Tim Lincecum is officially back. No, not Back, with a capital B, like he was in his 2008-09 years, or even his pretty good 2010 and really good 2011. No, he’s back to being bad, like he was before he was good, like he was after he was bad again. Because he was good for two games. Now he’s bad again. He’s the old new Timmy, not the new old Timmy or the new new Timmy.

God, I feel like I’m talking about Ryan Vogelsong. Because man, Lincecum had one of the best terrible performances I’ve ever seen. He struck three  in the first, aside from a Chase Headley home run and a HBP to Carlos Quentin, fanned two in the second, one in the third and, yep, BLASTOFF. Timmy grooved an 89 MPH fastball down the middle to Jesus “Giant-Killer” Guzman, and he did what he was supposed to do: launch it into the seats. Per Andrew “Buzz-In” Baggarly:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/CSNBaggs/status/228234681865355264″]

Let’s look again at that at-bat with Guzman.  Continue reading →

Tonight’s game was vintage NL West. The Giants got up big in the first inning, and then fizzled. The Padres fought back in the second, and then fizzled. Madison Bumgarner, who looked shaky early, settled down and allowed just 3 hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch – and 7 strikeouts – after the second inning. Edinson Volquez, part of the Mat Latos trade, looked shaky early but allowed zero hits and just 3 walks after the first inning. All told, the bottom of the second to the top of the ninth was pretty boring to watch.

Vintage NL West. Continue reading →