DRAFT NOTEBOOK
Tim Lincecum
Washington fireballer not short on talent
Interview by Patrick Ebert
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Any conversation focusing on this June’s Amateur Free Agent Draft begins with Tim Lincecum. He’s accomplished quite a bit in the past year, posting the best ERA in the Cape Cod League last summer, after which he returned to Washington after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in last June’s draft as a draft-eligible sophomore. This spring he’s striking out everybody in sight while posting numbers that are simply astonishing. Lincecum’s amazing resiliency allowed him to start the season by closing games on Fridays and starting games on Sundays. He now has assumed the role as the Friday ace in the middle of the Pac-10 schedule, and recently became the conference’s all-time strikeout leader, surpassing USC’s Rik Currier who tallied 449 strikeouts from 1998 to 2001. Note that Lincecum accomplished this feat halfway through his junior year, and likely won’t be at Washington for his senior season to pad that record. All of that success has him atop the Royals wish list for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. |
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Patrick Ebert (PE): While you entered this spring as a player everyone already knew about, what changes have you made that have allowed you to improve as much as you have?
Tim Lincecum (TL): I have improved the command of my pitches while also adding two pitches. Those definitely are the biggest difference-makers.
PE: What two pitches did you add?
TL: I added a slider and a changeup.
PE: You’re on a bus right now heading down to Oregon State for a weekend series which is followed by a two-game set with Portland. How do you keep up with school being away for nearly a week?
TL: Everyone has email access, so that makes it easier. We let our teachers know when we’re not going to be in class, and they’re open to helping us out with our schedules. There’s enough time on the bus, before and after classes and practices for us to take care of what we need to.
PE: How difficult is the bus travel involved traveling from state to state playing in the Pac-10?
TL: We get used to it. There are some long bus trips involved, but we have a good time, just talking and hanging out. Plus, nowadays we have TVs, so we can watch movies and our favorite shows on the road to kill time. Personal CD players, DVD players and PSPs also make it that much easier to keep ourselves entertained. It doesn’t really bother us much.
PE: With all that technology do you ever think about what it was like not too long ago for the players that had to kill time on the long bus trips?
TL: You just have to go back and watch Bull Durham. Nuke is playing his guitar, they’re screwing around, reading books, sleeping, sharing advice (etc.). We still do those things, but the technology makes it more fun.
PE: Knowing that you’re your team’s Friday night starter, do you get fired up knowing that you’re going up against not only the best pitchers in your conference, but the best pitchers in the nation such as Dallas Buck, Ian Kennedy and Greg Reynolds?
TL: I don’t take any pitcher any lighter than another, because all of the teams in D1 baseball are pretty good teams. So it’s not like I’m facing Dallas Buck or Ian Kennedy. I have to go up there and pitch against their team, not them. There is the matchup, and I am aware of it, and you want to be a good pitcher. You also are competing with stats whether it be continuing a scoreless inning streak, striking out batter, not walking batters (etc.). I try my best not to think of those things, I’m just trying to help my team win.
PE: Is that hard to do, to stay in the moment, from pitch to pitch, batter to batter?
TL: I stay focused no matter what the situation is. If I have a bad inning I try to get over that as quickly as possible and move onto the next one.
PE: Since you mentioned the team concept given that you are a strikeout pitcher, what is more gratifying, a big strikeout in a key situation or an inning-ending double-play?
TL: An inning-ending double-play is great because usually you’re in a bind; runners are in scoring position or you may be struggling a little bit. Both help a lot. I love inducing the groundball to start a double-play behind me, and it gets me out of an inning with a shorter pitcher count. Obviously as a strikeout pitcher I love strikeouts too. Any way I can help the team, I don’t care, it doesn’t really matter to me.
PE: We’ve heard your fastball has been approaching the triple-digits this spring, what has it been clocked at regularly?
TL: I’ve hit triple digits a couple of times during games this year. For the most part I’m 94 to 95, and I hit 97 and 98 every now and then.
PE: There are also numerous reports from this spring that you are sustaining your velocity much better deeper into ballgames. What do you attribute that to?
TL: For the most part growing up I never had any problem throwing as hard from the first pitch to the last in any given game. My dad always joked with me that it looked like I was throwing harder in the last inning than I was in the first inning. We always said this was because your rhythm improves as the game progresses, you get in the flow of things and your form gets better because you’re using it (repeating) more. Things just feel better and come more naturally. Another thing I attribute that to is being in really good shape, a lot better shape than what I used to be. I’m bigger and stronger now, and having three other pitches that I trust, being able to throw them for strikes more often has allowed me to recognize how to use my fastball more effectively.
PE: Speaking of your father, it is reported that he is the one that has helped you develop your delivery. Your throwing motion is quite interesting and unorthodox, and draws some skepticism from those that watch you pitch. Could you explain it a little bit, where it came from and how it helps you?
TL: My dad grew up wanting to be a pitcher, everyone wants to be a pitcher when they’re little, so he and his father learned mechanics together, figuring out what helped the body feel good. It was kind of a “feel” way to pitching. That is the way he raised me, to keep me injury free and to keep my arm in shape. It’s all about using every part of your body, from your feet to your ears. You see pitchers out there throwing all arm or all upper-body and not using their legs, and those guys are the ones that are more likely to have arm problems down the road. When you look at me I have everything coming at you, like I said, from my foot to my ear in an attempt to get everything moving towards the plate. The arm’s just along for the ride.
PE: Were you ever close to signing a professional deal out of high school? How close were you last year to signing with the Indians?
TL: Not really. I was 99.9% that I was going to come to the “U” (University of Washington). I met all of the guys on the team and was pleased with the program. I was young at the time and lacking in street smarts. I know it was a really good decision for me to come to college, grow up a little bit more. I’ve gotten stronger, I’ve gotten bigger, I’ve developed more pitches and I’m throwing harder. I’ve gotten better as a person and a player the past three years. I considered it (entering pro ball), and got to see how the draft went which has helped prepare me for this year.
PE: From one good decision to another, this year you returned for your junior year despite being drafted last summer, and your success has allowed you to sky-rocket up draft charts as you’re now being considered for the first overall pick in this year’s draft. How close were you close to signing with the Indians last summer?
TL: I really wanted to sign last year, but I knew I had another year of eligibility with some leverage remaining as a junior, as opposed to if I were a senior. It’s been my life long dream to be a pitcher and play in the pros and eventually the big-leagues. I knew I could improve on some stuff, and I definitely have, so to me it wasn’t like I took a risk at the time by not signing.
PE: What things are you still working on as a player?
TL: My command has gotten better, but it still has room for improvement. My changeup isn’t great, it’s just another pitch to get the batters thinking. It helps me out when I need it, but it needs development. Not getting behind batters is something I need to work on, and that all has do with command, being able to come inside when you want to.
PE: Has one or two teams showed more interest than others, and do you have a pretty good idea of where you’ll be draft this June?
TL: I’ve seen and read comments about where I’m supposed to go from different newspapers, but I haven’t heard anything exactly from anyone’s mouth of where I’ll go. It’s their decision if they want to take me, and on draft day we will find out just where that is.
PE: Is there anything you would like to add, famous last words or basic words of wisdom?
TL: Size doesn’t matter. I’m not a big guy, and growing up I was always in the shadows of the bigger kids. Right now I’m on top of the world and I’m having a great time with it. I’m not becoming any different of a player, and I’m not getting big-headed because of it. Anyone can accomplish anything, no matter how big they are, as long as they work at it hard enough.
The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA. Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.