Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/...s/16721504.htm
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First-round pick Lincecum makes impression on Cain
By Andrew Baggarly
MEDIANEWS STAFF
Giants notebook
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - It wasn't Matt Cain's day to throw, but he walked out to the bullpen anyway. There was somebody he wanted to see.
"Pure fuel," a smiling Cain said after watching Tim Lincecum's first mound session of spring training Friday.
It's easy to think of Cain and Barry Zito as the present and future 1-2 punch in the Giants rotation. But it's probably wise to save a place near the top for Lincecum, the club's first-round draft pick last June.
If Lincecum dominates hitters during Cactus League play the way he has on every other level, the Giants will be tempted to stick him on the Opening-Day roster -- and manager Bruce Bochy didn't sound as though he would try hard to resist.
"Maybe a little bit, but you've got to be open-minded and know you've got a special talent with this kid," Bochy said. "It comes out of his hand awfully easy. He has a great presence."
The Giants plan to prepare Lincecum as a starter, but they could make an about-face if the closer situation remains in flux.
Zito's new mechanics might have startled Giants officials Thursday, but he's got nothing on Lincecum -- a 5-foot-10, 160-pounder who makes up for his lack of size by using an unorthodox, highly leveraged delivery. It's the creation of his father, Chris, a former semipro player who drew inspiration from studying film of Sandy Koufax and Bob Feller.
"It works well with my body, it's kept me from getting hurt and it helps me get as much as possible from my slender frame," Lincecum said. "(Coaches) always shied away from trying to help me because of how unorthodox it is or they say it is. They really haven't tried to change me at all, anywhere."
The Giants won't start. By decree of Giants vice president Dick Tidrow, coaches are forbidden from tinkering with Lincecum's mechanics.
Those mechanics allow Lincecum to generate power. His fastball hit 98 mph in a playoff start for Class A San Jose, and some scouts say he has the best curveball of any drafted player since Kerry Wood.
Other scouts say they believe he is an injury risk because of his size -- a view the Giants don't share.
Lincecum concedes he could be confused for the batboy. He looks barely old enough to attend junior prom, but he turned 22 in June and is 31/2 months older than Cain.
Apparently, this hasn't dawned on Cain, who snickered when he saw Lincecum airing it out while playing catch.
"I heard him say, 'He won't do that all spring,'" pitching coach Dave Righetti said with a laugh.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
So what... I bet all of Florida is lining up to see Drew Stubbs! :cry:
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
:( Lincecum is to Stubbs as Kazmir is to Gruler? I hope not.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
Someone is going to look at it that way NC Reds, but I dont think it will be the Reds. A lot of teams passed on Lincecum. I think its funny that a lot of people are already annointing him in the same light as Scott Kazmir and the likes. He has yet to throw more than 40 innings in the minor leagues. Does the kid have talent? Yes, he does. Lots of it. That said, he is a small guy and he is a pitcher. That doesnt bode well for him if history tells us much. There are exceptions, but just becuase the guy dominated for 31.2 innings in the minors last year doesnt really translate to being compared to Kazmir, who has posted an ERA under 3.80 the last two seasons in the AL as a 21 and 22 year old.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
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Originally Posted by
NC Reds
:( Lincecum is to Stubbs as Kazmir is to Gruler? I hope not.
It was a bad move by the Reds not to take Linecum, Some say that the Reds wanted more position players after drafting pitching the last few years. My theory you can never have enough pitching.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
We can joke about this and everything, but it's high time the people involved in voting to take Stubbs over Lincecum either get the axe or get severely ostracized; and if Krivsky cast the deciding vote for Stubbs, he should consider taking a year or two off from the draft and appointing someone who knows what the hell he's doing. What a trainwreck of a decision--but one this organization makes again and again and again and again....
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
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Originally Posted by
dougdirt
Someone is going to look at it that way NC Reds, but I dont think it will be the Reds. A lot of teams passed on Lincecum. I think its funny that a lot of people are already annointing him in the same light as Scott Kazmir and the likes. He has yet to throw more than 40 innings in the minor leagues. Does the kid have talent? Yes, he does. Lots of it. That said, he is a small guy and he is a pitcher. That doesnt bode well for him if history tells us much. There are exceptions, but just becuase the guy dominated for 31.2 innings in the minors last year doesnt really translate to being compared to Kazmir, who has posted an ERA under 3.80 the last two seasons in the AL as a 21 and 22 year old.
