Tim Lincecum

“For an all-too-brief time, the pitcher who didn’t look or throw like anybody else could pitch better than everybody else.”1

From 2008 to 2011, San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum won two successive Cy Young awards, led the National League in strikeouts for three consecutive seasons, and was selected to the All-Star team four times. He also won the first of his three World Series rings. The undersized righthander with the unorthodox pitching style struck out 977 batters in 881 2/3 innings. He had an ERA of 2.81 and record of 62-36.

But Lincecum’s decline came nearly as quickly as his success, as injuries and performance issues took their toll. After several years of trying to regain his former dominance, Lincecum pitched in his last-major league game on August 5, 2016, at the age of 32.

Timothy Leroy Lincecum was born on June 15, 1984, in Bellevue, Washington, a Seattle suburb. His mother, Rebecca (Asis), was born in the Philippines.2 His father, Chris, was a Boeing engineer who pitched in college. Tim was the younger of two sons in the family. His brother, Sean, was four years older.3

Chris Lincecum took an early interest in his sons’ baseball abilities. He worked with Sean on a backyard mound and five-year-old Tim joined in the lessons.4 Chris taught them the pitching technique he learned as a boy, based on a “set of mechanics that work from foot to fingertips using all hinges in sequence.”5 Sean Lincecum later into grew into a 260-pound frame, but Tim had the slender build and natural flexibility suited for his father’s approach.6

“My dad and I aren’t very large guys, so it’s about efficiency and getting the most out of my body that I can,” Lincecum said. “He learned that, and I’m a modified version of that. He was the prototype, and I’m version 2.0.”7

As a freshman at Liberty Senior High School in Renton, Washington, Lincecum was just 4-feet-11 and weighed 85 pounds. His teammate Sean Webster said, “Timmy looked like he was swimming in his jersey, it was so big on him.”8 By his senior year, Lincecum had grown into a 5-foot-9, 135-pound righthander with a wicked 94-mph fastball.9 He was named the state’s Player of the Year, striking out 183 in 91 2/3 innings. He had an 0.70 ERA and 12-1 record.10

The Chicago Cubs selected Lincecum in the 48th round of the 2003 draft, but he rejected the offer in favor of a full ride to the University of Washington. Before he could accept the scholarship, however, the Huskies’ coaches had to promise Lincecum’s father they wouldn’t change his pitching style.11

Many tried to analyze how a guy so small could throw so hard.12 Popular Mechanics dissected the “Physics of the Freak”13 and videos slowed down his motion to a frame-by-frame view.14 Lincecum’s long stride was reminiscent of Roy Oswalt,15 but combined with his high-speed overhead motion and twisting torso, his delivery was all his own. Hitters described Lincecum as “jumping at them,” his motion to the plate was so forceful.16 The key to his success, however, was the consistency of his delivery,17 which hid the arsenal of pitches he came to develop over time. To go with his four-seam and two-seam fastballs, he threw a slider, a big Sandy Koufax curveball,18 and a devastating change-up.19

In his first year at UW, Lincecum was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year. His father developed a training program for him and filmed his games so they could analyze them together.20 In his sophomore year, Lincecum was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 42nd round. He rejected the offer, holding out for more than the $700,000 signing bonus.21

Around this time, Lincecum picked up the nickname “The Freak.”22 He would also earn the nicknames “The Franchise, “Big Time Timmy Jim,”23 and “The Baby-Faced Assassin.”24 Lincecum never iced his arm, a routine he kept throughout his career.25 He ate fast food before his starts, preferably burgers, fries, and a chocolate-strawberry shake.26 His changing hair length and facial hair were also a source of fascination for the fans.27

Lincecum’s college career reached its peak in 2006, his junior year. He struck out 199 batters in 125 1/3 innings, with a 1.94 ERA and 12-4 record. He was named to the Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American and won the Golden Spikes Award for college baseball’s most impressive performer.28 Other finalists for the award that year were future major-league pitchers Andrew Miller and David Price, and position players Evan Longoria and Drew Stubbs.

