Bay Area Buzz 4/4: Good Morning Folks

Good morning, Bay Area. Here are some stories for you to ponder upon on this Thursday morning:

Apr 3, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starter Tim Lincecum (55) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

‘The Freak’ Might Be Gone but Tim Lincecum’s Stuff is Good Enough to Keep Dodgers Humble

"I wonder what it’s like to squat beneath the burden of two Cy Young Awards and a roaring fastball and haul them all out to the mound, when the Cy Youngs are four seasons back and the fastball, at 28 years old, ain’t what she used to be. It’s seemed for a while now that Lincecum has been stuck between chasing velocity and learning to pitch without that ultimate escape pitch. Some nights it works and other nights word comes you’re simply not good enough for a postseason start, and Lincecum just keeps battling.– Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports"

San Jose Sharks Link to the Past with Trades for Scott Hannan, Raffi Torres

"Wilson is taking a risk giving up a third-round pick (acquired from the New York Rangers in the Clowe trade) for a guy with a suspension history and with whom there was bad blood from the playoffs for three players (Hannan, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau). No doubt the Sharks will put the past with him behind them, but initial reaction from fans has been negative and it does not take open animosity to disrupt the chemistry of a team in a five-game winning streak.– MJ Kasprzak, Examiner.com"

Andrew Bogut Peaking at Right Time for Golden State Warriors

"Bogut is often noted for his low-post defense and shot blocking, but his offensive repertoire has greatly benefited the likes of David Lee and Stephen Curry. With Bogut’s passing and ability to score under the basket, teams have to respect his skill set. Depending on how the opposition defends him, he can either use his soft touch in the paint or kick the ball out to a wide open shooter if he gets double-teamed. He brings another dimension to the offense which gives them a more balanced, well-rounded attack.– Travis Chan, Rant Sports"

Brownie Points: Surviving the Silver and Black

"Now, thanks to the new general manager, Reggie McKenzie, and a head coach who is ready to embrace the change in Dennis Allen, the Raiders have shipped out half of last year’s team to bring in a quarterback who has started twice in his career. In those two starts, Flynn won half of his games and threw for nine touchdowns and two interceptions. In other words, he turns an NFL game into a session of Madden against a 10-year old.– Nick Brown, Gonzaga Bulletin"