The story tonight is Tim Lincecum. Wait, let me try that again. The stories tonight are Tim Lincecums.

Lincecum looked pretty bad today, but he looked great tonight. After giving up loud contact in the first, Timmy surrendered four runs on four hits (single, 2 doubles, home run) and a walk, and looked like he wasn’t fooling anybody.

Then the third inning came around, and everything had changed. His slider slid, his splitter split, his curveball curved, his changeup changed left, right, up and down. Aside from a double from Carlos Quentin – who went 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs – Lincecum sat down 12 of 13 with 8 strikeouts, all swinging. He looked like vintage Timmy, regardless of the velocity showing on the radar gun. He got whiffs with each of his pitches, including 6 on his slider, for 19 total.

Look at the five strikeouts below the zone, plus the one low in the zone, and the one challenge fastball up at the top. He threw junk at the hitters, and they were lining up to hack at pitches in the dirt. Thanks to BrooksBaseball.net for the graph.

Which reinforces just one thing: I have no idea what to think about Tim Lincecum. I just don’t.

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I alluded to this in previous postgamers, but April Ryan Theriot was just way more dreadful than Actual Ryan Theriot. Now, I doubt that Theriot can keep up his 1.000/1.000/1.333 rate, but a hot (or even functional) Theriot could be one of the most important pieces to keep the Giants rolling as Melky comes down from his ridiculous May.

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Bullpens gonna bull. It happens.

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Brandon Watch 2012:

Crawford: Good defense, plus a hit and a stolen base that led directly to a run.

Belt: Struck out looking on iffy umpiring, but came through with a sac fly when he needed to.

Stats of the Day:

5: Times Ryan Theriot reached base tonight

4: Stolen base attempts by the Giants

15: Baserunners for the Giants

7: Baserunners for the Giants not named Gregor Blanco or Ryan Theriot. Table, meet table setters.

0: Situations in which Steve Edlefsen should pitch

Undefined: Steve Edlefsen’s ERA for today

Bonus Stat of the Day:

3/2: Ratio of Padres fans to Giants fans at Petco Park tonight.