But when the 2006 draft came around, nine teams passed on the Golden Spikes winner. Conventional wisdom pegged Lincecum as too small to have a long-term career at 5-feet-11 and 170 pounds (some considered him to be even smaller.)29 “There was a feeling that [Lincecum] was short,” said Jim Duquette, then Baltimore GM, “not a real physical kid, and mechanically he was going to break down, that there was enough stress on his arm, elbow, and shoulder. Our scouting department kind of pushed him down because of the medical aspect.”30

The San Francisco Giants, however, used their first pick to draft Lincecum as the 10th player in the first round. They paid him a $2.025 million signing bonus, the largest to that point in the history of the ballclub.31 He chose to wear the number 55.

In 2006, Lincecum made his professional debut with the Northwest League’s Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, pitching four innings with 10 strikeouts. He then moved to the San Jose Giants in the California League, where he started six games and had a record of 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA. In the Top 100 prospects for 2007, Baseball America ranked Lincecum at number 11.32

The 2007 season opened with Lincecum on the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies. In his first five starts, he recorded 46 strikeouts in 31 innings, with an ERA of 0.29 and a record of 4-0. Then Giants starter Russ Ortiz went on the disabled list and Lincecum was called up to the majors.”33 On May 6, 2007, in San Francisco against the Philadelphia Phillies, Lincecum got his first big-league start. When he arrived at the ballpark, with his small stature, long hair, and boyish face, security workers thought he was a bat boy.34

The atmosphere was electric as the wiry phenom took the mound. Giants pitcher Matt Cain remembered thinking at the time, “This is going to be fun to watch.”35 Lincecum’s debut was rocky, but his talent was obvious. He gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings, including two homers. He also struck out five. “He was maybe six feet tall and 170-something [pounds], throwing in the upper 90s with a nasty breaker. His stuff was legit,” Cain said.36 Giants manager Bruce Bochy was similarly impressed. “I’ll tell you, that stuff’s electric. He made a couple of mistakes, but he showed what a great arm he’s got.”37 The fans also appreciated Lincecum’s potential. They gave him a standing ovation when he left the game in the fifth inning.38

“You’d like to think he’s up here for good, but there are no guarantees,” Giants GM Brian Sabean said after the game.39 Lincecum proved his staying ability by making 24 major-league starts during the rest of the season. The team shut down him in September, to be careful with the young pitcher the fans were already calling “The Franchise.”40

After the 2007 season Barry Bonds retired, and Lincecum became the new face of the Giants.41 The 23-year-old won his first four decisions, ending April with a 1.73 ERA.42 “He has three almost unhittable pitches,” Houston’s Lance Berkman said on May 15, after Lincecum struck out 10 in six innings. “When he throws those off-speed pitches where he wants, you’ve got no chance.”43

On July 7, 2008, “The Freak” landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Baseball writer Tom Verducci described in detail the pitching marvel engineered by Chris Lincecum. But it was the “seamlessness” of his delivery — Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti called it “flow”— that separated him from other pitchers. Verducci wrote that “Lincecum pitches with the intentions of a drag racer: It’s go time from the start.”44

At the All-Star break, Lincecum had an 11-2 record in 20 appearances, with a 2.57 ERA and 135 strikeouts. He was named to the National League All-Star team, but did not play as he was taken to a New York hospital on the day of the game at Yankee Stadium, for treatment of flu-like symptoms and dehydration.45

During the second half of the 2008 season, Lincecum kept on winning. He ended with a record of 18-5, a 2.62 ERA, and National League-leading 265 strikeouts. “I’ve always taken pride in trying to strike people out,” Lincecum said. “That’s the one [statistic] that kind of gets me fired up.”46

When the 2008 ballots for the Cy Young award came in, there weren’t any questions about the winner. Lincecum garnered 23 of the 32 first-place votes.47 He celebrated by buying a French bulldog, whom he aptly named “Cy.”48

