Despite Struggles, Tim Lincecum’s Legacy in San Francisco Already Set

By Sean Bialaszek | Apr 2, 2015

As Tim Lincecum prepares for the 2015 season, the San Francisco Giants have made it official that he will be back in the starting rotation. His spot in the rotation has been rocky, to say the least, for the past three years, but with renewed focus, and a reunion with his old pitching coach, his father, Lincecum looks to get back on track again.

But no matter how 2015 goes for “The Freak”, his legacy with the Giants is already written. When Lincecum was recalled to the big leagues for the first time in 2007, he took a struggling franchise and put it on his back, carrying the weight of an entire fan base on his 170-pound (soaking wet) frame.

Lincecum, and his many nicknames, became the face of a franchise in dire need for one after the Barry Bonds‘ era. He was “The Freak”, “The Franchise”, and as he was dubbed in a fantastic “This Is SportsCenter” commercial, “Big Time Timmy Jim”.

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In his first two full major league seasons, Lincecum was the most dominant, exciting pitcher in baseball, striking out everyone in his path, and doing it with a flair all his own.

He won back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009, striking out more batters than any other pitcher in baseball in the same time frame. Lincecum totaled 526 strikeouts over those two years. The next closest pitcher was Javier Vazquez, with just 438.

Despite the greatness of Lincecum over that span, the Giants were unable to make their way into the postseason. They hadn’t played games under the bright lights of October since 2003, when they were eliminated in the National League Division Series by the Florida Marlins, the eventual World Series champions. San Francisco won 100 games that season.

The bad taste from the 2002 World Series still lingered in the taste of Giants’ fans’ mouths. The team hadn’t won a postseason series since that heartbreaking defeat in game seven to the Los Angeles Angels.

But in 2010, that changed. Lincecum, with this partner in crime Matt Cain, and the new additions of Aubrey Huff, Buster Posey, and Madison Bumgarner, led the Giants to a 92-70 record, winning the National League West crown in the process.

Lineceum took the ball in game one of the NLDS, the Giants’ first postseason game in seven years, against the Atlanta Braves. In typical Freak fashion, he dazzled, and completely stifled the Braves’ offense. Lincecum threw a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits, one walk, and striking out 14 batters, a Giants’ postseason record. He out-dueled Derek Lowe and the Braves’ high-powered bullpen, winning the 1-0 contest.

Riding the wave of momentum, the Giants won the series, advancing to the Championship Series to face the powerhouse Philadelphia Phillies. In game one, Lincecum faced off against Roy Halladay, who was considered the best pitcher in the game at the time, and who threw a no-hitter in his first career postseason game earlier that October.

Sep 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) and relief pitcher Tim Lincecum (55) celebrate after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. San Francisco won 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Lincecum and Halladay battled, but Timmy came away the victor, throwing seven innings of three-run ball, while Halladay gave up four. Suddenly, the powerhouse was running low on juice, as San Francisco’s momentum looked to be too much.

Lincecum started game five, but lost the 2-1 decision. That didn’t deter him, as he came from the bullpen in game six, on just one day’s rest, and although he gave up two hits, he got one out, the one out he needed to preserve the 3-2 lead that would eventually be the final score to decide the series.

The heavy favorites were eliminated, and the Giants’ Cinderella run, led by the Cinderella pitcher, continued. Lincecum started game one and game five of the World Series against the Texas Rangers, winning the first and last game of the series, bringing the Commissioner’s Trophy to San Francisco for the very first time.

Lincecum became a folk hero to the fans, and that hasn’t changed. Even as his dominance has left him, his fans and supporters have not. He remains one of the most beloved Giants in recent history. Happy Lincecum Day, on days where he takes the mound, is still like a national holiday to Timmy’s fans.

Lincecum has done everything right. He’s taken his demotions in stride. When he was pulled from the postseason rotation in 2012, he uttered not a single complaint. When he was demoted to the bullpen late in the 2014 season, not an ugly word was said by Lincecum. When he pitched just once throughout the 2014 playoffs, he went with it.

2015 doesn’t need to see Lincecum revert back to his Cy Young form. With tapered expectations, a more solid and consistent Lincecum can be a good thing. Lincecum is now considered the fifth starter, and the expectations should match that.

After 2015, Lincecum becomes a free agent, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be back in the orange and black.

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If he doesn’t return, his legacy isn’t built from 2012-onward. His legacy was cemented in his first five seasons, when his long, flowing hair, wild delivery, and untouchable presence on the mound took the league by storm, and led the Giants away from the dark times and into the promised land.

When the Giants retire Lincecum’s number 55 at some point down the road, no one’s speech will focus on the struggles and the downfall. They’ll talk about the good times on the mound, and the happy, joyful presence in the clubhouse and the dugout. They’ll talk about the 56-year championship drought that Lincecum was the driving force in ending.

No matter how 2015 – and beyond – goes, Lincecum’s legacy in San Francisco is already set. He’ll forever be “The Freak”. He’ll forever be “The Franchise”. He’ll forever be “Big Time Timmy Jim”. And he’ll forever be loved.

Next: Matt Duffy Awarded for Incredible Spring Training

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