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Tim Lincecum

NL East Notes: Nationals, Lincecum, Swarzak, Phillies

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The Nationals have made late-winter signings in the past, and there’s certainly opportunity for the club to do so again given the large number of available free agents, MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman writes.  While the idea of the Nats signing Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, or Lance Lynn at a discounted price in March is tempting for a team that has toyed with upgrading the rotation, Zuckerman feels that Washington is more likely to add a reliever if a late signing is indeed in the cards.  On the whole, the Nats aren’t under any real pressure to make any sort of move, given their deep roster.

Here’s more from around the NL East…

  • The Mets have shown some interest in free agent right-hander Tim Lincecum this offseason, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.  It’s possible they’ll be on hand for Lincecum’s upcoming showcase, though Heyman notes that it’s unclear which teams will join the previously reported Giants in attendance.  Lincecum didn’t pitch at all in 2017 and it has been some time since he has been both healthy and effective, though scouts from several clubs are expected to check out the former two-time Cy Young Award winner.
  • Anthony Swarzak’s two-year, $14MM contract from the Mets might not have been possible without some advice from Mickey Callaway, Swarzak tells the New York Daily News’ Peter Botte.  The right-hander and his new manager first crossed paths in 2015 when Swarzak was pitching for the Indians and Callaway was the team’s pitching coach, and it was Callaway who pressed upon Swarzak the importance of better conditioning.  “Most of [Callaway’s advice] was in the weight room and really dedicating myself off the field,” Swarzak said.  “I didn’t really want to hear it at the time. But I took his advice and here we are three years later and I’m better than ever and throwing harder and doing things athletically in my delivery that I couldn’t do before. I know that’s what he was trying to get at, and I thank him now.”  A major velocity boost helped Swarzak post a career year in 2017, with a 2.33 ERA, 10.6 K/9 and a 4.14 K/BB rate over 77 1/3 IP with the White Sox and Brewers.
  • The Phillies’ bench situation is broken down by NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury, who notes that defensive versatility will be at a premium for a team that may have just four bench spots available.  The Phils may need to deploy an eight-man bullpen to account for its injury-laden rotation, which leaves less room for position players in general, and especially players who can only fit in at one position (i.e. first baseman Tommy Joseph).  Two of the bench spots are already filled by outfielder Nick Williams and the backup catcher, leaving a utility infield job up for grabs in Spring Training and possibly another reserve outfield job as well.

Free Agent Notes: LoMo, Phillies, Rangers, Giants

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Logan Morrison remains one of quite a few players still waiting for a new contract after a strong 2017 season. Just where he’ll fit remains unclear. The Red Sox have had contact with Morrison’s reps, per Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston (via Twitter), though he seems mostly to be a backup plan as Boston continues to try to work things out with J.D. Martinez. It probably doesn’t help that the Sox already added a lefty-hitting first baseman this winter in Mitch Moreland, but both players could surely coexist on the roster with a DH slot still open and the right-handed-hitting Hanley Ramirez available to share time at both spots.

  • We’ve long heard of the Royals as an interesting possibility for LoMo, as Morrison hails from the Kansas City area and the team may well have a notable opening if Eric Hosmer departs. Of course, the Royals are still hoping to land Hosmer at the moment. But if that changes, sources suggest to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link), Morrison would be very interested in talking with his hometown team. From an outside perspective, it seems unlikely that the Royals will dedicate a huge amount of cash for any non-Hosmer free agent. Then again, there could be a nice value opportunity here, particularly since Morrison ought to be an easy player to market at an opportune moment for the franchise.
  • The Phillies’ search for a starter remains a bit of a wild card on the market. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has the latest, citing sources for the proposition that the Phils are taking an “aggressive” approach, though it’s not entirely clear what that means. While the organization has been tied, at least speculatively, to a wide variety of hurlers, the indication from Feinsand is that the organization is mostly looking currently at one-year targets rather than more significant hurlers. As Feinsand notes, it’s possible to imagine quite a few names that could conceivably fit. Indeed, many of the free agent starters remain available, so a Phillies team in an opportunistic position could yet take any number of different courses in filling out its staff.
  • Speaking of teams with some reputed interest in high-end pitching, the Rangers have long been said to have at least a foot in the premium pool even as they have signed a variety of hurlers to manageable deals. GM Jon Daniels says the door is still open, at least a bit, to making free-agent splash, as MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports. “I don’t think we can rule it out,” says Daniels, who also made clear that a major new addition isn’t particularly likely. As for what the slow movement means, Daniels says that’s still an open question. “I don’t think anybody has ever been in this position,” he said. “I’m not sure anybody knows what to expect.”
  • While the Giants have little spending space if they are to remain beneath the luxury line, that makes minor-league signings all the more important for the organization. Per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter), the club will put eyes on former ace Tim Lincecum when he holds a planned showcase. Likewise, the San Francisco front office will scout the anticipated free agent spring camp in search of some useful assets.