Lincecum was named the top starter in the Giants rotation in 2009. He pitched in the Opening Day game on April 7 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. However, after coming off a bout of bronchitis in spring training, the Cy Young winner went only three innings. He gave up three runs on four hits and three walks. “He’s human, man,” Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt said. “It’s his first Opening Day. He’s got a lot of adrenaline going through him. He’s a power pitcher. It’s a good experience for him. When he pitches another opener, he’ll have this under his belt.”49

Five days later in San Diego, Lincecum struggled again. “Something’s not clicking and I’m going to figure it out,” he said.50 By his third start, at home against Arizona, he got the click. But the Giants didn’t score a run in the game.51

Fast forward to the All-Star break: Lincecum was again selected for the NL team, with a 10-2 record and 2.33 ERA.52 He was named the starting pitcher and went two innings, allowing two runs (one earned). He closed the 2009 season at 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA. He also led the National League with 261 strikeouts. In November, Lincecum won the National League Cy Young Award again, the first player to do so in consecutive seasons since Randy Johnson won four in a row with the Diamondbacks from 1999-2002.53

The day after accepting the award, Lincecum addressed an off-the-field matter during a news conference. On October 30, he had been charged with a misdemeanor for marijuana possession after he was stopped for speeding near Vancouver, Washington. He apologized to the Giants organization and fans, pledging, “This won’t ever happen again.”54 He paid the $530 fine and the speeding ticket.55 MLB did not impose additional penalties.56 But rather than damaging Lincecum’s reputation, San Francisco heralded the call to “Let Timmy Smoke.”57 He was on his way to becoming one of the most popular figures in Bay Area sports history.58

In February 2010, Lincecum agreed to a two-year, $23 million contract extension with the Giants to avoid arbitration.59 He went on to start the season with five wins. Around town, the days he pitched became holidays and people wished each other a “Happy Timmy Day.” “The vibe around the Giants was different because of Timmy,” Dave Righetti said. “You’re talking about every walk of life — kids, women, little girls, little boys, grown men. They just wanted to watch this guy.”60

Lincecum was selected for the 2010 NL All-Star team, and at the break he had a 9-4 record with a 3.16 ERA. In August, he lost five but came back in September to win five. He ended the season at 16-10, with an ERA of 3.43. For the third straight year, he led the National League in strikeouts with 231. But instead of going home in October, this year was different. The Giants ended their season of “torture”61 by winning the National League West on the very last day. The team known as the “Band of Misfits”62 was in the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

In Game One of the NL Division Series against Atlanta, Lincecum struck out 14. He allowed two hits and walked one in a complete game shutout at home.63 “I don’t think you can say enough about the way he pitched,” teammate Pat Burrell said. “It’s hard to find a more dominating effort than that, considering the situation, playoffs. … He was just on top of it. He threw everything, on any count.”64 The Giants went on to win the series, 3-1. In a live TV interview after the series win, Lincecum dropped his first F-bomb of the postseason,65 sealing his cult status among the Giants faithful.66

In Game One of the NLCS in Philadelphia, Lincecum started against Roy Halladay. He went seven innings and allowed three runs. He picked up the win after the Giants held the 4-3 lead. In Game Five, Lincecum again went seven innings and allowed three runs. But he was tagged with the loss when the Phillies won 4-2. In Game Six, Lincecum came in as a reliever in the top of the eighth after the Giants took the lead. He struck out one and gave up two singles. Brian Wilson was brought in to save the game and close out the series for the Giants.

