Thoughts on Lincecum:
- He got a ton of swingthroughs...the first time through the lineup. Then the velocity dropped, which I don't remember as a problem in the minors. The velocity dropped to 91-93, though, which isn't far off from where he supposed to be. That makes me think his heart was thipping like a hummingbird's at the start of the game.
- Straight fastball? Pffffft. Maybe he's fiddled with his grip since that was the early rap on him, but I didn't exactly see an two-dimensional Brett Tomko special. The pitch to Ryan Howard was a pitch-on-a-string, but his fastball had a little more movement than I thought it would.
- After the first-inning hanger to Shane Victorino, Lincecum didn't throw more than a handful of breaking balls. I don't know if that was an improvised call from Bengie Molina, or if it was a predetermined decision. Matt Cain used throw an overwhelming majority of fastballs in his first few starts, and Jason Schmidt would occassionally wait until the second
- Cole Hamels is good. I would totally trade Steve Kline to get him if it came to that. Okay, that isn't really a thought on Lincecum, but dang. Good looking young pitcher.
- It would have been a lot cooler if Lincecum pitched a perfect game. But it would be way too easy to read too much into a pitcher's first start. There were good things, there were bad things. I can't wait for his next start.