Tim Lincecum To Throw For MLB Teams Next Week

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Right-hander Tim Lincecum will audition for Major League teams next Thursday (Feb. 15), Kyle Boddy of Driveline Baseball announced today (on Twitter). The two-time NL Cy Young winner has been working out with Driveline this offseason in an effort to revitalize his career.

Rockies right-hander Adam Ottavino, another Driveline client, shared a photo of Lincecum on Instagram back in December in which Lincecum looked to be in excellent physical condition. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweeted at the time that Lincecum’s velocity was up, and Boddy noted then that Lincecum would eventually host a showcase for MLB clubs before Opening Day.

In Lincecum’s last run through MLB, he logged a 9.16 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 and a staggering 2.58 HR/9 through 38 1/3 innings with the Halos. His average fastball in that time was just 87.7 mph — nearly seven full miles per hour off he 94.2 mph that he averaged as a 23-year-old rookie one decade ago.

Those unsightly results notwithstanding, Lincecum should still at least pique the interest of clubs, and it stands to reason that plenty of scouts will be in attendance to see if he shows enough to merit consideration. Presumably, Lincecum is looking at a minor league contract and an invite to Major League Spring Training if a team ultimately does make an offer.

It’s been quite some time since Lincecum, who’ll turn 34 in June, has been much of a contributor at the big league level, of course. The once-premium velocity “The Freak” displayed early in his career wilted as he entered his late 20s, falling to an average of just over 90 mph in 2012-13. Lincecum underwent hip surgery late in the 2015 season and has only appeared sparingly in the Majors since that time. His most recent season as an elite starter came back in 2011 when he tossed 217 innings of 2.47 ERA ball for the Giants, but he’s posted just a 4.94 ERA in 654 Major League innings since that time.

Tim Lincecum Planning Showcase For MLB Teams

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After sitting out the 2017 season, right-hander Tim Lincecum is working out with the trainers at Driveline Baseball and will showcase for interested teams “in the near future,” per an announcement from Driveline (on Twitter). Intrigue around Lincecum picked up earlier today when fellow Driveline client Adam Ottavino posted a picture of Lincecum on Instagram.

Lincecum looks to be in excellent physical condition, though it’s certainly best to temper expectations regarding his ability to contribute on the field. Lincecum didn’t pitch in the Majors, minors or in any other professional capacity in 2017, and his 2016 run with the Angels following 2015 hip surgery was an unmitigated disaster.

In Lincecum’s last run through MLB, he logged a 9.16 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 and a staggering 2.58 HR/9 through 38 1/3 innings with the Halos. His average fastball in that time was just 87.7 mph — nearly seven full miles per hour off he 94.2 mph that he averaged as a 23-year-old rookie one decade ago.

Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweets that Lincecum is “throwing hard again,” though he didn’t put a specific number on the two-time NL Cy Young winner’s velocity at present. Restored velocity, of course, could be a huge boon for Lincecum, who’ll turn 34 next June. Lincecum established himself as one of the game’s most dominant pitchers quickly after debuting and held that status from 2008-11 before beginning to decline in 2012. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first significant drop-off in performance for Lincecum came when his average fastball plummeted from 92.3 mph in 2011 to 90.4 mph in 2012.