In Game One of the World Series against the Rangers, Lincecum recorded the win even though he gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings pitched. But Game Five was lights-out Lincecum. He dealt 10 strikeouts in eight innings and gave up only one run, a homer by Nelson Cruz in the seventh inning. He went on to pitch the eighth, then Wilson finished out the game for the save and the World Series win. The Giants celebrated their first championship since moving to San Francisco in 1958. Lincecum also won the Babe Ruth Award for the best performance in the postseason.67

Expectations were high for the Giants ace in 2011, and for the most part he didn’t disappoint. Lincecum struck out 220, tying with Roy Halladay for fourth in the National League. His 2.74 ERA was lower than in the previous season. He also gave up fewer hits and home runs. But his season ended with a record of 13-14. Lincecum had put on weight in the off-season to add strength, which may have hampered him instead. Hitters were also working him deeper in the count, which contributed to his 86 walks, his career high to that point.68 Poor run support, however, also played a factor.69 The Giants scored two runs or fewer in 18 of his outings.70 Still, Lincecum was again selected to the All-Star team and ranked sixth in the Cy Young Award voting.

Lincecum and the Giants entered contract negotiations during the offseason. The Giants reportedly offered five years at $100 million, but Lincecum rejected it for a two-year deal at $40.5 million. This made him the highest-paid player in club history.71 When asked about the short-term contract, Lincecum said, “It’s just easier for me mentally not to have to put that kind of pressure on yourself. Not that you don’t want to succeed, but when you’re signed to a long-term deal, it’s like saying, ‘I’m going to live up to every expectation.’ That’s why I like going year to year, so I can improve on it and not sit on what I’ve done.”72

The 2012 season was a turning point for Lincecum. He’d slimmed back down to his previous 170 pounds, and he fully recovered from a back strain during spring training.73 But his first few games of the season raised questions.74 On Opening Day at Arizona, he gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings. His second start was the shortest of his career to date. He pitched only 2 1/3 innings, giving up six runs. Lincecum ended April with a 2-2 record, but he didn’t log his next win until June 27. The velocity on his fastball was down from the low 90s to the high 80s.75 He also wasn’t as effective with his change-up and he stopped throwing the slider altogether.76 At the All-Star break, his record was 3-10 with a 6.42 ERA.

Theories abounded about what was wrong with Lincecum, including that his “max-effort delivery” and high number of innings pitched were catching up with him.77 Manager Bruce Bochy talked about his loss of confidence78 and commentators called on the Giants to give him a rest.79 Lincecum’s dad stepped in to defend him against the fans and media, whom he said were “crucifying” him.80 For his part, Lincecum kept his focus on the game. “Building consistency,” he said on July 20 after a win. “Two good outings behind me. Now onto the next one and use this as a springboard.”81

There would be more ups and downs to come in the season, but Lincecum recorded three wins in September, contributing to the Giants’ successful run to the playoffs. However, he started only one game in 2012 postseason play, a Game Four loss in the NLCS to St. Louis. But as a reliever in the postseason, his stats were impressive. In 13 innings pitched, he had a 0.69 ERA with 17 strikeouts.82 He gave up just one run, two walks, and three hits. In the World Series against Detroit, Lincecum turned in 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief work, with zero hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. The Giants swept the Tigers in four games for their second World Series title in three years.

“I think just being able to contribute is the biggest thing for me,” Lincecum said. “I know this season I didn’t do exactly what I wanted to do. So to go out there and just be able to do something for the team, whether that’s for two innings or an inning or four innings, that’s really my goal.”83

When Lincecum reported for spring training in 2013, his hair was cut short and he wore dark-rimmed glasses (non-prescription).84 But his spring training ERA was 10.57,85 and when the season started, he was moved to third in the pitching rotation.86 For the season, Lincecum had a 4.37 ERA. He had 193 strikeouts, three more than in 2012, but considerably diminished from his Cy Young years’ totals. One highlight of the 2013 season, though, was his no-hitter in San Diego on July 13.87 He struck out 13, walked four, and threw an astonishing 148 pitches. The pitch count was a career high for Lincecum (his previous was 138), and one shy of Edwin Jackson’s 149-pitch no-hitter for the Diamondbacks in 2010.88 When asked about leaving Lincecum in to finish the game, manager Bruce Bochy said, “He wouldn’t have talked to me the rest of the year if I’d have taken him out.”89

