I’m watching the Giants game right now, and there is no doubt whatsoever that there is something wrong with Lincecum. I don’t know what, but he is off. Way off.
I remember watching Dwight Gooden in 1986 and 1987, as he slowly fell apart due to drug use and who knows what else. Watching Lincecum this season has been eerily similar. Between his getting to be ridiculously long hair, his seemingly completely disinterested attitude during his starts, his lack of velocity, and his inability to get swings and misses, there is no doubt that he is not the same pitcher. None.
It’s 2-0 with one out in the first, and I am wondering when someone who is covering this team is gonna ask exactly what the hell is going on here.
It’s 4-0 after Fukodome takes Lincecum into McCovey Cove.
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I don’t see a negative…the guys stats as they currently stand would put him second on the team in HR and RBI, that can’t be bad. Move Huff back to first, you sacrifice some D over there, but Ishikawa is a hell of a left handed pinch hitter…and if Burrell struggles, we can always move Huff back out there, Ish back in the lineup…
If you want a grumpy old outfielder who can’t play defense but might have some pop in his bat, at least give Barry at shot.
Funny, saw rumor mill on SI that Giants would sign Guillen, his wikipedia page already notes him being on the Giants, WTF??
Timmy’s old man made him into the pitcher that he is, everyone needs a tune up now and then…I think we all have to deal with the fact that the kid is a bit of an eccentric, and he may struggle if he’s stubborn….
they did…they traded for guillen
what the hell does this team need with another aging of?
“Clubhouse cancer” DH who sucks and a fielder is now going to be our starting RF (according to Jeff Fletcher quoting Bochy).
http://www.baseballdigest.com/2010/07/20/should-the-royals-consider-re-signing-jose-guillen/
Those are the negatives. Looks good on paper, but so does Milton Bradley.
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Hey John:
How about losing those motherfucking pingbacks from the spambotfucktardsoftheworld
[...] Only Baseball Matters » Blog Archive » …. No doubt [...]
I don’t know what it is. I couldn’t even begin to give an educated guess. Everything is speculation. The only two things I’ve noticed are some inconsistencies in his delivery, a loss of command, and a loss of velocity on his fastball. Similar to what Zito went through a couple of years ago, and still does periodically.
It could be serious. Or not. The mental and mechanical aspects of pitching are irrevocably entwined in a spiraling relationship. As one goes up, so does the other. As one goes down, the other follows. Only the great ones are able to recover from downward spirals in short periods of time. Some like the previously mentioned Zito, who are average major leaguers take a long time to recover from downward regressions.
For Lincecum, it could be nothing more than a break in routine and rhythm which is what pitching is all about. The great ones were always able to get back on track in short order. Some like Seaver were able to recover/make the adjustment within an at-bat. So was Maddox.
Here’s some insight from Tom Seaver where he discusses much of the mental aspect of in-game pitching from time past. It still applies today.
If a person learns to recognize on the field of play what Seaver talks about while observing a game, that fan will be more knowledgeably than 99.9 percent of the people in the ball park and 90% of most people who get paid to comment about it in main stream media.
Lincecum looks tired, and I heard Damon Bruce talk about Lincecum dropping about 10 pounds from last year, so the loss of weight cannot be good for his endurance. He has always looked on the skinny side, so he cannot afford to lose too much poundage. Maybe he can go on the Panda diet and gain some of it back. Giants cannot stay in the playoff race without their ace, so they better make sure that he eats right. Let Sandoval’s mom feed him.
let him go back to smoking pot
best way to get the munchies
according to the guy filling in for baggs….timmy doesnt want to consult his dad
feels that its time to grow up
fucker is playing a boys game and he wants to grow up
bonds consulted with his dad and godfather on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis.,…especially when he was slumping
mr l taught the kid the delivery….you go back to the prof
the team should spare no expense and bring daddy in for a visit
timmy doesnt have a regular offseason workout regimen….he is getting older…that has gotta change
not that he should do the rice thing…but i think the team should bring in rice to help the kid create something for the offseason…
rice stayed in game for 20 years, where most guys in his position dont last more than 6 or 7….and there are vids of rice on youtube, schooling kids half his age….the man is a marvel…and when he started out, he too was a phenom….and learned rather quickly that the offseason was meant for training
For roughly the first five or six weeks this season he was as dominant as ever. Historically great. But then something happened and he’s been different. Without his top form the “championship window” running through the end of the team’s control of Cain/Sanchez no longer exists.
Agreed. Julian’s stats above are hard to understand. Just from watching TL, it seems to me that he fell off a cliff. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still one of the best pitchers in the league, but I keep remembering his absolute dominance, games where he threw nothing but fastballs for the first couple of innings. I’ve also seen him throw 100 mph (at his ML debut) and then consistently 93-95. Now he’s tinkering with his windup and throwing his fastball 90-91 most of the time.
Also, has anyone else notices that he seems to be pitching “backwards” more? Setting up the fastball with off-speed pitches? Maybe it’s just me, but if that’s the case, then he’s totally lost confidence in being able to blow a guy away whenever he wants to.
2009 10.7% Swinging Strike Rate
2010 11% Swinging Strike Rate
I think this year’s struggles merely stem from his lack of ability to hold runners, his higher walk rate and his higher home run rate.
something is definitely off this season
he does seem to lack the intensity he had during the past two
very well might be a maturity thing…or he and the team could be hiding a minor injury
he was better in july….but never overpowering
emo doesnt work for a pitcher….i wish his dad would have a chat with him
oh…and rentawreck goes down with an injury again
sanchez, rowand, rentawreck….highest paid busts on this team
thank you mr sabean
I swear I just read a matter of hours ago that his swings and misses were NOT down this year.