Bear
08-07-2008, 07:46 PM
By Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News
08/06/2008
Who says the Giants have nothing to shoot for over the last two months?
There is a Cy Young Award out there for the taking, and Tim Lincecum's candidacy is getting healthier by the day.
Lincecum mixed smarts with stuff over eight innings, Aaron Rowand hit a two-run home run, Randy Winn contributed a four-hit afternoon, and Fred Lewis threw a runner out at the plate as the Giants clinched a series victory with a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Brian Wilson got three quiet groundouts in the ninth to record his 32nd save — and 23rd consecutive conversion — as the Giants won back-to-back series for the first time since June 28 to July 3.
"Put his numbers against anyone in baseball and they're right there if not better," Rowand said when asked about Lincecum's Cy Young chances. "There's a lot of time left, though.''
Other National League Cy Young candidates have more victories, but Lincecum toils for a club 17 games under .500. He has recorded one-fourth of the Giants' 48 victories. And their relievers have blown five games in which Lincecum left in line for the win.
In each of Lincecum's two previous starts, he dominated for seven innings only to watch the bullpen blow his decision in the eighth. This time, Lincecum economized his pitches just enough to go a little deeper.
Lincecum (12-3) saved his best work for the end, hitting 95 mph while striking out the side against Atlanta's 3-4-5 hitters. He upped his major-league-leading strikeouts total to 175.
"We knew that was a big inning and he was facing the heart of the order,'' said Giants Manager Bruce Bochy, noting that Lincecum didn't have his best stuff. "He has a way to elevate when he has to. "... He's not a thrower out there. He was trying to hit spots, not power his way through them.''
Lincecum, who hadn't won since his flu-ridden All-Star trip to New York, said he had plenty left in the eighth.
"I'm 100 percent every pitch, but I'm not trying to throw my arm out like people say,'' he said. "I might hump up every once in awhile.''
Braves hitters gushed about Lincecum's emerging change-up, which he threw to to strike out Casey Kotchman and Brian McCann in the eighth. Bochy said he might have let Lincecum shoot for his first career complete game, but those chances were dashed when it took 10 pitches to strike out Omar Infante. The Braves third baseman fouled off four fastballs with two strikes — most of them hitting 95 mph — before swinging through a slider to end the inning.
Catcher Bengie Molina said Lincecum shook off his signs only twice — including the last pitch.
"I didn't want him to give up a home run on something hanging,'' said Molina, who called a fastball away. "He felt confident that he could throw a good slider there, so that's great. I don't mind that.''
What has most impressed Molina about Lincecum this season?
"When he falls behind in the count, you think they'll have a good swing, but they don't,'' the catcher said. "To me, that's what makes him so good. He doesn't give in. He makes them earn their swings and their hits.''
Rowand connected in the first inning against left-hander Chuck James for his 10th home run. The Giants have homered in consecutive games following a 12-game drought; they have the fewest homers in the major leagues and were the last team without a player in double digits.
"You can't try to hit home runs in this ballpark, that's for sure,'' Rowand said.
Winn is proving an adept leadoff man, passing 1,500 career hits along the way. He singled ahead of Rowand's homer and has multiple hits in five of his past eight games.:)
Unlike many on this board, I still believe he has a real shot. What a story that would make! :toast:
Mercury News
08/06/2008
Who says the Giants have nothing to shoot for over the last two months?
There is a Cy Young Award out there for the taking, and Tim Lincecum's candidacy is getting healthier by the day.
Lincecum mixed smarts with stuff over eight innings, Aaron Rowand hit a two-run home run, Randy Winn contributed a four-hit afternoon, and Fred Lewis threw a runner out at the plate as the Giants clinched a series victory with a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Brian Wilson got three quiet groundouts in the ninth to record his 32nd save — and 23rd consecutive conversion — as the Giants won back-to-back series for the first time since June 28 to July 3.
"Put his numbers against anyone in baseball and they're right there if not better," Rowand said when asked about Lincecum's Cy Young chances. "There's a lot of time left, though.''
Other National League Cy Young candidates have more victories, but Lincecum toils for a club 17 games under .500. He has recorded one-fourth of the Giants' 48 victories. And their relievers have blown five games in which Lincecum left in line for the win.
In each of Lincecum's two previous starts, he dominated for seven innings only to watch the bullpen blow his decision in the eighth. This time, Lincecum economized his pitches just enough to go a little deeper.
Lincecum (12-3) saved his best work for the end, hitting 95 mph while striking out the side against Atlanta's 3-4-5 hitters. He upped his major-league-leading strikeouts total to 175.
"We knew that was a big inning and he was facing the heart of the order,'' said Giants Manager Bruce Bochy, noting that Lincecum didn't have his best stuff. "He has a way to elevate when he has to. "... He's not a thrower out there. He was trying to hit spots, not power his way through them.''
Lincecum, who hadn't won since his flu-ridden All-Star trip to New York, said he had plenty left in the eighth.
"I'm 100 percent every pitch, but I'm not trying to throw my arm out like people say,'' he said. "I might hump up every once in awhile.''
Braves hitters gushed about Lincecum's emerging change-up, which he threw to to strike out Casey Kotchman and Brian McCann in the eighth. Bochy said he might have let Lincecum shoot for his first career complete game, but those chances were dashed when it took 10 pitches to strike out Omar Infante. The Braves third baseman fouled off four fastballs with two strikes — most of them hitting 95 mph — before swinging through a slider to end the inning.
Catcher Bengie Molina said Lincecum shook off his signs only twice — including the last pitch.
"I didn't want him to give up a home run on something hanging,'' said Molina, who called a fastball away. "He felt confident that he could throw a good slider there, so that's great. I don't mind that.''
What has most impressed Molina about Lincecum this season?
"When he falls behind in the count, you think they'll have a good swing, but they don't,'' the catcher said. "To me, that's what makes him so good. He doesn't give in. He makes them earn their swings and their hits.''
Rowand connected in the first inning against left-hander Chuck James for his 10th home run. The Giants have homered in consecutive games following a 12-game drought; they have the fewest homers in the major leagues and were the last team without a player in double digits.
"You can't try to hit home runs in this ballpark, that's for sure,'' Rowand said.
Winn is proving an adept leadoff man, passing 1,500 career hits along the way. He singled ahead of Rowand's homer and has multiple hits in five of his past eight games.:)
Unlike many on this board, I still believe he has a real shot. What a story that would make! :toast: