There wasn’t anyone who took Tim Lincecum in the offseason, with his showcase delayed until he felt good about his fitness. Now, he’s going to try and show Major League teams he’s still good enough to play, with a long list, including his former team the San Francisco Giants, along with the Dodgers, A’s, Rangers, Cubs, White Sox, Padres, Orioles, Nationals & Marlins, planning to attend his showcase.
Lincecum is a four-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner, playing for the Giants from 2007 to 2015. His dominance and power from the early years (was at his best from 2008 through 2011) that helped the Giants win the World Series in 2010 (played a smaller part in 2012 and 2014) are all but gone, with his fastball way below the 90’s, while his strikeout rate, ERA and pretty much every known and lesser known metric going in the wrong direction.
In 2015, Lincecum started 15 games for the Giants, going 7-4 with a 4.13 ERA, but a career worst 1.480 WHIP and only 1.58 strikeouts per walks. He had a hip injury that ended his season and he became a free agent in November. Since then it’s been a long way back for him, trying to find the confidence and the ability to put on a showcase that might be good enough to convince teams to give him a shot with some minor league deal that includes major league incentives.
Lincecum made $99 million during his career with the Giants, including $18 million in 2015. It’s probably less about the money and more about staying a Baseball player, and feeling that someone still wants him around the clubhouse. As Lincecum said to Jeff Passan of Yahoo sports, Now I kind of have an idea of the tools I get to work with and how to stay within myself and at the same time be dynamic. I want to be explosive with certain parts of the body and not be apprehensive. It has taken time to get there.