Is it All in Tim’s Head?
He hasn’t won a game since April 28th. The K’s are there: 72 in 66.1 innings. Some people think it’s a velocity issue. Maybe. But take a look at his average FB since 2007:
(this is an inaccurate chart in terms of pitch type %)
This year his FB is averaging 90.2 mph. In 2010, by all accounts a fantastic year that ended with him celebrating a World Series win, his FB averaged 91.3 mph–a whopping 1.1 mph difference. I’m telling you, this is not a velocity issue……
I have said for quite some time now that I believe this to be a *headcase issue*. He’s looked unsure and beaten on the mound since Day 1 of this season. All his starts are weighed down by a tightness that everyone in the ballpark is feeling–I’ve likened it to a tightness that we used to feel during a Zito start (pre-2012).
Once he gets his blow up inning out of the way, he’s usually ok. In fact, his last start was a perfect example of that. He was brilliant against San Diego after they dropped 4 in him in the 2nd inning. To me, that’s another example of how the pressure to get back to being the *old Timmy* is too much for him to handle right now. He takes the mound hoping to recapture his glory and he can’t settle down until he blows up an inning. After that, in a weird way, the pressure is off a little bit. The game is lost (or out of reach) and now he can just pitch *mad*. That seems to work, I wish he’d take the mound angry today……
This is a great test today. No offense in baseball will get into a pitcher’s head more than the Rangers. They are on their way to destroying the run differential season record. But they can be beaten, as Voggy showed yesterday. Heck, the woeful A’s took care of them earlier in the week.
But Jerod Parker and Ryan Vogelsong didn’t have to take the hill with the weight of an entire fan base expecting, or hoping, to see a return to past glory. Because of his track record, he takes an added pressure to the mound that other pitchers don’t take with them. And as April 28th gets farther and farther away and the blow up inning becomes impossible to avoid, there is a specific reality that becomes impossible to ignore: In 2012, Tim Lincecum is the worst starting pitcher we have. And it’s really not even close……..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Especially for you fantasy lunatics, this was in yesterday’s NY Post pertaining to Timmy. There’s also some insane new statistic you guys can obsess on…
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/stupor_freak_rjjmMI9ocgmJrrVoUGusDO
Freaky Flappers can freak about the Freak today!
Where’s Willie D?
Get up Willie!
nip, make sure your body gets enough rest. The other day I saw you made a post at 4:48 AM from here on the left coast, kind of scary.
Willie can tell time!
I remember reading a comment from Vogs in the Chron after his last great start, about not wanting to be the guy to fuck up after the 3 other guys before him had made great starts—in other words, zito cain and bum….not 4 guys, he specifically said 3.
It’s a velocity issue when he’s not throwing the ball where he wants to. Looking at the entirety of 2010 is not instructive- look at when he struggled as he is now. He’s averaging 4.7 BB per 9 innings now. In 2010 for the whole year it was 3.2. But in May and September, when he pitched poorly, he averaged over 4.5, as now. He had the K’s even in his terrible August. Is walking guys and not throwing the ball where he wants to a “headcase”thing? No evidence of that. But it’s simply untrue that velocity is not an issue- he pitches well when he’s throwing strikes and locating that 91 properly- poorly when he doesn’t. Hitters sneer at 91 in “the zone”. His losing it when things go bad *is* a head issue (not “headcase”), he just hasn’t been the buck up competitor we have seen. But I’ve seen signs in the last two starts that the old Timmy is returning, the 4 innings of his start against the Padres was the best he’s pitched all year- and he actually ran out a ground ball, to boot. Let’s see if the sight of the Ranger pussies who submitted meekly in Game 5 invigorates him even more. BTW, I’ll take Tim in a “must win” game over Zits any old day. MadBum, Cain, Vogelsong? Flip a coin, they’re all “ones”..as Tim will be again.
All of this is obviously my opinion, as are all theories on his troubles this year. There is not a definitive answer.
