The Freak. The two Cy Young Awards. The 2010 World Series title. The regression. The frustration. The worries about his delivery and durability. The temporary move to the bullpen in last year’s playoffs. The World Series resurgence. Another championship. Then another decline, with a 5.12 ERA at the beginning of this June. For a while, we’ve wondered where Tim Lincecum goes from here. Saturday, for one night, we could again celebrate the marvel he’s been — and maybe still is. Lincecum threw the first no-hitter of his career — in the Giants' 9-0 win in San Diego — and there will be those who discredit it by saying he needed 148 pitches to do it. I won’t be one of them. A no-hitter is a no-hitter. If you record 27 outs against a major-league lineup without surrendering a hit, you deserve to be cheered wildly — as Lincecum was Saturday, by a predictably large contingent of Giants fans at Petco Park. So, Lincecum isn’t finished at age 29. In fact — although not yet his Cy Young self — he had restored his value to the San Francisco rotation long before blanking the Padres. Lincecum had a 3.83 ERA over his last seven starts before Saturday, while averaging more than one strikeout per inning. The Padres, who rank near the middle of the National League in runs scored, are a fairer barometer for judging a pitcher than they’ve been at any point in recent memory. And to the extent that Lincecum’s previous struggles could have been attributable to a temporary confidence shortage, Saturday’s performance should deliver a lasting ego boost. Now comes the fun part: Can the Giants really trade Lincecum now? - See more at: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...-for-san-francisco-giants-trade-rumors-071313
