By: David Washburn
With writers and fans starting to buzz over Cooperstown, I thought that it would be a great time to shine the light on a player who might be the cause of some divisive-ness. Maybe this guy performed big at a time when your team really needed a win, and he stood in their way. Maybe he was at an elite level for a stretch of years and frustrated batters. Maybe You loved the guy and were the beneficiary of being a San Francisco Giants fan. Maybe you saw him toss complete games and a no hitter, rack up a ridiculous number of strikeouts in a short time and completely dominate opponents. Maybe you don’t like his hair. Maybe you didn’t like seeing him on the covers of video games. Maybe, just maybe… We didn’t appreciate “The Freak” Tim Lincecum.
To highlight Tim Lincecum’s career, he is a 3x World Series Champion with the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Giants. There are Hall of Famers who never even sniffed a World Series, yet he was there for a large stretch of the success in San Francisco.
Timmy was also a back-to-back NL Cy Young Award winner, where he led the league in strikeouts and displayed total dominance and was just brilliant. There are guys in Cooperstown who don’t have that accolade.
Early in his career, he also was a 4x All Star. Aside from his league leading strikeout totals during his Cy Young seasons, he also led in 2010. 3 Seasons of “swing-and-miss, sit the hell down” stuff that led to Tim Lincecum setting a Giants franchise record in the most games pitched with 10 or more K’s. I love obscure stats like this, especially when you want to highlight how good a player really was.
I wanted to showcase those things and really consider if he is a guy, we can justify voting for. He had so much success so early in his career but around 2013 it seemed to fall apart. He started getting knocked around a lot around the league. Something was different. The Freak learned that he had some degenerative muscle issues in his shoulder and that was said to be the cause of his decreased velocity and his health as a pitcher.
From 2007 to 2011 he had an elite snapshot. Those seasons could stand against all-time greats with not much debate. The question then gets a little convoluted when we start asking ourselves if we can put him in the Hall of Fame with your Tom Seavers, Bob Gibsons, Pedro Martinez’ and Tom Glavines etc. Do we overvalue a mediocre career because of a handful of elite seasons? Or do we shun those seasons because “what have you done for me lately?”?
Tim Lincecum is interesting because his career reminds me of the argument for Andruw Jones. I know, I know… He is a center fielder and Tim is a pitcher. Andruw Jones had a longer run of success also before falling off the cliff in production. Tim Lincecum, despite his amazing seasons, only amassed a 19.9 WAR.
He signed with the Angels as a free agent and didn’t see much success, and then attempted a comeback with the Rangers to be released after underperforming for their triple A affiliate. His final career numbers are
Win / Loss Record 110-89
Lifetime ERA 3.74
1736 Career Strikeouts
If I had a vote, I don’t think I could vote for Tim Lincecum, but as I decide not to vote, I know I have an uneasy feeling in my heart because I think about how absolutely, top tier he was in his prime. I just wish his prime would have lasted a little longer because I really would like to see him be revered as one of the best of his generation. I think I will have a soft spot for him regardless, and I believe his eligibility deserves at least to acknowledge what he did at his peak.
Would you vote for “The Freak”?