Our expectations of Timmy make the one poor inning per game that much more painful. Zito we expect him to fail and are surprised when he doesn’t.
When your 2 time CY Young Winner is your worse pitcher of the Starters..I actually feel pretty good about that.Timmeh is real close and still blowing hitters away,not worried about him at all.Tim wins today and the Giants continue taking series’s 2 out of 3 always works for me.
It seems to me that this sort of relates to his not wanting the big contract. i think he said he didn’t want the big contract because he didn’t want to feel the pressure. but i sort of got the sense that he was already feeling the pressure and really didn’t want any more. so maybe this thing has been building for awhile. maybe thinking about the big contract got him thinking about his legacy/history which got him doubting his ability to continue doing it. Obviously what he did for the last few years was incredible and anyone with two brain cells to rub together (which eliminates me and some of the rest of you!) could fall into the trap of wondering “how the hell did i just do that?”. I know my golf game suffers when i start out doing well but recovers when i achieve the zen of giving up.
After years of donating golf balls to Phaunos, I became a convert to the notion that golf is a good walk spoiled..
I tried to get on Jon Dowd’s Revenge but couldn’t. WordPress sucks. Anyway its turned out to be a six to eight person blog. Very exclusive indeed!
Don’t feel bad about being excluded. Like Groucho used to say, “I would not join any club that would have someone like me for a member.”
I keep thinking of the 0-5 Aug. ’10 record and how he turned it around for the final drive. So, he knows he has the ability to turn it around; and what isn’t a better time but in front of a loyal crowd, a more offensive team and an opponent that he dominated.
If it’s the one inning familiar collapse that appears and he overcomes again, I’m betting the team will back him up with some firepower to boost his confidence…. You know LA is watching….
Blanco LF, Theriot 2B, Sandoval 3B, Posey C, Pagan CF, Belt 1B, Schierholtz RF, Crawford SS, (Lincecum P
Arias sitting, eh? We’ll see how long that lasts. He should be playing for Crawford.
i don’t understand the fascination with Arias. his and crawford’s obp and slugging % are nearly identical. Arias is hitting 13 points higher (whoppee). He started out really well but since has not done much at all. I don’t see any advantage in starting Arias over crawford at this point, at least offensively. Now if crawford keeps booting the ball . . .
Can’t wait for the batting order debate when Melky returns now that Panda’s back.
—
BTW, what is going on with the incident between Sandoval and the chick?
No updates. The case is ” still being investigated”
Thanks, Ted…I wonder if K & K are forbidden to mention it.
It seems everyone on the Giants *and* the KNBR payrolls are forbidden to mention it. Even when a caller brings it up they get pretty much cut off
Here’s what I think *they* will do:
Blanco
Theriot
Melky
Posey
Pablo
Pagan
Belt
Crawford
Check out “Franks and Beans” on the foodie page…. and all the other great posts.
I’m hungry!
Hopefully that his bad inning.
-was-
Oh a piece of cake first inning. (GRIN)
5 pitches for the first 2 outs, 25 for the last one . . .
Huzzah! A quick one while he’s away . . .
Oh shit. Wheels are poised to fall off . . .
Huh. Ogando hurt beating out a bunt.
That’s gotta be on Sandoval for breaking back to 3rd.
And there it goes.
WTF was that? Pablo broke back thinking Timmy was getting the ball. Wrong! Now Ogonda got hurt running out the play. I hate when anyone gets rewarded for stupid shit.
Kinsler just took care of that.
This just in: Timmy still sucks. Go Zito!
It was Tim’s ball, Pablo correctly broke back for a throw to third..
They’re not IW Hamilton? Good luck with that shit.
At least we got Ogando out of the gm. I don’t know why this dude isn’t starting regularly. Every time I watch him pitch he’s lights out
*We* didn’t get Ogando out of anything. Credit that to Blind Luck (by Pollard’s Vision out of Lucky One).
