In 2008 through 2011 there was no doubt who the most feared pitcher in the National League was. Despite being only being 5' 11" and possessing a slim frame, Tim Lincecum made it difficult for hitters to sleep. In fact, his dominance was so evident that in back-to-back years he won the NL Cy Young (2008 & 2009) for his excellence with the Giants. His powerful mechanics featured an enormous stride for such a small body that allowed him to bump up his velocity when he wanted. Arguably the best pitch in his repertoire was his split finger change up that when it was right, would drop severely. Lincecum utilized his strengths well and managed his weaknesses in a great way. In fact, through the three year period of 2008-2010, Lincecum led the league in strikeouts and aided his team to a World Series Championship. It had seemed that the Major League's next best pitcher was going to stay around for a very long time and continue to be a competitorUnfortunately, nothing lasts forever. After his years of dominance, there was an extreme drop off in production from Lincecum in 2012. He still won ten plus games, but his losses overpowered what he was doing well on the mound. His strikeout numbers dropped, a statistic that used to be a sense of pride for him. Slowly Giants fans watched the catastrophic collapse of a man they deemed the "Freak" for his long hair and electrifying mechanics. After winning the 2014 World Series for the third time in five years, the Giants received little contribution from their once great ace. Eventually Madison Bumgarner asserted himself as the next great Giants pitcher and consequently pushed Lincecum out of the starting rotation.

In 2015 Lincecum was downgraded to being trusted with bullpen duties. He saw some success coming in relief, but lacked consistency. Injuries plagued him as he desperately tried to hang on to his former self. On Thursday it was announced that Lincecum would miss the rest of the season with a hip injury he couldn't overcome. It is speculated that this hip issue is stemmed from his aggressive stride to the plate. This stress on his hip had forced him to come to the conclusion he will need season ending surgery to correct it.

Although the Giants didn't use their former ace all that often, an extra arm would have been valuable down the stretch. The Giants are currently attempting to claw their way back into first place by overtaking the Dodgers. When it comes to his future with the Giants, Lincecum's value is undetermined. If the Giants wish to keep him for future seasons, they will first need to be assured not only that his hip is good to go, but also that he can compete on the mound. Could this be the making of the 2016 comeback player of the year? Only time will tell, but don't give up on this fiery competitor Lincecum.