San Francisco Giants: Comeback team of the year?

There’s no doubt that Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants should start for the National League in the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday in St. Louis.

Not only is Lincecum the reigning NL Cy Young award winner, he also:

Leads the league in winning percentage (.833)
Is tied for the lead in wins (10)
Ranks second in ERA (2.33)

Lincecum and All-Star teammate Main Cain certainly form the league’s best 1-2 duo.

Don’t be surprised if they lead the Giants to the wild card berth (finishing behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.)

After them, San Francisco’s starting rotation isn’t that shabby.

Despite currently being on the DL, Randy Johnson has shown he still has something left at the age of 45.

Barry Zito isn’t worth anything near his $18 million annual contract for each of seven seasons, but he is pitching well enough to be a factor in the Giants’ success again.

These four could provide the Giants with a formidable rotation if/when they make the playoffs.

Considering San Francisco hasn’t finished better over the past four seasons than 75-87 in 2005, it could be called the “comeback team of the year.”

Peavy: Another Koufax or Carlton?

Think about pitchers such as Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson and Dwight Gooden for a minute.

What do they have in common?

Since 1940, they are the only men to lead the league in wins, earned run average and strikeouts.

There could soon be an addition to their exclusive club … or have you not noticed the type season Jake Peavy of the Padres is having?

Peavy leads the National League in wins (16), ERA (2.10) and strikeouts (206).

If he isn’t the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award in 2007, then Mr. Ed wasn’t a talking horse.

Now, the Padres will try something unique by pitching Peavy on three days’ rest tonight at Arizona.

No less an expert than Tony Gwynn questioned the move on Channel 4 San Diego’s telecast last night and probably for good reason. Peavy was originally scheduled to pitch Friday night against Colorado, a much better hitting team than Arizona.

So far, everything has turned up roses for Peavy this year.

We’ll see if starting him tonight is a panic move or another in a long series of decisions by Manager Bud Black that turned out golden in 2007.

Randy Johnson: Is He Washed Up?

Is Randy Johnson washed up at age 43?
We’ll begin to find out tonight when Johnson makes his season debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the San Diego Padres.
You could argue that Johnson won 17 games each of the past two seasons for the New York Yankees. To counter that, consider that Johnson’s ERA has risen from 2.60 in 2004 with the Diamondbacks to 3.79 and 5.00 in the past two respective seasons with the Yankees.
Certainly, the Big Unit benefited from a Yankees lineup that is as potent as any around. He won’t enjoy the same luxury with an Arizona team that has lost four straight and scored three runs in its last three games.
Johnson made three rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues this year while working his way back from offseason back surgery. He’s a hero in Arizona, where he won four of his five Cy Young awards from 1999 to 2002 and was co-MVP of the 2001 World Series along with Diamondbacks teammate Curt Schilling.
Arizona is certainly banking on Johnson to still be the Big Unit, as opposed to a smaller unit. The Diamondbacks signed him in January to a two-year, $26 million contract. He’s being paid $4 million this year, $10 million next year and has a $12 million signing bonus payable through 2010.
Even if he is not the same this time around, the Diamondbacks will consider him a good investment because of what he brought to them in the past and what he brings in present marketing value.
Johnson pitches tonight against San Diego’s David Wells, another 43-year-old. In fact, their combined ages will be the oldest in history of two major league left-handed starting pitchers facing each other.
Both still have that competitive fire, but are they still competitive at age 43? We’ll know by September.