NL West: There's no need to freak out on Lincecum

Baseball Betting Lines

06/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Lincecum loses back-to-back starts and the entire city of San Francisco goes into a panic.

Oh my word, the two-time defending National League Cy Young honoree is mired in a slump and may need Life Alert for the rest of his starts.

Give me a break!

What's the point in playing or watching this game if superstars never went through downturns? There's none whatsoever in a sport that statistics are the ultimate measuring stick for greatness. And to be quite honest, Lincecum is already great and just needs to make some adjustments. Whether it's mechanical, physical or mental, Lincecum hasn't been himself lately to the tune of a 1-2 record and a 4.43 earned run average in his last seven starts.

Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and even Mariano Rivera have all experienced adversity. But their ability to regroup is what separates them from the rest.

Lincecum, aka the Freak, has given up at least three earned runs in three straight and four of his last six trips to the mound, and hasn't pitched more than 5 2/3 innings in any of his previous three outings. Suddenly, Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez is the most dominating pitcher in the National League and he proved that against Lincecum in a Memorial Day showdown on Monday. Maybe it was the ugly white hats MLB ran out for the holiday that spoiled Lincecum's day, but then again Jimenez was wearing the same type of cap.

Control has been the biggest issue for the Giants ace, who has walked at least five batters in four consecutive starts. Lincecum has also permitted 14 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings spanning his last three starts, pushing his ERA from 1.76 to 3.14. Like all stud pitchers current and past, Lincecum will encounter slumps like these and just needs to dig deep to restore his confidence.

"I try not to sit too much on the negative," Lincecum told the team's website. "There's too much negative going on right now."

Lincecum is slated to take the hill this weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. On a more positive note, he is 2-0 in five road starts in 2010 for a Giants squad 3 1/2 games off the lead in the NL West. The Giants are already pulling their hair with Matt Cain and will be bald at season's end if Lincecum falls into the same trap.

San Francisco (28-24) will visit Pittsburgh for three games before heading to Cincinnati for a four-game set at Great American Ball Park, and has won five of the past seven games.

In other team news, newly-acquired outfielder Pat Burrell is getting his swings in at Triple-A Fresno, hitting .417 with a home run and four RBI as of Wednesday. Burrell was recently signed by the club and is looking to restore his image as a slugger after a dreadful stint with Tampa Bay. Burrell, of course, won the 2008 World Series with Philadelphia and is still a threat.

D'BACKS BURNING UP IN THE DESERT

Whether it's the heat or some gypsy curse, the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks have put scoring runs and winning games on pause.

Mired in a season-long 10-game losing streak, including all nine of a recent road trip, the Diamondbacks have scored five or more runs just once during its current slide. The 10 straight losses are the most since an 11-game slump from June 18-29, 2004, while the franchise mark for consecutive losses is 14 set from July 9-25 that same year.

History was made when the D'Backs went winless on a nine-game trek following Wednesday's 1-0 loss in 14 innings at Los Angeles. They fell to 1-25 when scoring fewer than three runs despite nine scoreless innings from disappointing starter and newcomer Edwin Jackson. Jackson is just one of many pitchers who were deprived of run support on the road trip.

"I wouldn't wish this road trip upon anybody," Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said on the team's site. "We've got to get back to putting up quality plate appearances."

Hinch's club scored four runs in the LA series and they all came in the opening game (5-4). Arizona extended a scoreless innings streak to a franchise-record 31 innings, while the Major League record of 48 is owned by the 1968 Chicago Cubs. Prior to the loss in the series finale with the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks had allowed a home run in a season-high 12 straight games and have given up an MLB-high 28 home runs since May 20. Surprisingly, they entered Wednesday's tilt in Hollywood ranked first in the National League in doubles (112), second in walks (201), third in runs (257), home runs (63), slugging percentage (.428) and OPS (.756).

The D'Backs (20-34) have showed no signs of those numbers since their last win on May 22 versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite eight scoreless innings in a no-decision the last time out, starter Dan Haren has shown no signs of life lately with a 1-3 mark and a 6.00 earned run average in five starts since opening the 2010 campaign 4-1 in his first seven outings. He isn't slated to start again until June 7 versus the Atlanta Braves. Until then, he'll have to figure out what's eating his game.

Arizona, last in the NL West at 12 1/2 games off the lead, hopes its recent deal for beleaguered starter Dontrelle Willis eventually pays off. Willis was acquired from Detroit on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Billy Buckner. His first start is slated for tomorrow versus the Colorado Rockies in the second portion of a three-game series.

