Lincecum vs Felix Hernandez
We axed RockiesJeff whether he'd take Felix or Tim Lincecum...
Cy Youngs aside, I have to go with King Felix. He is a rare one. Enjoy!!!
You all?
Okay, last year after Lincecum's 2nd CY, I told my boys that if I were a GM, in 5 years I think I would rather have Cain than Lincecum. High altitude taking a toll on the brain aside, this season in a couple of games against the Rockies Lincecum was very human. I know he is a pitcher now more than a thrower and his curve/split is lethal. But early this season against the Rockies his velocity was much more inconsistent than prior years. I will stick to that for now. And hope I look like a fool.
But early this season against the Rockies his velocity was much more inconsistent than prior years.
Yep. After 5-odd years, it's clear that Felix is a Clemens-type horse whose stuff figures to hold up for two decades. Lincecum's career arc is much more suspect.
High altitude taking a toll on the brain aside
Heh :- )
If Lincecum delivers the Giants a Sandy Koufax-type career, 5-6 years of uber-brilliance, he'll of course have been worth a #1 overall. But he's not a guy I'd bet on to strike out 4,000 men.
If I had the Giants, I'd be sorely tempted to sell high on Lincecum right about now. Time to tear a page out of the Billy Beane Playbook on franchise SP's.
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=== 2010 Playoffs ===
Didn't see all the games, but we see that Lincecum won 4 games in the postseason. He had a 43:9 control and a WHIP of less than 1.
Three of Timmy's five starts were Game Ones, and I don't think we're talking about weak teams, or weak opposition starting here...
- G1: Braves + Lowe -- won 1-0, full game shutout, 14 K's
- G2: Phillies + Halladay - won
- G3: Phillies + Halladay - lost
- Even got a hold two days later
- G4: Rangers + Lee - won
- G5: Rangers + Lee - won a pitchers-duel shutout into the 7th
Slap me silly. Five games, twin duels with Halladay and Cliff Lee, and a game One with the Braves, and he almost ran the table. That would be Felix' postseason of a lifetime.
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=== Felix ===
For all that, I'll take Felix in a heartbeat. Not only is the "arc" of his sheer stuff holding up better ... but I actually think he can leap a big plateau from where he's at now.
On 2-2, he doesn't have to throw a moving two-seamer at the knees. He can go up the ladder, or go outside the zone. Felix can fan ten men a game. I bet one day he will.
Cheers,
Dr D