Tim Lincecum facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Lincecum" redirects here. For the American historian, see Gideon Lincecum. For the American writer, see Jerry B. Lincecum.

Quick facts for kids

Tim Lincecum

Lincecum with the Giants in 2009

Pitcher

Born: June 15, 1984 (age 41)
Bellevue, Washington, U.S.

Batted: Left

Threw: Right

debut

May 6, 2007, for the San Francisco Giants

Last appearance

August 5, 2016, for the Los Angeles Angels

MLB statistics

Win–loss record

110–89

Earned run average

3.74

Strikeouts

1,736

Teams

San Francisco Giants (2007–2015)
Los Angeles Angels (2016)

Career highlights and awards

4× All-Star (2008–2011)
3× World Series champion (2010, 2012, 2014)
2× NL Cy Young Award (2008, 2009)
3× NL strikeout leader (2008–2010)
Golden Spikes Award (2006)
Pitched two no-hitters (2013, 2014)

Timothy "Tim" Leroy Lincecum (born June 15, 1984) is a former professional baseball pitcher from America. He played for ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), mostly for the San Francisco Giants. Tim was nicknamed "the Freak" because of his unique pitching style and how much power he could create despite his smaller size.

Lincecum won the Cy Young Award twice, which is a big honor for pitchers. He also helped the Giants win three World Series championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Before playing professionally, he went to Liberty Senior High School in Renton, Washington. He then played college baseball at the University of Washington, where he won the 2006 Golden Spikes Award as the best amateur baseball player. In 2006, the San Francisco Giants picked him tenth overall in the MLB Draft. He was the first player from the University of Washington to be chosen so early.

Tim Lincecum was known for his amazing ability to throw powerful pitches. He led the National League in strikeouts for three years in a row, from 2008 to 2010. He also led the league in shutouts in 2009. He won the Babe Ruth Award in 2010 for being the most valuable player in the MLB postseason. Lincecum won two Cy Young Awards in a row (2008 and 2009). This made him the first MLB pitcher to win this award in his first two full seasons. He was also chosen for four All-Star Games from 2008 to 2011. He even pitched two no-hitters, one in 2013 and another in 2014. After playing for the Giants, he pitched nine games for the Los Angeles Angels in 2016. He tried to return to baseball in 2018 with the Texas Rangers but faced injuries.

Early Life and High School Baseball

Timothy Leroy Lincecum was born on June 15, 1984, in Bellevue, Washington. His mother, Rebecca Asis, is from a family of Filipino immigrants. His father, Chris, worked at Boeing. From the age of four, Tim's father helped him practice his pitching. He would film Tim's games and practices to help him get better.

Tim went to Liberty Senior High School in Renton, Washington. He played varsity baseball for two seasons there. In his senior year, he was named the state's Player of the Year. He helped his school win the 2003 3A Kingco Athletic Conference title. The Chicago Cubs picked him in the 2003 MLB draft, but he decided not to sign. Instead, he chose to go to the University of Washington.

College Baseball Career

Tim Lincecum was a star pitcher for the Washington Huskies in college. He was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year in both 2004 and 2006. The Cleveland Indians also drafted him in 2005, but he again chose not to sign. He was hoping for a bigger signing bonus so his father could retire.

In 2006, he finished his college season with 12 wins and 4 losses. He had a great earned run average (ERA) of 1.94 and struck out 199 batters. He also had three saves. That year, he won the 2006 Golden Spikes Award, given to the best amateur baseball player. In 2005, Lincecum also played summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners. He was an all-star and had a very low ERA of 0.69, striking out 68 batters in 39 innings.

Professional Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

In 2006, the San Francisco Giants drafted Tim Lincecum as the tenth overall pick. He was the first player from the University of Washington to be chosen so early in the draft. His signing bonus of $2.025 million was the most the Giants had ever paid an amateur player at that time.

Lincecum started his professional career in 2006 with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. By 2007, he was considered one of the top young players in baseball. Other players found him very difficult to hit against. He spent the first month of 2007 playing for the Fresno Grizzlies, the Giants' top minor league team. He was excellent, allowing only one run and striking out 46 batters in five games.

Time with the San Francisco Giants (2007–2015)

Rookie Season in 2007

Tim Lincecum made his first Major League start on May 6, 2007, for the Giants. He played against the Philadelphia Phillies at AT&T Park. He struck out three batters in his very first inning. He earned his first big league win five days later against the Colorado Rockies.

In July, Lincecum had a fantastic month, winning all four of his starts with a low 1.62 ERA. On July 1, he struck out 12 batters in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On August 21, he pitched into the ninth inning for the first time against the Chicago Cubs. Other players were very impressed by his "electric stuff." The Giants rested Lincecum in September to protect his arm, as he had pitched many innings in his first full year.

