Tim Lincecum Solid Again – Giants Magic Number is 7

Lincecum is 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA since the All-Star break

It wasn’t all that long ago that many people were asking what is wrong with Tim Lincecum. On Tuesday, Lincecum tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out six as the Giants reduced their magic number to seven with a 6-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Marco Scutaro had three singles, drove in a run and scored twice and Xavier Nady had two RBI singles for the Giants (85-63), who moved a season-high 22 games over.500.

Lincecum began his own personal reclamation project after struggling through the first half of the season.

At the All-Star break Lincecum was 3-10 with a 6.42 ERA in 18 starts. Since taking a “nothing to lose” approach, Lincecum is 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA in 13 starts, all of which makes the San Francisco Giants a very formidable team in the playoffs. The Giants can feature Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Madison Bumgarner,  and Lincecum in a playoff series.

“I know it’s been a long year. You never stop working,” Lincecum said. “I feel like I’m getting back to that point. I still feel like I’m grinding a little bit, but those harder situations are getting a little bit easier to get out of.”

Giants have that 2010 look again

Undeterred by the suspension of outfielder Melky Cabrera, the Giants are hitting their stride at just the right time. Scutaro who was added in a trade with the Rockies prior to the deadline has 52 multi-hit games tying him with Cabrera for the second-most in the National League.

Hunter Pence  who came to the San Francisco Giants in a trade with the Phillies for OF Nate Schierholtz and minor league reliever Seth Rosin  now has 36 RBI with the Giants.

Buster Posey has thrust him self into the National League MVP discussion along with Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutchen.  Since the All-Star break, Posey is batting .393 AVG/.470 OBP/.658 SLG, 11 homers, 46 RBI, so that may be a really short discussion.

Since the middle of August, Angel Pagan has helped Giants fans forget Cabrera. Pagan has scored almost a run a game, hit north of .330 and posted an OPS over .930.

While the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds may be getting the headlines now, the Giants of 2012 may be a better team than the 2010 Giants that won the World Series. The Giants certainly have that look of 2010 at the right time of the year in 2012.