After a pretty painful loss in Atlanta yesterday, Tim Lincecum looks to get the Giants back on the winning side of things, giving them both a winning road trip (4-4 as of now), and a winning record in June (6-6 now). A loss would mean both a sub-.500 road trip and a sub-.500 record this month. Since May, Lincecum has had two acceptable starts, and they both lasted seven innings, one recently against the Blue Jays at home, and the other at home against… the Braves. Tonight’s starter, Julio Teheran, was not his sparring mate that day in May at AT&T, however the young gun also had his own seven inning outing in San Francisco, giving up one homer in a 3 ER effort.
Jun 11, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum (55) throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
In game previews, I like to use Brooks Baseball information they provide about the different pitcher’s performances for the year. In terms of pitch usage for Lincecum, this is how he’s used his pitches this year:
You can understand why Timmy struggles if that four-seamer isn’t hitting his spots: used 29% of the time to LHH and nearly half the time to RHH, hitters can either spit on the breaking balls, or wait back for them to come into the strike zone. With Lincecum, I hope for the fastball to hit the spots, and if that’s going, it shouldn’t be a bad night for the Giants.
June 5, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran (49) pitches in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
For the right-handed Teheran here’s what we’re looking at:
A three pitch mix to RHH mostly in the fastball, two-seamer, and slider, all quicker pitches. Uses the slider less to LHH, and will throw in the curveball and the changeup more often to those hitters. So many many lefties get to see that expanded arsenal tonight?
Tonight's (6/16) #sfgiants lineup - Blanco CF, Crawford SS, Posey C, Pence RF, Belt 1B, Torres LF, Arias 3B, Noonan 2B and Lincecum RHP
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 16, 2013
Five, as Brandon Crawford moves back into the two spot, and Nick Noonan gets a start, and in his last one he went two-for-five in the Giants’ farewell bashing of the Pirates. The Braves will throw this out there for your Sunday Night viewing pleasure:
Tonight's lineup vs. SF (8:05, ESPN/680AM/BRN): Simmons 6 Heyward 9 JUpton 7 Freeman 3 BUpton 8 McCann 2 CJohnson 5 Pena 4 Teheran 1
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 16, 2013
Andrelton Simmons still has a .281 on base percentage, has only two stolen bases, and I realize B.J. Upton is struggling, but come on, Fredi Gonzalez.
—————————————–
Other notes, specifically on Angel Pagan and Pablo Sandoval, and I’ll let the beat writers take this one:
Pagan said he had a PRP (platelet rich plasma) injection this week and that reset timetable. Very optimistic he'll be back soon.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) June 16, 2013
Pagan said he's excited where he is now, but still feels pain when he cuts around bases. Expects rehab assignment in minors. #sfgiants.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) June 16, 2013
Pagan expects to go on minor league rehab assignment. Optimistic he'll be ready soon but hasn't run bases yet and so no exact date in mind.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 16, 2013
Bochy: surgery for Pagan remains on table until he's back playing, but team likes progress since last Sunday's PRP injection. #sfgiants.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) June 16, 2013
Sandoval doing well, doubtful he'll need a minor league rehab assignment before he's activated. Pagan would need 12-15 at-bats.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 16, 2013
Really some medically fascinating performance enhancing stuff there (to me) that Pagan gets to have. I just want him to be as close to 100% as possible, and I understand why surgery wouldn’t be an attractive option — 6-8 weeks is not a short time. Good news on the Panda, wouldn’t mind having him back out there.
Game time is 5:05PM PST, and you can find the game on ESPN.