The high-kicking lefty has experienced a myriad of setbacks since his dominant days with the Florida Marlins, and hopes a change of scenery will be key.

"I'm looking forward to getting out West in some of that good weather and playing some good baseball," said Willis, who went 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA in eight starts and one relief appearance for the Tigers in 2010.

The D'Backs will also host Atlanta and St. Louis on the lengthy homestand.

PADRES TAKE SHOW TO THE ROAD

Who says a low payroll can't produce wins?

The San Diego Padres are ranked near the bottom in salary, but it doesn't seem to keep them out of first place in the National League West. Clinging to a slim 1 1/2-game lead over Los Angeles in the division, the Padres entered June with the best record in the National League for the first time in team history.

San Diego (32-21) is coming off a nine-game homestand in which it went 6-3, and has posted an 11-2-2 series mark since dropping two of three in each of the first three series of 2010. Adrian Gonzalez was the hero with a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning of a 5-1 victory over the Mets on Wednesday. The nine games at home featured three extra-inning, walk-off wins for the Padres.

"We've been on the fortunate side of most of the walk-offs this year, Friars outfielder Tony Gwynn said. "We just want to keep plugging away. We're doing a fantastic job with our pitching and our timely hitting, and we're playing good defense. When you have those three as a recipe, it's usually going to lead to some victories."

Gwynn and the Padres hope to remain sharp tonight in the opener of a four-game series in Philadelphia, followed by a three-game series against the Mets.

Padres starter Jon Garland will put his unbeaten streak to the test this weekend in south Philly, and is a sizzling 6-0 with a 1.58 earned run average in nine starts since losing his first two outings of 2010. Garland has yielded a total of eight runs in his last six starts, and will try for his first career win against the Phillies. He is 0-3 in four career starts with an 8.02 earned run average.

DODGERS STILL HANGING AROUND IN NL WEST

As the Los Angeles Dodgers wait for San Diego to fall back to earth, they're still keeping stride in the National League West Division.

The Dodgers (31-23) are 18-6 since early May and sit just 1 1/2 games behind the Padres for the NL West lead. Even though their four-game win streak was halted in Thursday's loss to the just-as-hot Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers are still headed in the right direction despite falling to 3-1 on a 13-game homestand. They kicked off the residency with a three-game sweep of Arizona.

With an 18-9 home mark, Joe Torre's club doesn't seem to mind that slugger Manny Ramirez is mired in a lengthy slump since returning from the disabled list May 8. He is batting only .188 after his stint on the DL and owns a total of three hits in the previous nine games.

"I don't think we rely on him," Torre noted on LA's site. "When he's not hitting, it makes it a little tougher, but I don't think we rely. After what went on last year [with Ramirez's 50-game drug suspension] and earlier this year [during his DL stint], we've won a lot of games without him in the lineup. Manny, at times, puts extra pressure on himself. But I don't think that if he's not contributing that we can't produce."

Andre Ethier must still be bothered by an injured pinkie finger and has no homers or RBI in his last four games. He has just three hits over that stretch for the Dodgers, who will also host the Cardinals and Angels at Chavez Ravine.

ROX'S OLIVO DESERVES MORE CREDIT

Colorado Rockies newcomer Miguel Olivo isn't even listed in the top five for National League All-Star catchers, sitting behind the likes of St. Louis' Yadier Molina, Philadelphia's Carlos Ruiz and Ivan Rodriguez of Washington.

Olivo, who belted a career-high 23 home runs for Kansas City last season, finds himself in a familiar spot in his new digs. One year after catching AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke for the Royals, Olivo may get a chance to back another Cy Young candidate in Ubaldo Jimenez.

The veteran catcher is currently tied with Seth Smith for the team lead in homers with eight, and also owns 25 runs batted in. Olivo and the Rockies had won two straight and eight of 10 games before being denied a three-game sweep of San Francisco with a 4-1 loss on Wednesday.

"It's a good series to win, but we came in here expecting to sweep," Rockies healthy starter Jeff Francis said. "We're in a good place, we're winning some ball games lately and playing some good baseball."

The Rockies (28-25) are four games off the lead in the NL West Division and just lost for only the third time in 11 tries against San Francisco. They will face Arizona tonight in the opener of a three-game series at Chase Field. The D'Backs were swept in three games at Colorado to open their road trip and have lost four of six matchups between the clubs this season -- all at Coors Field.

Colorado has won 10 of the past 13 games in the series with Arizona and is in the midst of 12 consecutive games against division members. The Rockies own a 6-3 mark so far on the division tour.