Lincecum says he will be in Giants' playoff rotation
Looks like Tim Lincecum is in the San Francisco Giants' playoff rotation.
So says Timmy himself.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner delivered the news in his postgame Q&A with reporters on Sunday after the Giants beat the Padres 7-5. Lincecum gave up three homers and didn't look sharp, but he looked sharper than in his previous start.
And that apparently was enough for management to tell Lincecum, who has given up 12 runs in 10 innings his past two assignments, he's in the playoff rotation.
No longer is Lincecum the ace. He was the Game 1 starter in the Division Series, NLCS and World Series in 2010, but Matt Cain is deserving of that honor nowadays. Just being included in the rotation is what Lincecum wanted.
"I understand with the way things have been going this year that's not going to be the case," Lincecum said of getting the Game 1 assignment. "You've got to go with the guys who've had great years: (Madison) Bumgarner, (Ryan) Vogelsong, Cain, obviously.
"If I can find my way in there and get what I can, where I can, that's all that matters to me."
If Lincecum is included in the rotation, that would mean the No. 4 job comes down to Vogelsong and Barry Zito, both 14-game winners.
