's first rodeo.

And with this Cy Young chase that Lincecum has been on this season, there is always the problem that he is throwing too many pitches, with his latest total being 138 pitches and going over the 200 innings mark against the Padres Saturday.

However, the 24-year-old quickly put the talk to rest after the game last night saying, "I'm fine. That's it. I've gotten up to 160 pitches before in college."

"He's put me in a tough spot a couple of games. I know how bad the kid wanted it," manager Bruce Bochy admitted after Saturday's game in San Diego. "The kid hasn't thrown a shutout. He deserved the opportunity. The way he warms up, he really limits his pitches. We watched him for the most part this season. He hasn't been overworked."

Fans and voters will have an easy time finding the two contenders next week, as the Giants travel to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks. Webb will go on Wednesday and Lincecum will look to answer Webb the next day.