In 2013, the Giants had a down year and ended the season with a record of 76-86, tying for third place with San Diego in the division.90 But Lincecum had another highlight still to come. Instead of becoming a free agent, he signed a two-year, $35 million contract with the Giants in October. Baseball pundits asked why the team would overpay a 29-year-old on the decline.91 Sportswriter Tim Kawakami provided an answer. “The Giants love to pay their stars, their stars draw fans, their fans fill AT&T Park — even when the Giants aren’t putting together logical rosters — and that’s how the Giants have the cash to over-pay their stars.”92

At the start of the 2014 season, Lincecum showed the same erratic pattern of the year before. But by the end of May he brought his ERA down to 4.18. On June 25, he pitched his second no-hitter in as many seasons against San Diego, this time at home. He threw 113 pitches (vs. 148 in 2013), with one walk and six strikeouts. Lincecum also got two hits in the 4-0 win.93 However, by the end of July the wheels came off. His ERA in six games from July 25 to August 23 soared to 9.49. He was replaced in the rotation and spent the rest of the season in the bullpen.94

When Giants advanced to the playoffs, Lincecum did not play in the NLDS or NLCS.95 Finally, in Game Two of the World Series against the Royals, he entered in the top of the seventh and retired five batters. He left the game because of lower back stiffness96 and did not pitch again in the series. In a seven-game thriller, San Francisco won its third World Series in five years. Lincecum joined Sandy Koufax and Justin Verlander with multiple Cy Youngs, multiple no-hitters, and multiple World Series championships.

During the offseason, Lincecum returned home to Seattle and to his first pitching coach, his dad.97 Chris Lincecum developed a program to help his son get his mechanics back in sync. The father and son also reconnected on a personal level. Lincecum came back in 2015 to start the season strong; by the end of May he was 5-3 with an ERA of 3.00. But in the second inning of a June 27 game against the Rockies, he was hit on his pitching elbow by a line drive. While he was on the disabled list, he was diagnosed with a degenerative condition in both hips.98 He was out for the rest of the season and had arthroscopic hip surgery in September.99 He became a free agent in the offseason. He did not pitch for San Francisco again.100

Still unsigned at the beginning of the 2016 season, Lincecum held a workout in May for interested teams.101 Afterward, he agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He started with their Triple-A club on a rehab assignment, then was called up to the majors on June 18 to start against Oakland. He won that game, stayed in the rotation, but didn’t get another win until July 19. Then he logged three consecutive losses and was sent back down in August.102 He did not rejoin the team when the roster expanded in September.103

Lincecum became a free agent again but did not play in the 2017 season. He added muscle to his physique and held a by-invitation workout in February 2018.104 The 34-year-old signed with the Rangers as a relief pitcher,105 but finalizing the deal was delayed106 because of the death of his brother, Sean, at the age of 37.107 After Lincecum signed, he chose to wear number 44 in honor of his late brother.108 He started the season on the disabled list with blister issues. He rehabbed in the minors, and after pitching in 10 games, he had a 5.68 ERA. Lincecum was released from the Rangers minor-league system on June 5, 2018. He did not pitch professionally again.

Since then, Lincecum has rarely made public appearances. He made an exception to attend Bruce Bochy’s retirement ceremony in 2019. He received long cheers from Giants fans and warm welcomes from his former teammates and manager. “Timmy’s somebody that’s really close to my heart and for him to come down here, that’s a pretty big deal for me,” Bochy said.109

After the event Lincecum talked about his transition from baseball. “I think the hardest part was coming to grips with who I was after baseball, and I haven’t even done it fully yet. I haven’t formally retired. I’m not sure if I’m going to or not. So, with that, I’m just trying to find my way, going through a little bit of family stuff a few years ago, so that put a perspective on things. Yeah, I’m just trying to find my way.”110

