Jeff Francoeur is signed and the Giants get 3 straight wins and Timmy gets a no-no. In case you were wondering, the Giants are also 3-0 since the airing of Sharknado on SyFy. (See Irrelevant Coincidental Facts).
In other news, Tim Lincecum just threw 148 pitches to complete the 15th No-hitter in Giants' history!
Let me repeat that in case you still don't believe it. BIG TIME TIMMY JIM JUST PITCHED A NO-NO!!!! (ZOMG!!!)
Got it?
In a game where we all wondered whether Bochy was going to keep him in the game past the 7th inning, I think we all realized or at least remembered that this is Bochy we're talking about. Bochy will not take a pitcher out while he's in the midst of a no-hitter/perfect game. This just will not happen. The only way that Bochy takes him out is if Timmy's arm literally fell out of it's socket, and even then, Bochy might have him throw a couple test throws with his left to see if he could continue on.
No, we all knew Timmy was staying in this game until he gave up a hit or he completed the game. Thankfully for all of us it was the latter and we got to see this.
I love the subdued look on Timmy's face like... "Well that just happened..." and when Posey bear hugs him he's like "Weeeee! Yay!"
Yes I am absolutely sure that is what his inner monologue was like in those moments.
***
The best part of this no-hitter is that it came out of the depths of nowhere. Sure Timmy has been pitching better as of late, and we were starting to see some of the 2009 Timmy in his last start, but a no-hitter? Even against one of the worst teams in the division, no one saw this coming.
What makes me so happy to see this is because of this very improbability. I kid you not that I thought of this scenario just the other day and with a tinge of sadness by the way. I thought to myself: with all the success that Lincecum has had, it's a real shame that he's probably missed his window to getting a no-hitter or perfect game. If he was going to do it he could've done it anywhere from 2008 to 2010 when his stuff was nearly unhittable anyway.
When his fastball topped out at 91-92, I was pretty sure the opportunity for Timmy to pitch a no-hitter in his career was pretty slim if not impossible. But little by little in the past few starts, we've seen a brand new Tim Lincecum. We've seen a guy who knows where to locate his pitches and where and when to throw his breaking balls so that he still can fool hitters and get them to swing and miss. This was not the blow-em away Tim Lincecum with a 98 mph fastball and deadly changeup. This was the crafty Tim Lincecum carving up hitters with his breaking balls and getting the same swings and misses because they honestly didn't see them coming.
Yes, it took 148 pitches, but in a way that makes it even more amazing. If there was a pitcher that Bochy would've let get to 148 pitches, it would've been Timmy. For much of his career he didn't even ice his arm after starts. Although I'm pretty sure he'd better ice it today, he was still feeling good all through the 9th inning.
There's still a big shot that he doesn't come back next year because this is his free agent year and as sad as that prospect might be because of all the good memories this kid has brought us as Giants fans, I couldn't be happier that he was able to provide us with this one tonight.
To the Freak!
***
In any no-hitter or perfect game you look to some of the defensive plays that made it happen and most notably it was the sliding catch by Hunter Pence to end the 8th inning.
However, I'd like to highlight the one earlier made by the overweight Panda himself ranging to the 3rd base line and firing missile to Brandon Belt to get the out. Just when people started to get on his weight and that he wasn't contributing to this team, Panda has started to hit, and his defense has come back too. He was still pulled in the 9th for Arias as a defensive replacement, but I am very confident with Panda at 3rd, I just hope he continues to lose some weight.
***
Laws of the Day
More stats from the no-no:
Timmy beat out Randy Johnson for the most strikes thrown in a no-hitter since 2000 at 96 strikes.
Timmy's 29 swings and misses also is tied for first for the most in a no-hitter.
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