Lincecum figures to be of some degree of interest to most clubs, as there’d be little reason not to at least have a scout or two watch a workout to see if there’s any indications of a potential return to form. It’d be unrealistic to hope for his 2008-09 dominance (2.55 ERA, 10.5 K/9, back-to-back Cy Young Awards), but a rejuvenated Lincecum could conceivably contribute to a big league rotation all the same.

Presumably, he’ll field predominantly minor league offers, though it’s possible that he drums up enough interest to secure a 40-man roster spot with a low base salary and a healthy pile of incentives based on appearances and/or innings pitched. By the time Opening Day rolls around, it will have been six full seasons since “The Freak” was an above-average contributor in a Major League rotation, though recent resurgences from the likes of Scott Kazmir and Rich Hill (among others) serve as reminders that it’s virtually never too late to rule out a comeback — especially for a player that won’t turn 34 until next summer.

Heyman’s Latest: Villar, Lucroy, Tigers Veterans, Utley, Weaver, Lincecum, Clevenger

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After grading every team’s offseason, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag provided a bevy of information on a variety of situations around the league in his latest notes post. Some is mostly of historical interest, and there’s lots more in the article, but these are some of the highlights with transactional ties:

  • The Brewers “floated” an extension offer to infielder Jonathan Villar, says Heyman, but he wasn’t interested. The club’s initial offer, at least, would only have guaranteed him around $20MM. While Villar had a relatively undistinguished career before landing in Milwaukee, he was rather excellent last year and hasn’t yet turned 26. On the other hand, he won’t reach arbitration eligibility until next fall and still has to prove he can repeat that effort. Though Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio may have been willing to green-light pursuit of Matt Wieters, it seems that the front office wasn’t enthusiastic about that possibility.
  • While the Rangers haven’t yet opened extension talks with catcher Jonathan Lucroy, it’s still expected that a deal will at least be explored. GM Jon Daniels has acknowledged as much, though it’s unclear just when the discussions will get underway. If nothing comes together, Lucroy promises to be one of the game’s most widely pursued free agents next winter. Texas, of course, is also chatting with starter Yu Darvish and second baseman Rougned Odor.
  • The Dodgers explored a deal with the Tigers involving star righty Justin Verlander, per Heyman, who notes that “nothing got close.” Verlander’s hefty salary obligations were considered a barrier, though it seems his no-trade protection may not have been. The veteran righty has suggested he’d be amenable to consider a swap, and his relationship with Kate Upton would likely make Los Angeles an appealing destination. While the Dodgers have a quite a few starters on hand, it’ll be interesting to see whether the pursuit of the resurgent Verlander is rejoined at some point.
  • Speaking of the Tigers, the organization evidently considered quite a few other deals before largely holding pat. The Mets “seriously discussed” giving up Michael Conforto for the final season of control over star slugger J.D. Martinez, but ultimately backed down. While the Astros reportedly checked in on Miguel Cabrera, they were asking for “more than half of the $150 million remaining on Cabrera’s contract” to be paid by Detroit and apparently never offered enough for the front office to bring a deal to ownership. And both the Twins and Padres made inquiries on shortstop Jose Iglesias, but clearly nothing developed with either team.
  • Though the Indians had real interest in Chase Utley, the team’s offer was shy of the ultimately successful bid from the Dodgers. Still, it seems that Cleveland very nearly landed him before L.A. “stepped in late,” per Heyman.
  • While the Reds have said they are done adding to their MLB roster, Heyman suggests the organization could make a play for some of the veteran pitchers still available. Cincinnati may even have outbid the Padres for Jered Weaver, who earned $3MM, though it’s not clear whether the club ever did so.
  • Veteran righty Tim Lincecum is drawing some interest as he prepares for a showcase, according to Heyman, though surely he won’t draw as much intrigue as he did last year. It’s unclear what’s next for catcher Steve Clevenger, who has attempted to rehabilitate his image in an interview with Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. His former team, the Orioles, at least considered offering him a minor-league pact, but ultimately decided against it.

Tim Lincecum Hoping To Start, Pitch In Majors In 2017

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Tim Lincecum is throwing in preparation for the upcoming season and is still hopeful of finding another opportunity in the majors, agent Rick Thurman tells Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group.  Lincecum has no plans to retire, or to look for offers outside of Major League Baseball, Thurman said.