Lincecum’s wife, Cristin Coleman, passed away from cancer in 2022 at the age of 38. She was an elementary school principal in the San Francisco Bay Area. The long-time couple had recently married and did not have any children. The Giants organization said in a statement, “She was beloved by the Giants family and her caring and genuine spirit touched those of us who were fortunate enough to know her during her and Timmy’s years with us.”111

Lincecum was included in the 2022 Hall of Fame voting, but he didn’t meet the 5% required percentage to be considered on future ballots.112 Still, for a brief shining moment, Tim Lincecum was one of the best in the game, and he was one of us. Larry Baer, Giants CEO, said, “When it was Timmy Day, it wasn’t just that he was good. It was like a lot of the fans felt their son was pitching. ‘Here’s our kid going out there.’ He was embraced in that way — your son’s Little League game. You really felt invested, emotionally, in his performance.”113

Former major-leaguer and long-time Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper remembers Lincecum this way. “It was a little guy taking on the world. Everybody likes that.”114

Last revised: May 18, 2023

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and Brian P. Wood and fact-checked by Ray Danner.

Sources

In addition to the sources shown in the Notes, the author used Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes

1 Nick Selbe, “Tim Lincecum’s Greatness Wasn’t Built to Last,” Sports Illustrated, January 7, 2022. https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/01/07/tim-lincecum-hall-of-fame. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

2 Emil Guillermo, “Where’s Mom? New York Times Magazine tries to get to the heart of Tim Lincecum with no mention of his proud Filipino heritage from his mother’s side,” Amok.com, March 13, 2011, https://www.amok.com/blog/wheres-mom-new-york-times-magazine-tries-to-get-to-the-heart-of-tim-lincecum-with-no-mention-of-his-proud-filipino-heritage-from-his-mom/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

3 Tom Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant,” SI Vault, July 7, 2008, https://vault.si.com/vault/2008/07/07/how-tiny-tim-became-a-pitching-giant. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

4 Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant.”

5 Andrew Baggarly, “Boeing worker’s Giant invention,” East Bay Times, August 17, 2016, https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2007/05/25/boeing-workers-giant-invention/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

6 Ron Kroichick, “Pitcher perfect, just as planned,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 6, 2008, https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Pitcher-perfect-just-as-planned-3206295.php. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

7 Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant.”

8 Kroichick, “Pitcher perfect, just as planned.”

9 Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant.”

10 “Player Bio: Tim Lincecum,” University of Washington Official Athletic Site, https://gohuskies.com/sports/2013/4/18/208217813.aspx. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

11 Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant.”

12 Matt Antonelli, “Tim Lincecum Pitching Mechanics,” YouTube, Apr 8, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ONguuD-rbs. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

13 Allen St. John, “The Physics of The Freak,” Popular Mechanics, October 27, 2010, https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/sports/a6294/the-physics-of-the-freak/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

14 “Tim Lincecum Pitching Mechanics in Slow Motion,” YouTube, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnPFSDTU_ng. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

15 Ben Shpigel, “Giants Look to 2 Intriguing Pitchers,” The New York Times, May 28, 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/sports/baseball/28cnd-pitcher.html. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

16 Antonelli, “Tim Lincecum Pitching Mechanics.”

17 “Lincecum talks mechanics,” YouTube, Mar 1, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9h1KTRzF4w. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

18 Shpigel, “Giants Look to 2 Intriguing Pitchers.”

19 Nathaniel Stoltz, “Here’s a Thought: Tim Lincecum’s Killer Changeup,” Bleacher Report, July 26, 2009, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/224703-heres-a-thought-tim-lincecums-killer-change. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

20 Kroichick, “Pitcher perfect, just as planned.”

21 Jordan Bastian, “‘The Freak’ an Indian? It could’ve happened,” MLB.com, May 21, 2018, https://www.mlb.com/news/indians-drafted-but-didn-t-sign-tim-lincecum-c277650684. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

22 Jacob Elsey, “What Happened to Tim Lincecum? Here’s A Look Back at The Career of The Star Pitcher,” brobible.com, January 18, 2022, https://brobible.com/sports/article/what-happened-to-tim-lincecum/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

23 Jay Jurisich, “Nicknames and slang of the San Francisco Giants,” October 24. 2012, https://www.zinzin.com/observations/2012/nicknames-and-slang-of-the-san-francisco-giants/. (Date accessed February 6, 2023.)