They only got 2, could’ve been worse. Time to start rakin’ this Texas ‘pen.
No hit? Are you kidding me?
Hold on unca, we’ll talk about it when we’re up in the fifth.
87 MPH fasstball.
Hey Chuck, this guy for Texas is throwing a NO HITTER. Can you believe it? No hits, no runs nothing.
Hey, Seattle just used 6 Ps to no-hit the Bums the other night. Maybe the Rangers are trying to one-up them.
Bozo, it’s never too early to try and break the no-no with a commentary jinx.
Chuck, what’s up with this giy throwing a no no?
guy not giy
Well, there goes the perfect game. Now, about that NO-HIT shit…
Dennis – next at bat we need to discuss this no hit thing, don’t you think?
Timmy’ fastball, when he’s going bad, is ALWAYS in or up or both to righties/
Interestingleaving timy in here. He’ll walk, likely
Almost all his fastballs are 88 or so now.
Or that. Fuck. Timmy needs to skppa turn.
5-nil. Maybe I’ll go read the food stories.
He’s lost out there.
I’ve seen enough of Pablo’s shitty D at 3B today. Although not technically credited with an E, he’s cost us a few outs, and now a few runs as Josh Hamilton just delivers.
We have a fat fuck at third and a POS as our “Ace.” Good luck.
Short attention span theatre strikes again . . .
We can’t play the Cubs and Padres everyday.
But you sure can whine every day . . .
Was listening on the radio. Have now turned it off. Bye-bye, girls.
Hey DMD – This guy Ross for Texas is tossing a no hitter. That’s right, no hit, no runs. Can you believe it?
Agree with you Chuck. They’ve skipped Cain, Dirrty, and Zito at one time or another for one start to get it together. He’s totally F’d up with his mechanics, particularly in the stretch. Bochy continues the same pattern of letting him go one batter too long when he’s totally lost it, so that the game is lost with that last killer hit, like Hamilton just hit. They should pull him out for a skip start ASAP, get his head together. One inning he strikes out the side, the next he can’t find the plate. That’s not a physical problem….
I can’t believe this no-hitter shit.
Hey!
Huff. Most unlkely guy to break u the no-hitter
Hey chuck, this guy Ross has a one hit shut out going. Can you believe that?
Uh. Wow. No explanation for that.
Other than, What the bloody fuck was that?
So much for the excitement over the 1st hit.
That last play was perfectly fitting. No Fournou’s Ovens or Fleur de Lys for these assholes tonight.
Time to mow the lawn.
And by that euphemism we all know that you actually intend to hop on the John Deere and cut the grass.
Because we also all know that there’s no way in hell you’re getting any pussy tonight.
BTW, changing in Panda for Arias at 3rd clearly has damaged the infield defense. In the dirt throws today and juggling fielding. If he handled that last grounder at third, that’s a DP and they get out of the inning. For these upcoming AL games in the AL parks, they should consider for some games Panda as DH and get Arias back at 3b…
Pablo is a DH. Only in NL is he considered a position player.
He was a finalist for the GG last year. Stick to your gibberish.
Let’s hope you have to get used to it, since an Arias/Crawford/Theriot/Pablo infield is far worse overall than the current one.
For AL park games, Pablo can DH while he works to cut down the gut. His defense looks totally shaky, which is what we’ve seen before when he’s carrying the extra tire around…
We’re bound to hear some nonsense that Tim should have been removed but he has to be able to make a pitch to get out of a tough inning. He’s not getting out of his habit of giving the killing hit if he is removed in those situations.
When he’s done, he’s done. We’ve seen it. It’s not pretty. Hoping he’s going to find it against Hamilton when he’s clearly losing isn’t a smart move. Bochy needs to manage reality, not hope…
Wrongo. He’s doing the same thing in the first inning- you want him pulled then? Suddenly we have you people who want him treated like Barry Frigging Zito. You don’t pull him there- you start figuring out who makes his next start if he can’t compete in a tough situation..