Winning Two Cy Young Awards (2008–2009)

The Giants were careful with Lincecum's arm in 2008. He started the season strong, winning his first four games. On May 15, he struck out 10 Houston Astros. Opposing players like Lance Berkman said he had "three almost unhittable pitches."

Lincecum was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in July 2008. He was chosen for his first All-Star Game, but he couldn't play because he was sick. On September 13, Lincecum pitched his first complete game shutout against the San Diego Padres. He struck out 12 batters in that game. On September 23, he broke the Giants' single-season strikeout record. He finished 2008 with 265 strikeouts, leading the National League. He won 18 games and lost only five. On November 11, 2008, Lincecum won the NL Cy Young Award, becoming only the second Giant to do so.

In 2009, Lincecum won six games in a row after losing his first start. On June 2, he got his 500th career strikeout, reaching this milestone faster than any other Giants pitcher. He had a great June, winning four games with a low 1.38 ERA. He was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for June. He and teammate Matt Cain were both chosen for the NL All-Star Team. Lincecum started the All-Star Game for the NL.

By July 2009, Lincecum had an 11–3 record with a 2.30 ERA and 183 strikeouts. He also had a streak of 29 scoreless innings. On July 27, he struck out a career-high 15 batters in a complete game win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished the 2009 season with 15 wins, 7 losses, a 2.48 ERA, and 261 strikeouts. He won his second straight Cy Young Award on November 19, becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to win the award in his first two full seasons.

Winning the First World Series (2010)

Lincecum pitching in September 2010

In 2010, Lincecum signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Giants. He started the season well, winning his first five games. He was chosen for the NL All-Star Team for the third year in a row.

After a tough August, Lincecum had a strong September, winning five games. He led the NL in strikeouts for the third year in a row. He finished the 2010 regular season with 16 wins, 10 losses, a 3.43 ERA, and 231 strikeouts. On October 3, the Giants won their division title on the last day of the season, making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

In the playoffs, Lincecum was amazing. On October 7, in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Atlanta Braves. He struck out a team playoff record of 14 batters. He also won Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Phillies. In the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers, Lincecum started Game 1 and earned the win.

Lincecum pitching in Game 1 of the 2010 World Series

Lincecum in the 2010 World Series parade

On November 1, Lincecum started Game 5 of the World Series. He struck out 10 batters in eight innings, giving up only three hits. The Giants won 3–1, clinching their first World Series championship in 56 years!

Setting Records and Second World Series Win (2011–2012)

On May 4, 2011, Lincecum struck out 12 New York Mets. This made him the Giants' record holder for most games with 10 or more strikeouts, passing legendary pitcher Christy Mathewson. On June 6, he got his 1,000th career strikeout, becoming the fastest Giants pitcher to reach this mark.

Despite having a very good ERA of 2.74 in 2011, Lincecum finished with a losing record (13-14). This was because the Giants often didn't score many runs when he pitched. In 2012, Lincecum signed a new two-year contract with the Giants. His performance dipped in 2012, and he had a tough first half of the season. However, he improved in the second half. He finished the season with 10 wins and 15 losses, but still had 190 strikeouts.

Lincecum in the 2012 World Series parade

In the 2012 playoffs, Lincecum was used as a relief pitcher. He pitched well in relief, helping the Giants win the NLDS and advance to the NLCS. He even started Game 4 of the NLCS. In the 2012 World Series, Lincecum pitched in relief in Game 1 and Game 3, throwing scoreless innings. The Giants swept the Detroit Tigers to win their second World Series title in three years!

No-Hitters and Third World Series Win (2013–2015)

Lincecum worked on his fitness during the 2012 offseason. On July 13, 2013, he pitched his first career no-hitter against the Padres at Petco Park. He struck out 13 batters and threw a career-high 148 pitches. On September 20, he got his 1,500th career strikeout, again becoming the fastest Giants pitcher to reach this milestone. He finished 2013 with 10 wins and 14 losses. In October 2013, he signed a new two-year contract with the Giants.

In 2014, Lincecum pitched his second career no-hitter on June 25, again against the Padres. This was the third no-hitter at AT&T Park. He became only the second player in MLB history to throw two no-hitters against the same team. He was also the first to do it in back-to-back seasons. Later in the season, Lincecum moved to the bullpen. On September 25, he won his 100th career game. He finished 2014 with 12 wins and 9 losses.

Lincecum was the only player on the Giants' roster not used in the early rounds of the 2014 playoffs. He finally appeared in Game 2 of the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals. He pitched well but left the game with back tightness. The Giants won the Series in seven games, giving Lincecum his third World Series championship.