24 “Tim Lincecum Biographical Data,” Baseball Almanac, https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/awards.php?p=linceti01. (Date accessed February 6, 2023.)

25 “Giants’ Tim Lincecum wins NL Cy Young Award,” The New York Times, November 11, 2008, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/sports/11iht-basecy11.17726315.html. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

26 Jim Caple, “Tim Lincecum’s ins and outs of training,” ESPN.com, March 17, 2011, https://www.espn.com/mlb/spring2011/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=6227150. (Date accessed December 26, 2022.)

27 Larry Brown, “Tim Lincecum adds wispy mustache to his facial hair repertoire,” Larry Brown Sports, February 24, 2014, https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/tim-lincecum-wispy-mustache-facial-hair/220718. (Date accessed February 6, 2023.)

28 “USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award,” http://mlb.mlb.com/usa_baseball/article.jsp?story=goldenspikes_yearly. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

29 St. John, “The Physics of The Freak.”

30 Verducci, “How Tiny Tim became a pitching giant.”

31 John Shea, “GIANTS NOTEBOOK / No. 1 draft pick gets $2.025 million bonus,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 2006, https://www.sfgate.com/sports/shea/article/GIANTS-NOTEBOOK-No-1-draft-pick-gets-2-025-2493700.php. (Date accessed December 28, 2022.)

32 “MLB Prospect Rankings, 2007 Baseball America,” The Baseball Cube, https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/prospects_mlb/2007~BA/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

33 “Howard hits one of two homers off Lincecum in Phillies’ win,” ESPN.com, May 7, 2007, https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/270506126. (Date accessed December 66, 2022.)

34 “Lincecum beats out Webb, is Giants’ second Cy Young winner,” ESPN.com, November 11, 2008. https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3696269. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

35 Chris Haft, “Cain reflects 10 years after Lincecum’s debut,” MLB.com, May 6, 2017, https://www.mlb.com/news/10-year-anniversary-of-tim-lincecum-s-debut-c228667540. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

36 Haft, “Cain reflects 10 years after Lincecum’s debut.”

37 Janie McCauley, “MLB | Lincecum rocked in debut for Giants,” The Seattle Times, May 16, 2007, https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mlb-lincecum-rocked-in-debut-for-giants/. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

38 “Howard hits one of two homers off Lincecum in Phillies’ win,” ESPN.com.

39 “Howard hits one of two homers off Lincecum in Phillies’ win,” ESPN.com.

40 Henry Schulman, “In Lowry, Giants are looking out for No. 3,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 16, 2008, https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/In-Lowry-Giants-are-looking-out-for-No-3-3294692.php. (Date accessed December 6, 2022.)

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101 Chris Cole, “Tim Lincecum pleased with audition, wants starting role,” AZCentral, May 6, 2016, https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2016/05/06/tim-lincecum-pleased-audition-wants-starting-role/84048692/. (Date accessed December 14, 2022.)

102 Pedro Moura, “Angels put an end to the Tim Lincecum experiment,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2016, https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-mariners-20160806-snap-story.html. (Date accessed December 14, 2022.)

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108 Jeff Passan, “Tim Lincecum is back pitching for his late brother — and for himself,” Yahoo! Sports, March 6, 2018, https://sports.yahoo.com/tim-lincecum-back-pitching-late-brother-015634279.html. (Date accessed December 27, 2022.)

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111 Annie Vainshtein, “Cristin Coleman, wife of ex-Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum, dies at 38,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 11, 2022, https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Former-Giants-pitcher-Tim-Lincecum-s-wife-17368394.php. (Date accessed December 14, 2022.)

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114 Brown, “Where have you gone, Tim Lincecum?”