The first two starts from two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum have been a far cry from what we've come to know as 'the freak' and his dominance on the mound. He's got a 12.91 ERA and 14 hits in 7.2 innings pitched, and has some fans worried to begin the year.
Sure he started the season at two very hitter friendly ballparks in Chase and Coors Field, but his velocity on his fastball has been down, and he hasn't been getting the outs he usually does with his changeup. He's yet to find a consistent arm slot and as of now he has scrapped his slider, the pitch that helped him turn around his 0-5 August back in 2010 to clinch the NL West title and a World Series championship the same year.
Lincecum spoke with reporters after the game, simply calling his performance 'sloppy baseball on my part.' He also talked about the affect of his changeup on Rockies hitters, his mental process on the bump, and how he can hopefully get these issues worked out early on in the season.
Getting back to San Francisco will certainly help, having the fans and comfy confides of AT&T Park behind him for support. But it's up to Timmy to figure out how to turn it around.
For more news and notes on the San Francisco Giants, make sure you check out McCovey Chronicles.