With Deno around and Bruce on the way, the Reds needed Stubbs like a raging case of pinworms.
It's that age-old idiocy of "take the best athlete."
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
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Originally Posted by
Falls City Beer
We can joke about this and everything, but it's high time the people involved in voting to take Stubbs over Lincecum either get the axe or get severely ostracized; and if Krivsky cast the deciding vote for Stubbs, he should consider taking a year or two off from the draft and appointing someone who knows what the hell he's doing. What a trainwreck of a decision--but one this organization makes again and again and again and again....
Will we joke when Lincecum is under the knife to repair his damaged shoulder. Dude has awfull mechanics. It caught up with Liriano, it will so with Lincecum.
This piece is nothing that we haven't seen with Bailey.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Falls City Beer
With Deno around and Bruce on the way, the Reds needed Stubbs like a raging case of pinworms.
It's that age-old idiocy of "take the best athlete."
This I can agree with, but they should have passed on Stubbs and Lincecum.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
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Originally Posted by
Aronchis
Will we joke when Lincecum is under the knife to repair his damaged shoulder. Dude has awfull mechanics. It caught up with Liriano, it will so with Lincecum.
This piece is nothing that we haven't seen with Bailey.
But you still take Lincecum in the chance he can stay healthy--if healthy Lincecum gives the Reds what simply doesn't exist in the entirety of their minors outside of Bailey--a high-quality, hard-throwing arm. Stubbs is not only a bad ballplayer, but a total redundancy; in other words, useless.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Falls City Beer
But you still take Lincecum in the chance he can stay healthy--if healthy Lincecum gives the Reds what simply doesn't exist in the entirety of their minors outside of Bailey--a high-quality, hard-throwing arm. Stubbs is not only a bad ballplayer, but a total redundancy; in other words, useless.
Or the chance Stubbs hits. "Hard throwing" isn't always necessary and doesn't always constitute "power numbers"(something I think M2 has harped on).
The fact is, the Stubbs pick was a wild ego driven pick. They pretty much flipped Deno off even though Deno has shown 10 times the hitting ability of Stubbs. If Deno becomes a quality starting CF, it was a bad pick. Something they should have waited another year on to find out.
But Lincecum dropped for a reason. If Krivsky and Buckley wanted to flash the crowd, they could have at least gone a different direction, totally.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Falls City Beer
But you still take Lincecum in the chance he can stay healthy--if healthy Lincecum gives the Reds what simply doesn't exist in the entirety of their minors outside of Bailey--a high-quality, hard-throwing arm. Stubbs is not only a bad ballplayer, but a total redundancy; in other words, useless.
I would have gone with Billy Rowell myself. His bat is special. Lincecum has as many questions as he does answers. His stuff is electric, no doubt about it. But he is ridiculously small (5-11, 155lbs). His mechanics are pretty out there as well. As far as Stubbs being useless, I disagree completely. Useless would be Adam Dunn in the field mixed with Alex Gonzalez at the plate. Stubbs, has some upside at the plate, and on the defensive side of the ball, he is about as good as it comes....not quite useless. Would nearly everyone have drafted someone else? Yeah, probably. Hindsight is 20/20, but I dont think Lincecum is the answer long term..... sure he looks good now. He only has 31.2 innings on that arm as a pro.... give him some time.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
And does anyone else find it strange that the owner of the team mandated that the COACHES dont try to work on Lincecums mechanics?
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
How many guys like Stubbs, who struggle to make contact in the low minors, ever overcome that and turn in to good major leaguers. You can develop power. You can develop plate discipline. Contact doesn't seem to be something you develop -- especially when you already have the plate discipline.
Re: Lincecum opens up eyes at Giants camp
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Originally Posted by
RedsManRick
How many guys like Stubbs, who struggle to make contact in the low minors, ever overcome that and turn in to good major leaguers. You can develop power. You can develop plate discipline. Contact doesn't seem to be something you develop -- especially when you already have the plate discipline.
I don't honestly care if he hits .240 with his plate discipline, defense, and speed.