Keizertimes., January 22, 2021, Page 10, Image 10

PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, JANUARY 22, 2021
KEIZERTIMES.COM
#2 Tim Lincecum
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Robert Carr/Getty Images
Tim Lincecum is one of only two players in MLB history to throw multiple no-hitters, win multiple
Cy Young awards, receive multiple All-Star selections and win multiple World Series titles.
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Tim Lincecum comes in
at #2 on the Keizertimes list of
the greatest Volcanoes players
of all time. The 5-foot-10,
170-pound
right-hander,
otherwise known as “The
Freak” is the only pitcher
in Major League Baseball
(MLB) history to win back-
to-back Cy Young awards
in his fi rst two full seasons.
Lincecum also appeared in
four consecutive All-Star
Games and led the National
League (NL) in strikeouts for
three straight seasons.
Lincecum’s unique and
explosive pitching motion
helped him become arguably
the most dominant pitcher
in baseball in the late 2000s.
Despite his small stature,
Linecum’s effi cient lower
body mechanics helped him
throw his four-seam fastball
in the high 90s. Lincecum
was also able to create a lot
of movement with his slider
and changeup.
Lincecum grew up in
Washington and attended
Liberty Senior High School.
He led the varsity baseball
team to a 3A state title in
2003 and was the player of
the year in the state.
Despite being drafted by
the Chicago Cubs out of
high school, Lincecum elect-
ed not to sign with the team.
Lincecum instead decided
to attend the University of
Washington, where he be-
came one of the best pitch-
ers in school history. He was
a two-time Pac-10 Pitcher
of the Year and was named
a fi rst-team All-American in
2006. Lincecum fi nished the
2006 season with 12 wins
and 199 strikeouts — each
were single-season school
records — to go along with
his 1.94 ERA. Lincecum was
also given the Golden Spikes
Award, which is annually
presented to the nation’s top
amateur player.
Lincecum left Washington
as the school’s all-time lead-
er in wins (30), starts (51),
innings (342.0), walks (216)
and strikeouts (491). He also
became the conference’s
career leader in strikeouts
(491).
Lincecum was draft-
ed ninth overall by the San
Francisco Giants in 2006
and began his brief minor
league career in Salem-Keiz-
er. Lincecum appeared in
just two games for the Volca-
noes and only gave up one
hit and no earned runs while
striking out 10 in just four
innings of work.
Going into the 2007 sea-
son, Lincecum was the top
prospect in the Giants or-
ganization. He spent the
fi rst month of the season in
Triple-A with the Fresno
Grizzlies. In his fi ve starts,
Lincecum went 4-0 with a
0.29 ERA in 31 innings and
gave up just one run while
striking out 46.
Lincecum was called up
to make his fi rst MLB start
on May 6, 2007 and struck
out the side in order in his
fi rst inning of work. He
earned his fi rst MLB win the
following week against the
Colorado Rockies, giving up
three runs over seven innings
of work.
In July of 2007, Lincecum
went 4-0 with a 1.62 ERA.
His best performance of the
month came against the Ar-
izona Diamondbacks when
he threw seven scoreless in-
nings and struck out 12.
Lincecum was shut down
for the fi nal month of the
season as a precaution be-
cause of the high volume of
innings he had thrown. He
fi nished the year with a 7-5
record and 4.00 ERA to go
along with 150 strikeouts.
While he had made a lot
of noise in his rookie cam-
paign, Lincecum took over
the baseball world during
the 2008 season. He graced
the cover of Sports Illustrat-
ed on July 7, 2008 and was
selected to his fi rst All-Star
Game.
On Sept. 13, 2008, Lince-
cum tossed his fi rst com-
plete-game shutout, giving
up four hits and striking
out 12 hitters. Later in the
month, Lincecum broke the
Giants single-season strike-
out record — he ended the
season with 265 punch-
outs and was the fi rst Giants
pitcher to ever lead the Na-
tional League in K’s
Lincecum was 18-5 on
the season with a 2.62 ERA
and won his fi rst NL Cy
Young award. At the age of
23. Lincecum was consid-
ered by many as the best
pitcher in baseball.
At the beginning of the
2009 season, Lincecum
picked up right where he
left off. After losing his fi rst
decision of the year, Lince-
cum won his next six starts.
In the month of June, Lince-
cum went 4-1 with a 1.38
ERA and pitched three
complete games — he was
named June’s NL Pitcher of
the Month and was selected
to his second All-Star Game.
Lincecum also earned his
500th career strikeout on
June 2 and reached the mile-
stone quicker than any other
Giants pitcher.
Through his fi rst 20 starts
in 2009, Lincecum was 11-3
with a 2.30 ERA, 183 strike-
outs, four complete games
and two shutouts. He also
threw 29 consecutive score-
less innings, which was the
third longest streak in San
Francisco history.
On July 27, 2009, Lince-
cum pitched his fi fth com-
plete game of the season and
struck out a career-high of
15 hitters in the Giants 4-2
win over the Pittsburgh Pi-
rates. On Aug. 3, he was
named NL Player of the
Week.
Lincecum fi nished the
year with a 15-7 record and
a 2.48 ERA with 261 strike-
outs. He won the Cy Young
award for the second straight
year, and was also recognized
as the Sporting News NL
Pitcher of the Year for back-
to-back seasons.
Even though he wasn’t as
Volcanoes
players
of all time
dominant as his fi rst two sea-
sons, Lincecum had another
great season in 2010, starting
the year off with a 5-0 re-
cord. He cooled later in the
year, fi nishing the fi rst half
with a 9-4 record and a 3.16
ERA over 116.2 innings, but
was still selected to his third
straight All-Star Game.
After enduring a poor
August performance, Lince-
cum was lights out in Sep-
tember, winning fi ve games
and helping the Giants win
the NL West Division title.
Lincecum went 16-10 on
the season with a 3.43 ERA.
He also led the NL in strike-
outs for a third straight year
(231) and set a record for
most K’s by an MLB pitcher
in his fi rst four seasons.
In his fi rst career play-
off game, Lincecum struck
out 14 and tossed a two-hit
shutout against the Atlanta
Braves in game one of the
NL Division Series (NLDS).
The Giants won the series
in four games and advanced
to the championship series
(NLCS).
Lincecum
out-dueled
Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy
Halladay in game one of the
NLCS throwing seven in-
nings and striking out eight
in the Giants 4-3 win. Even
though Lincecum was the
losing pitcher in game fi ve,
the Giants still went on to
win the NLCS in six games
to advance to the World Se-
ries.
Despite giving up four
earned runs in 5.2 innings
against the Texas Rangers,
the Giants offense backed up
their ace as Lincecum earned
his fi rst World Series win.
Lincecum took the mound
once again in game fi ve, with
the Giants up 3-1 in the se-
ries, and delivered one of
the best performances of his
postseason career.
Lincecum tossed eight
innings and struck out 10
while giving up just one
earned run and three hits
and the Giants clinched their
fi rst World Series champion-
ship in 56 years by defeating
the Rangers 3-1 in game
fi ve.
At the end of the season,
Lincecum was given the
Babe Ruth Award — which
is given annually to the most
outstanding player of the
postseason.
The accolades kept rolling
in for Lincecum in 2011.
On May 4, Lincecum struck
out 12 against the New
York Mets and became the
franchise leader in most
games with 10 or more K’s
(29). Later in the month, he
threw a three-hit shutout
against the Oakland A’s in a
3-0 Giants win. On June 6,
Please see TIM, Page A8
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