Laurila: Q&A with Tim Lincecum on his hip, curveball, and a comeback
From SABR member David Laurila at FanGraphs on July 6, 2016:
Tim Lincecum used to be freakishly good. He no longer is. Hampered by hip woes, the 32-year-old right-hander went from winning Cy Young awards and tossing no-hitters to the precipice of pitching oblivion. His velocity down and his ERA up, he succumbed to surgery last September.
He’s on the comeback trail, but not with the team he helped win three World Series. The former Giant signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in May, and debuted with his new club in mid-June. His performances have been underwhelming. In four starts, the once-overpowering righty has allowed 29 hits in 18 innings. His fastball is averaging a pedestrian 89 mph.
The extent to which Lincecum can return to his old form remains to be seen. His surgically-repaired hip appears to be holding up, and his damaged psyche is healing as well. He’ll likely never be an elite power pitcher again — or a power pitcher at all — but he feels he can be a productive starter. Only time will tell.
Lincecum talked about his early development as a pitcher, and his career going forward, prior to a recent game at Fenway Park.
Read the full article here: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/tim-lincecum-on-his-hip-curveball-and-a-comeback/
Originally published: July 6, 2016. Last Updated: July 6, 2016.