In 2015, Lincecum started the season strong. On May 20, he passed Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell for fourth place on the Giants' all-time career strikeouts list. On June 27, he was hit by a line drive on his pitching elbow. He was later diagnosed with a hip condition and had surgery in September. He finished the season with 7 wins and 4 losses. After the season, he became a free agent.

Playing for the Los Angeles Angels (2016)

Lincecum with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016

On May 20, 2016, Tim Lincecum signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He started pitching for them on June 18 and earned a win in his first game. However, he struggled after that, winning only one more game for the Angels. He was sent to the minor leagues in August and was not called back up in September. He finished his Angels season with 2 wins and 6 losses. He became a free agent again after the season.

Time with the Texas Rangers

After not playing in 2017, Lincecum signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers on March 7, 2018. The Rangers planned to use him as a relief pitcher. He started the season on the disabled list due to a blister. He made 10 appearances in the minor leagues before being released by the Rangers on June 5, 2018.

Life After Baseball

In September 2019, Tim Lincecum attended a ceremony for the Giants' manager, Bruce Bochy, who was retiring. Lincecum said he hadn't officially retired from baseball but was "trying to transition" to life after playing. He mentioned that figuring out who he was after baseball was the hardest part.

How He Pitched

Tim Lincecum mechanics

Tim Lincecum had a very unique way of pitching. He would start with his back slightly to the batter and his left leg raised high. He would then take a big step forward, about seven feet, using his hips to create a lot of power as he threw the ball. This helped him throw very fast pitches even though he wasn't a very big person.

He threw a four-seam fastball and a two-seam fastball. His two-seam fastball had a sinking movement, which made batters hit ground balls. He also had a curveball that moved away from right-handed batters. Later in his career, he added a changeup and a slider. His changeup looked like a fastball at first but then dropped sharply. His fastball could reach 99 miles per hour when he was a rookie. Over time, the speed of his pitches slowed down a bit.

Career Achievements and Awards

Lincecum's strikeout milestones

The Giants have not given Lincecum's jersey number 55 to any other player.

Awards and Honors

World Series Champion: 2010, 2012, 2014
Babe Ruth Award: 2010
NL Champion: 2010, 2012, 2014
NL Cy Young Award: 2008, 2009
The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year Award: 2008, 2009
NL Strikeouts Leader: 2008, 2009, 2010
NL Shutouts Leader: 2009
NL All-Star: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
MLB All-Star Game NL Starting Pitcher: 2009
NL Pitcher of the Month: June 2009
NL Player of the Week: 2009, 2013, 2014
Major League Baseball Starter of the Year: 2008
Players Choice Award for NL's Outstanding Pitcher: 2008
San Francisco Giants Opening Day Starting Pitcher: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Golden Spikes Award: 2006
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Freshman of the Year: 2004
Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year: 2004, 2006
Pac-10 Freshman of the Year: 2004
Gatorade Washington State Baseball Player of the Year: 2003

Lincecum was considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.

Baseball Records

He pitched two no-hitters against the same team (San Diego Padres) in back-to-back seasons (2013–2014). He shares this record with Addie Joss.
He is one of only a few pitchers to have multiple no-hitters, multiple Cy Young Awards, multiple All-Star selections, and multiple World Series championships. He shares this with Sandy Koufax, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer.

Personal Life

When he played for the Giants, Tim Lincecum lived in San Francisco. During the off-season, he lived in Seattle. He has also owned property in Paradise Valley, Arizona. He had a pet French bulldog named Cy. In 2022, his family had a bulldog named Charlie Bean.

Many people in San Francisco loved Tim Lincecum. He was seen as a local hero because of his smaller size and unique pitching style. This made his success even more special. His college teammates gave him the nickname "The Freak" because of his athletic abilities and how he could throw so powerfully. Giants fans continued to use this nickname for him.

In 2010, Lincecum appeared in a "This is SportsCenter" commercial. In the commercial, he tried to record a voicemail greeting, using different nicknames like "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim."

Tim Lincecum's wife, Cristin Coleman, was a schoolteacher and principal. She passed away from cancer on June 27, 2022, at the age of 38.

Community Involvement

Helping Others

In 2011, Lincecum gave $25,000 to the Bryan Stow Fund. This fund honored firefighters, police officers, and paramedics. Bryan Stow was a Giants fan who had been badly hurt by fans outside of Dodger Stadium.

On January 22, 2016, Lincecum posted on his Facebook page to support former San Francisco Giant J.T. Snow's foundation, The Snow Foundation. This foundation helped Snow's niece.