They say the pitcher-catcher connection is very important in baseball, and it's not a huge surprising that the San Francisco Giants seem to be having problems adjusting to life without Buster Posey. Eli Whiteside is by all accounts a solid clubhouse guy, but his hitting averages and mediocre defense seem to reflect that he's better in spot duty, not as the replacement starter.
Tim Lincecum seems to be undergoing similar issues. He has not been quite the same since Posey went down.
Are Lincecum's struggles mainly due to Posey's absence, or is it just coincidental? Regardless, should the Giants acquire a new catcher, and who should it be? Let us know in the comments!
There's been a lot of talk about the pitch count being the problem with Lincecum. But Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles is quick to dispel the notion that his 133 pitch game against the Athletics is the reason for his struggles. However, Lincecum is giving up a number of runs (17 in the past four starts, 7 today, the most he's given up in four years).
Lincecum claims that catcher issues aren't the problem, but it's hard to dismiss that Lincecum's effectiveness has declined since then. The speculation will linger the longer Timmy struggles on the mound.