Angels sign Tim Lincecum

In perhaps a sign of just how desperate the injury-riddled Angels are for pitching, General Manager Billy Eppler today announced that the club has signed two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum to a 2016 contract.

Lincecum, 31, has pitched nine Major League seasons (all with San Francisco) and has compiled a 108-83 career record with 10 complete games, seven shutouts and a 3.61 ERA (1643.2 IP – 660 ER). He is one of four pitchers all-time to have won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards, doing so in 2008 and 2009 and has been named to the N.L. All-Star team four times (2008-11).

Lincecum was also a member of the Giants World Series Championship clubs in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and has pitched to a 5-2 career postseason record with a 2.40 ERA (56.1 IP – 15 ER) in 13 games (six starts).

Unfortunately for the Angels, Lincecum has not displayed his Cy Young form for quite some time, not that they realistically expect him to perform at that level.  However, a reasonable facsimile would be more than welcome for a team that recently lost its ace, Garrett Richards.  In order to contribute, Lincecum must demonstrate that his own health issues also are a thing of the past.

A native of Bellevue, Wash., Lincecum made 15 starts for the Giants last season, going 7-4 with a 4.13 ERA (76.1 IP – 35 ER). He exited his final start on June 27 vs. Colorado after taking a line drive off his right elbow and was diagnosed with a right forearm contusion. It marked the first disabled list stint of his career. In July, he was diagnosed with a degenerative condition in both hips and underwent season-ending surgery on his left hip on Sept. 3.

Since 1958 when the Giants moved to San Francisco, Lincecum ranks second in franchise history with 1,704 strikeouts and ranks third with 108 wins. He is also one of 28 players since 1913 to throw multiple no-hitters, having done so on July 13, 2013 at San Diego and June 25, 2014 vs. San Diego. His 36 games with 10+ strikeouts are the most in SF Giants franchise history and his 265 strikeouts in 2008 are a Giants single season record in the San Francisco era.

Lincecum was originally drafted in the first round (10th overall) in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft by San Francisco out of the University of Washington where he was the 2006 Golden Spikes Award winner as collegiate baseball’s top player.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services