Giants need relief, but may not get it from Lincecum
SAN FRANCISCO -- After enduring his worst season in 2012, Tim Lincecum became the San Francisco Giants' secret weapon in their march toward the World Series crown, logging 13 innings of one-run ball with 17 strikeouts as a reliever.
This year Lincecum is neither secret nor weapon. He has yet to pitch in the playoffs, at a time when the Giants' bullpen could use some help.
Of the St. Louis Cardinals' four homers in Sunday's Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, three came against relievers Jean Machi, Hunter Strickland and Sergio Romo, making the Giants the first team ever to yield home runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings of a postseason game.
That added to a disturbing trend that has seen the San Francisco bullpen serve up seven longballs in seven postseason games, or three more than it yielded in the combined 2010 and 2012 title runs.
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And Sunday's barrage was launched by a team that hit the second-fewest home runs in the majors this season, although the Cardinals have clearly found their power stroke in October, with 11 homers in six games. Sunday's slugging display in a 5-4 victory allowed St. Louis to tie the series 1-1 going into San Francisco, and to avoid staring into a historical abyss.
None of the 11 teams that have fallen behind 2-0 at home in a best-of-seven league championship series has come back to win it.
After falling short of taking that comfortable lead, the Giants must figure out how to straighten out their bullpen, which had the league's third-best ERA during the season at 3.01 and took a 1.74 mark into Sunday before blowing up. All three homers the relievers allowed either tied the game or put St. Louis ahead.
Manager Bruce Bochy has been publicly supportive of Strickland and backed up his words by repeatedly summoning him in leveraged situations, but now may rethink his strategy after the rookie fireballer gave up his fourth home run in 4 1/3 playoff innings. All four came off his fastball, which may at times hit 100 mph but is not fooling many hitters.
"This kid has great stuff. He's made some mistakes," Bochy said. "We're working on things. I know he feels awful about giving up another home run, but you know, we may have to tweak things. But this kid's still going to be part of our sixth, seventh inning. I think with his equipment, it works, and his mentality. He can handle what's happened. He just made a mistake there. We made four mistakes."
"This team now that we are playing, they are hot with the long ball, and that's what beat us last night."
The Giants brass may also have to ponder whether Lincecum is the answer, the pitcher who can bridge the gap to closer Santiago Casilla, who has thrown four scoreless innings and saved three games this October.
Lincecum was a revelation as a reliever in the 2012 postseason, to the point of generating speculation that maybe that would be his best role as his velocity diminished. But the Giants have yet to find out if he can recapture that form this October.
Bochy has often raved about Lincecum's ability to warm up quickly and his willingness to help out in any role, a remarkable trait in a two-time Cy Young Award winner. But when the Giants don't see fit to use him even in an 18-inning game, as they played against the Washington Nationals in the Division Series, it becomes clear their trust in Lincecum has waned.
Lincecum was sent to the bullpen – temporarily at first – in late August, when his 4.64 ERA was more reflective of the way he had pitched than his 10-9 record. He allowed seven earned runs in 10 1/3 innings in his six relief appearances and has not pitched since Sept. 28.
"I'll try to find the right spot for Timmy, just like (Yusmeiro) Petit," Bochy said. "He's got the equipment to get back."
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