After signing a prorated $2.5MM deal with the Angels last May, Lincecum posted a 9.16 ERA, 7.5 K/9, and 1.39 K/BB rate over 38 1/3 innings for the Halos.  Some degree of bad luck was involved in those numbers (a .432 BABIP and a whopping 22.9% home run rate), though Lincecum only averaged 87.2 mph on his fastball.  He threw that fastball a career-low 42.9% of the time, as Lincecum adjusted to his declining velocity by trying a more finesse-based pitching attack, such as tossing a changeup 29.4% of the time (well above his previous high of 24.5%).

Lincecum underwent hip surgery in September 2015 and his return from injury drew quite a bit of interest, as his showcase was attended by scouts from over half the teams in the big leagues.  In the wake of his rough 2016 campaign, however, Baggarly feels Lincecum will have to settle for a minor league deal if he is to catch on with a big league club this offseason.

Lincecum signed with the Angels in part because they were willing to commit to using him as a starting pitcher, and it seems as if the righty is still looking to continue as a starter rather than consider a move to the bullpen.  As Baggarly puts it, Lincecum becoming a reliever has been “a long-predicted role in his career arc,” especially given his declining velocity and effectiveness in recent years.  Only eight of Lincecum’s 278 career regular season appearances have come as a reliever, though that doesn’t count his postseason work in 2012, when his effectiveness out of the pen helped the Giants win the World Series.

Given how dominant Lincecum was in his prime years (winning NL Cy Young Awards in both 2008 and 2009), one can’t blame him for wanting to exhaust all possible options as a starter, though the time may have come to embrace relief pitching if he wants to continue in the majors.  The Giants don’t have any more room in their bullpen for a potential reunion with their former ace, Baggarly writes, though one would think Lincecum would draw interest from at least a few teams if he indicated a willingness to work as a reliever.

Heyman’s Latest: Braves, Lincecum, Weaver, Chapman, Giants, Panik, Odor

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FanRag’s Jon Heyman kicks off his weekly notes column by recapping seven moves that turned the Cubs from cellar-dwellers into contenders, recalling the trades that netted the team Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and Addison Russell as well as the Rule 5 selection of Hector Rondon. Here are some highlights from his roundup of notes on all 30 big league clubs…

  • Brian Snitker, Terry Pendleton and Bo Porter are the Braves’ primary internal candidates to fill the managerial vacancy, while Heyman lists some potential outside candidates as Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, former Padres manager Bud Black, former Twins manager Rob Gardenhire and Royals bench coach/former Mariners skipper Don Wakamatsu.
  • The Astros will seek rotation help this offseason even if Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers get back up to full strength from their respective shoulder and elbow issues. With Doug Fister hitting the open market and the Astros receiving lackluster production from Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers, that’s not exactly a surprise.
  • Both Tim Lincecum and Jered Weaver are determined to return in 2017, according to Heyman. He writes that Lincecum feels that he focused so much on strengthening his surgically repaired hip that he neglected to strengthen his arm enough, though a return to prominence for Lincecum always seemed like a fairly noted long shot after four down seasons and a significant surgical procedure.
  • The Yankees will make a run at re-signing Aroldis Chapman as a free agent this winter, Heyman writes, at least in part due to Dellin Betances’ recent struggles. While Betances’ slump has been magnified by the fact that it’s taken place in late September, he was excellent for the bulk of the time following the Yankees’ deadline sale, pitching to a 0.57 ERA in his first 15 2/3 innings following the deadline and allowing only one run in August. If the motivation to re-sign Chapman is simply to once again create an extraordinarily deep back of the bullpen, that certainly makes sense, but pursuing him in light of three poor September outings from Betances seems rather reactionary when looking at Betances’ body of work as a whole.
  • Second-half bullpen struggles have the Giants kicking themselves for not making a stronger push for Mark Melancon, Heyman reports. The Giants felt their offer was comparable to that of the Nationals, but Pittsburgh ultimately traded Melancon to D.C. in exchange for left-hander Felipe Rivero and minor league lefty Taylor Hearn. While the Giants made a run at Andrew Miller, as well, the Yankees asked for Joe Panik in exchange, which the Giants understandably found to be too steep an ask. GM Bobby Evans lamented not adding another established reliever to Heyman, and it seems likely that they’ll be in the mix for the top bullpen options this winter (Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Melancon).
  • Extension talks between the Rangers and Rougned Odor were put on hold earlier this season, as the two sides couldn’t get on the same page. Odor’s camp was seeking a deal larger than Gregory Polanco’s five-year, $35MM pact with the Pirates, and while the Rangers wanted two club options tacked onto their top offer, Odor’s reps were only willing to concede one option year. That, of course, doesn’t rule out a deal being reached further down the line, but Odor’s 31-homer season as a 22-year-old second baseman figures to give his side plenty of leverage in talks, even if that power comes with an OBP that’s barely scraping the .300 mark.

