Baseball is still a pitcher's game, regardless of what people think. The San Francisco Giants are a team that thrives on that philosophy. Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong are all guys that rate among the best in keeping runs off the plate.
However, none of them create the reverential awe that one Tim Lincecum creates. And his array of pitches are among the best in the leagues. He has the deadly fastball that mixes from 92 to 97 mph (although at times it can dip off). And his slider and curve ball are fantastic third and fourth pitches to rely on to give him versatility.
But it's not those pitches that rate on a list of best pitches in baseball. Grant Brisbee of Baseball Nation thinks Lincecum's changeup is the best of any Giant; click here to read the remainder of the top five.
What do you think? And what do you believe is the best pitch by a pitcher in all of baseball? After the jump, an explanation from Brisbee.
3. Tim Lincecum (changeup)
This brought up a philosophical question. Halladay is the better pitcher -- even the most rabid Giants partisan would have to agree at this point -- so wouldn’t that make the cutter better? After careful consideration, though, the changeup makes it because Lincecum is the best strikeout pitcher in the game, and this pitch is why. When he was struggling with velocity dips, averaging 89 mph, his changeup never stopped making hitters look goofy. The fastball is great, the slider and curve have their moments, but this changeup has made Lincecum the fastest pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts.