29 July, 2005

Tim Lincecum

Tim Lincecum has been successful in his new role as closer for the Harwich Mariners, but he was brilliant as a starter as well.

He just didn't get many wins. Lincecum started three games and was 0-2 despite a glittering 0.76 ERA.Coach Steve Englert shifted the University of Washington right-hander to late relief and it's paid off.

Lincecum is still just 1-2 but he has five saves, a 0.79 ERA and has whiffed an amazing 58 batters in just 34 innings. He sports a wicked diving curveball and a sharp fastball.

"A lot of it up here is the wood bats," Lincecum said. "That's definitely an advantage. The hitters get a little more aggressive with wood bats and swing at more pitches and that helps keep the pitch count down. The (strike) zone is a little more liberal."

He's given up just 14 hits while walking 10. His curveball, which can plunge into the dirt, can be hard to handle but he gets the batters fishing for it.

"Everything clicked when I got down here," he said. "The ability to throw strikes and get ahead of the batter. My curveball is my best pitch. I've been throwing the high fastball and then the curveball off the same spot. I'm working on a split finger and I've been using a change-up."

Lincecum was hit by a line drive during Harwich's loss to Brewster early in the summer but bounced back quickly.

"I'm having a great time," he declared. "All the guys are great. The team has got good chemistry. I love my host family (the Sawins). They're a great family to live with. It's more laid back here than in college. My goal for the summer? Everybody wants a good ERA."

He's got one. The best in the League in fact, among pitchers with 28 innings of work.

"I like the East Coast," he reflected. "It's similar to Washington. I live on the water in Puget Sound (in Renton, Wash.). It's a lot more humid here than Washington, and there are a lot more bugs."

Lincecum believes Harwich has plenty of talent.

"The key I think is not holding back in games. We've scored some runs in the beginning but we have to not let up, we have to be at the team and put them in a submission hold," he said. "We have a lot of guys from different teams but the chemistry is good. I have a lot of confidence in all our players."