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The San Francisco Giants have asked Tim Lincecum to pack on a few pounds this offseason in an effort to improve the right hander's stamina, according to Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com.
"The focus is on good weight," said Giants head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner, who spoke by phone with Lincecum last week. "If he can gain five or six pounds of good weight this winter and come into spring, that would be what we're looking for."
Lincecum struggled to repeat his mechanics in 2012 which led to further struggles as he got deep into his pitch count. Those woes resulted in the 28-year-old's worst season as a professional and a demotion to the bullpen in the postseason. In 33 starts last season, Lincecum posted a 10-15 record, 5.18 ERA and 1.468 WHIP.
The Giants are hoping that the addition of muscle mass and increased leg and core strength will help Lincecum stay mechanically sound, increase his stamina and facilitate a return to form. 2013 will be Lincecum's final year before he is eligible to test the free agent market, and a bounce back season could help him in more ways than one.