The San Francisco Giants are moving up Tim Lincecum‘s next start to tonight while pushing Madison Bumgarner to tomorrow’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With Monday’s day off, Lincecum is pitching on his “normal” rest, and there should be no sign of fatigue with the change in the two-time Cy Young award winner.
Bumgarner, in his rookie season, is getting a welcome extra day off. As a rookie, Bumgarner has thrown more innings this year than he ever has in his life. To give the rookie an extra day of rest going into his last start of the season will only make him stronger.
The move doesn’t give the Giants a strategic advantage in terms of matchups or anything in the games themselves, it is, however, a move that gives the Giants an advantage looking forward.
That advantage is by moving Tim Lincecum’s start up to tonight, now Lincecum will have extra rest to pitch either a tie breaker game to get into the playoffs (if necessary) or will have the extra rest to start Game 1 of the Divisional Series.
Either way, this minor move is the perfect adjustment to set the Giants up for November baseball.
Bruce Bochy is putting both of his young starters in the best possible positions to succeed, based on their respective roles within the organization.
Looking forward to end the regular season, the Giants have Lincecum and Bumgarner against the Diamondbacks for two games and then Zito, Cain (win day), and Sanchez (time to back up all that talking) in that order in a series against the Padres that will determine the outcome of the entire regular season.
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