AL West Notes: Butler, Gray, Lincecum, Fowler

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It was 50 years ago today that Nolan Ryan made his Major League debut, tossing two relief innings (and recording three strikeouts) for the Mets during an 8-3 loss to the Braves.  Ryan spent his first five big league seasons in New York, including winning his only World Series ring as part of the 1969 Miracle Mets squad.  Still, Ryan is probably much better remembered for his stints with the Angels, Astros and Rangers during his legendary career.  Here’s the latest from around the AL West…

  • The clubhouse fight between Billy Butler and Danny Valencia in August didn’t play a role in the Athletics’ decision to release Butler today, A’s GM David Forst and manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including CSNBayArea.com’s Joe Stiglich) today.  Butler was released because it was simply “the right time to move on.  It’s something we’ve discussed,” Forst said.  “A lot of the younger players are here now, potentially more coming once [Triple-A] Nashville’s done.  The at-bats just were not there. It’s time for us to move our focus beyond.”
  • Butler also comments within the piece, saying the release wasn’t unexpected but he feels he could’ve used more at-bats to prove himself.  His rough 2015 season “was definitely below what my expectations of myself are,” Butler said.  “This season, it’s hard to even judge that.  I haven’t even had many opportunities to play.  When I did, I thought I helped the team.”
  • Sonny Gray threw 11 pitches off a mound in a short bullpen session on Sunday, and the A’s righty told the media (including MLB.com’s Michael Wagaman) that he is still hopeful of pitching again this season, even if it’s just a relief outing or two.  Earlier reports this week suggested that Gray’s 2016 season was probably over, given the nature of his injury (a right forearm strain) and the fact that the A’s are well out of the pennant race.
  • Tim Lincecum won’t pitch again for the Angels in 2016, but GM Billy Eppler tells John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’ll touch base with the righty in the offseason.  In fact, Eppler said he has already “spoke at length with [Lincecum] about some thoughts for the wintertime and I’ll probably have more dialogue with him to see what he’s doing from a rehabilitation and strengthening standpoint.”  Shea figures Lincecum will have to accept a minor league contract and be more open about converting to relief pitching if he hopes to continue his career.  The Giants were interested in Lincecum as a reliever last winter, so a reunion could be possible if Lincecum indeed accepts a role change.  While Lincecum struggled badly in limited duty with the Halos, Shea feels a proper offseason of conditioning and a full Spring Training could be greatly beneficial for the right-hander.
  • This weekend’s Cubs/Astros series has led to some reflection about Houston’s decision to pass on Kris Bryant in the 2013 draft, but ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers looks back at another connection between the two clubs.  In January 2015, the Astros traded Dexter Fowler to Wrigleyville for Luis Valbuena and Dan Straily, a deal GM Jeff Luhnow said the two sides discussed for over a month before Straily’s inclusion clinched things.  While Fowler has been a star over his two seasons for the Cubs, Luhnow has no regrets, given that Fowler was a year away from free agency and Valbuena has been a pretty solid player for the Astros.  (This isn’t mentioned in Rogers’ piece, but moving Straily may actually be the bigger loss for Houston.  Straily was traded to San Diego in March for Erik Kratz, and the righty developed into a good rotation piece for the Reds this season.)

