It’s startling sometimes just how fleeting success and stardom can be in baseball.
Former San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum knows that all too well. The former two-time National League Cy Young award winner and three-time World Series champion was once poised to become an all-time great and potential Hall of Famer. Then the wear and tear brought on by years of competing and firing baseballs past the best hitters in the world started catching up to him, bringing him to his present day predicament.
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Now 32, Lincecum is no longer a star. He’s not a major leaguer either. And to be honest, he’s barely on the radar for teams hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with similar reclamation projects.
It’s been that remarkable of a fall. One that surpasses his rise to stardom in distance traveled. But to Lincecum’s credit, he’s not ready to give up. Not yet.
As Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reported Friday, Lincecum’s agent, Rick Thurman, says his client “is throwing and getting ready for the season.” That means the fact that no one is calling hasn’t stopped Lincecum from pushing to make what seems impossible now a reality later.
Lincecum’s battle will be uphill, but he’s shown the required perseverance before. After undergoing double hip surgery in Sept. 2015, he slowly battled back to earn an opportunity with the Los Angeles Angels last summer. Granted, that didn’t go well. Lincecum posted a startling 9.16 ERA, while allowing 68 hits in 38 1/3 innings, but many didn’t expect him to make it back that quickly.
Whether he’s any better now is obviously the big question. Lincecum’s had about six months to continue building his strength and perhaps confidence that his body won’t let him down. That extra time could make a big difference, but it won’t be known until he receives an opportunity to dive in.
It’s also noted that Lincecum isn’t ready to field offers to pitch overseas. His sights are set on the big leagues, which highlights his determination to not just continue pitching, but pitching at a high level.
Baggarly sees teams giving him that opportunity in due time. It might require Lincecum shifting to bullpen to reprove himself, but teams always ultimately value experience and track record. Lincecum has both, and was also viewed as a help to other Angels pitchers last season even as his own struggles heightened.
When, where, if Lincecum’s opportunity comes will be interesting to see. Just don’t expect it to be a full circle situation with San Francisco, as their pitching staff is pretty close to set.
Perhaps it’s San Diego. Perhaps it’s Oakland. Perhaps it’s even closer to home in Seattle. He’s always seemed to favor the west coast, but he may not get to be too picky given where he is and what he’s aiming to accomplish.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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