It’s time to start working on that tan.
WTF was Huff thinking — running off 2nd on a come backer to the pitcher? With nobody out and down 5 runs? They should just DFA his ass — he seems totally out to lunch…
Without Melky in the LU, this offense is really challenged, regardless of Panda in or out. That hamstring better get well quick. Adios Flappers, have a good weekend…
What the fuck is up with you guys? This game ain’t over, we are going to come back and win this thing. You all can go out and marvel at your lawns but when you read about it tomorrow, don’t come back and ask what happened.
not that it matters much, but blanco f-d that up too. No way he was going to get 2b if there wasn’t any throw back across to 3b….he waited too long once huff was getting tagged out and never actually touched 1b.
Kinda like when djloux is in there, when amy gets airtime every 5 minutes, you know the games f-ed up.
I absolutely 100% guarantee that if Bochy pulls Tim and Affeldt gives up the hit, the exact same people who wanted Tim pulled are having shit fits because Bonehead didn’t give his two time CY face of the franchise a chance to get out of it.
See below
Another example of *ABL*— he sucks, there is something majorly mentally wrong with this guy, and he needs to figure it out somewhere other than a mound in San Francisco. I don’t care if it’s in the minor leagues or if he flies home to Daddy, but this guy can’t pitch consistently enough to make it through a game for us. He can’t do it. Any of you guys that believe in him right now are in a dream world…….
I agree-he should not make his next start and go from there. Different issue though- it’s only by giving him a chance to make the tough pitch that they can see if he can do it. Anyway, I’m well ahead of all on the problems with Tim so maybe it can be discussed with the people who thought he walked on water..
I’m sure glad the Giants kept Burriss on the active roster. What an asset he is.
good morning
good afternoon
and goodbye.
Nate just got the type of hit that Belt used to be able to get……
Denny, how’s that Zito/Timmy ERA competition going? Thirteen percenters still winning?
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There might be, but I doubt it, anyone more delusional than one who believes Zito is Baaaacccck.. If Bochy started Zits in a big game over even Shane Loux, let alone Lincecum, the other team could only lose if they got hurt falling down laughing..
Two shutouts in three days by the Rangers, I thought that only happened in the NHL.
How many times does Zito have to revert to form before some folks figure out he’ll do it again? I hope you guys don’t have major money on this- I used to, but no longer have, the bucks to cover your mortgages. Or “room”, in Denny’s case.
It’s no longer *Will Zito or won’t Zito Revert?*— Now it’s *who will have the lower end of year ERA, Tim or Zito?*
I stand strong with the other, enlightened, Thirteen Percenters……..
Yeah, you and the enlightened puddinghead. Did you even understand the post- out of concern for you, I hoped you didn’t put money on the ERA vote.
look man, I don’t think you should be calling anyone out on their *predictions*: Zito, Pagan, Torres, Dirrrrrty, Belt, Huff, Pill (remember the *half day you spent defending him?*), Culberson, Arias, Crawford, Burriss, and Casilla. You whiffed on pretty every one of them.
And you’re going to whiff on the Zito/Timmy ERA thing, too……..
As always you’ve misrepresented what I’ve said-on each and and every player. But I’m not going to argue it. You’ve been quite out of sorts, even starting a thread with something about players gagging on cum.
OK we lost, chuck’s lawn is mowed and now I’ll concede the game is over.
Chuck needs it trimmed! He always forgets.
not a good day for wisco in baseballville. boys lost their game. giants lost their game. fortunately snodfart is about to start.
I think Pablo’s play, or lack thereof, at 3B today should not go unnoticed. It was underwhelming to say the least.
Now, I’m not advocating a move to 1B, but I am throwing up a red flag. Pablo’s my favorite everyday Giant. I want to see him do well. Even more, I expect him to do well. Don’t let me down, Pablo.
the 2 I saw him miss were pretty hard hit. I didn’t see the whole game but I wouldn’t call him out for the 2 balls I saw get past him……..