Angels Won’t Recall Tim Lincecum, Johnny Giavotella

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The Angels do not plan to bring veteran righty Tim Lincecum back to the majors this year, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter link). The same holds true for infielder Johnny Giavotella, he tweeted himself.

Hopes were high in some quarters when Lincecum, the two-time former Cy Young winner, ramped up for action in 2016. After undergoing hip surgery in the offseason, he held a heavily-covered workout and ultimately joined the Angels under a contract that paid him a pro-rated portion of a $2.5MM salary.

Things didn’t go quite as hoped. Lincecum had been pitching at Triple-A after accepting an outright assignment about a month ago, which resulted after the 32-year-old ran up a ghastly 9.16 ERA and lasted only 38 1/3 innings over nine starts.

The results were better at Triple-A, as Lincecum pitched an identical number of frames in seven outings. He ends his time in Salt Lake City with a 3.76 ERA and 8.7 K/9 with 3.3 BB/9. Still, the overall showing wasn’t enough to claim back a 40-man spot, and Lincecum figures to be looking at a minor league deal this winter.

As for Giavotella, 29, he also ended up in Triple-A after struggling through his major league work. Over 367 plate appearances in the majors, he put up a .260/.287/.376 batting line. It’s a bit of a surprise at first glance that Giavotella won’t be back, given his prominent role over the last two seasons, but he had already been trimmed from the 40-man. As a player with more than three years of Major League service time — Giavotella reached that threshold this season — his outright earlier this summer gives him the option to elect free agency following the completion of the regular season.

Tim Lincecum Accepts Outright Assignment, Will Pitch In Triple-A

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TUESDAY: Lincecum has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. That means Lincecum will continue his career with the Salt Lake Bees, hoping to eventually get another shot in the Majors. As a former MLB star, that likely means Lincecum is swallowing his pride, but he also likely believes that heading to Triple-A provides his clearest path back to the big leagues at this point.

SATURDAY: The Angels have designated right-hander Tim Lincecum for assignment, reports Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). The club’s hope is that Lincecum will stay in the organization and accept an assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Indeed, the Angels are under the impression Lincecum will head to Salt Lake, per Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter). In the meantime, Los Angeles has recalled righty Jose Valdez to take Lincecum’s roster spot.

[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]

Lincecum joined the pitching-needy Angels as a free agent in May after undergoing hip surgery and then showcasing himself around the majors in somewhat ballyhooed fashion, but his stint with the organization has been a disaster. In possibly his final start of the season, Lincecum surrendered six earned runs on nine hits, two walks and a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings of a 6-4 loss to the Mariners on Friday. That outing increased Lincecum’s ERA to a hideous 9.16 through nine starts, and manager Mike Scioscia was wary of committing to him afterward. Lincecum averaged just over four frames in those nine outings and recorded only one quality start, which came in his June 18 season debut.

A lofty walk rate (5.4 per nine innings) and a decrease in ground balls (40.7 percent rate, down from his career 46.4 percent mark), the latter of which helps to explain his unmanageable 22.9 percent home run-fly ball ratio, are largely behind Lincecum’s run prevention issues. So is a .432 batting average on balls in play, though FanGraphs indicates that Lincecum has been quite susceptible to hard contact, and the 32-year-old’s high-80s fastball velocity hasn’t helped his cause.

Struggles aren’t necessarily anything new for Lincecum, who posted a subpar 4.68 ERA in 615 1/3 innings with the Giants from 2012-15 as his mean fastball velo fell from the low- to mid-90s to the upper 80s. However, he did manage an impressive K/9 (8.4), a playable BB/9 (3.9) and a 45.9 percent grounder rate. Still, the version of Lincecum everyone has seen since 2012 is a far cry from his heyday, in which he was a dominant member of the Giants’ rotation from 2008-11 and took home a pair of National League Cy Young Awards.

The fact that Lincecum wasn’t able to hold a rotation spot, let alone a place on the roster, for an Angels team without fellow starters Garrett Richards, C.J. Wilson, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano – all of whom are on the disabled list – obviously bodes poorly for his future. Barring a significant turnaround this year, his days as a starter could be over. Fortunately for the Angels, they only invested a prorated $2.5MM in Linceum upon signing him.

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