Making His Closing Argument: Tim Lincecum Deals In Season Finale

For a game that meant a whole lot of nothing, the season finale for the San Francisco Giants meant a whole lot to Tim Lincecum.

In his final start of 2008, Lincecum did what he does best...deal a gem.

Lincecum (18-5) finished with 13 strikeouts, adding to his season total of 265. With those 265 strikeouts, he became the first Giant to lead the Major Leagues in that category since Bill Voiselle had 161 in 1944.

And when asked about it after the game, he answered in typical Lincecum fashion.

"That's cool. That's all I can really say," said Lincecum. "It's a lot of hard work, trying to work on my pitches and throw them for strikes."

What might be as important as leading the world in strikeouts this season was the ability to bounce back and put good thoughts back into the Cy Young voters' minds after one of his worst outings of the season last Tuesday against Colorado.

"Right now, all I can do is hope and wait," Lincecum said.

Lincecum got off to a hot start, striking out the first nine batters he faced, which is an amazing accomplishment considering it seems as though he strikes out that many on a bad night. Nine strikeouts to start a game is a feat which hadn't been accomplished since the New York Mets' Sid Fernandez did it on July 30, 1986, against the Chicago Cubs.

Timely hitting from rookies Pablo Sandoval and Nate Schierholtz was all "the Franchise" needed as he mowed down hitter after hitter, going seven strong, while allowing only four hits.

"It was great to get this win for Timmy because we all know he deserves the Cy Young," said Schierholtz.

It was also a fitting end to 2008 as the Giants said goodbye to Peter Magowan, who will retire Oct. 1 as team president and managing general partner, and possibly say goodbye to future Hall of Fame shortstop Omar Vizquel,

"Today was one of those great days to be a part of the Giants' organization," Lincecum said.

However, Vizquel, who finished the year hitting .222 and .328 in his last 23 starts, feels it isn't time to hang up his spikes just yet.

"There's no doubt in my mind that I can still play," he said.

So as the Giants go into the winter with many questions to be asked and possibly solved. The one question that everybody will now be looking to is, who will win that National League Cy Young?