Flav, it wasn’t so much the hard hit balls that got by the Panda. It was the ones he either fielded and/or bobbled and then threw into the ground at 2B that cost us the *chance* at a double play(s). the one prior to Hamilton’s late AB was the killer. We shoulda been outta the inning.
Twin, you still believe Timmy will end the season with an ERA lower than Zito’s?
OK, fine. Here’s the wager: If you and the Haircut Boy are victorious, I’ll buy you Beef Wellington at Fleur de Lys. If the Son of the Devil and I come out on top, you do you best impersonation of Hubert Keller and cook the Beef Wellington yourself for me.
Deal?
No deal. Nothing personal, but I don’t date bloggers. 100 bucks. Paypal.
Look at you assuming that my offer (should I lose, which I wouldn’t) to buy you Beef Wellington at Fleur de Lys would even include my presence. Don’t flatter yourself. I step outside of my apt. for three reasons: 1) to see my therapist 2) to buy booze and 3) and most importantly, to take Frank outside.
Twin playing hardball!
Is that acceptance of the 100 buck bet? And where were you going to eat the Beef Wellington? It doesn’t travel well and I doubt it’s on your restricted diet anyway.
.
“Any of you guys that believe in him right now are in a dream world…….”
Who dat? lqtm.
Pretty much everybody believes that Tim will right the ship, the dreamers are those who think the Zitcanoe won’t sink like a stone..
betting the favorite rarely works, ask Denny.
.
As the Great Comedian Jonathan Winters once said: “If your ship doesn’t come in,swim after it.”
“betting the favorite rarely works, ask Denny.” Actually, that isn’t true. The rule is never bet a lot to win a little. But betting long shots is a sure ticket to the poor house. You can probably ask Denny about that, too..
Pablo didn’t have a great day in the field, but nothing was weight related except to those who want it to be.
He’s BIG Twin.
He was big when he got hurt. Trolls add 50 pounds.And what I said didn’t allege that he wasn’t *big*. It reported, accurately, that weight was not the issue with any misplays.
Not sure who’s worse right now: Lincecum with his 6.00 ERA, or Cliff Lee, who blew a 4-1 lead today vs. the O’s and is still winless in 2012.
Ouch!
Denny, enough with Chuck’s wife. One joke is fine but it’s getting pretty repetitive……
.
Bubbles may ‘catch’ Timmy, but they’ll both be hovering around 6.25 by the looks of things.
Not a good scenario.
The whole ERA spiel, and that’s all it is, is just another chapter in Denny’s book- “How to Troll Your Favorite Blog”. Whether it’s giving the division to another team, throwing his fantasy pitchers against us, the “deserve to lose” nonsense, he’s trolling-plain and simple.
Twin putting his foot down!
Your hand giving you the cold shoulder again, Dennis? Or are the warts making things tough?
You’re fucking disgusting Dennis. I don’t consider any jokes about someone’s family as fair game, much, much less their wife. You need help asshole.
Blade, fucking relax. Chuck’s the one person I know from all the blogs who knows how to take a fucking joke. We’ve been exchanging them back-and-forth from the Splash and 49er Insider days on the Chron some five years ago. In fact, It was I who actually found and announced to the blogosphere when he started his own blog — BOTH of them. And another fact, if you look up the stats, you would find that I am one of, if not the most frequent blogger at Chuck’s site.
You’re right, I do need help. But I’d be more concerned about your Flap fantasy team and how much PUSSY is sitting on your face — ASSHOLE.
Face sitting is actually a quite popular, if judiciously employed, sexual diversion. As a rule, most would prefer the sitter to be, say, Jenna Haze, not Ken Davitian…
Blade calls out Dennis!
Dennis replies….” I’ll meet you in the stable.”