NL Division Series Game 1: Giants 1, Braves 0

Who says playoff experience is important? Tim Lincecum, who has no playoff experience, just pitched arguably the best game of his career in his first playoff game.

Again, no playoff experience.

Lincecum’s line was 9 innings, 2 hits, 14 strikeouts, and 1 walk. The 14 strikeouts were the most by a pitcher since 2000 when Roger Clemens had 15 strikeouts. The 14 strikeouts is also a Giants postseason record.

Again, no playoff experience.

I harp on the playoff experience because ever blogger and writer has made a mention of how the San Francisco Giants do not have a lot of players with said playoff experience and that could likely be a cause of their failure. Well they are right; the Giants have ten players of their 25 on the postseason roster who have played in the postseason. Interestingly enough, the players who made an impact in the game tonight, Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and Cody Ross, do not have any playoff experience.

Buster Posey went 2 for 4 with a double, a run scored, and a stolen base. Although, the stolen base was not really a stolen base, it still counts if he is called safe. The run scored was the only run that the Giants scored and it happened on Cody Ross’ RBI single past third baseman Omar Infante’s glove.

That one run was all Tim Lincecum needed to win the game. He was dealing all game and except for the two doubles, Omar Infante’s double in the first inning and Brian McCann’s double in the seventh, Lincecum was mowing the Atlanta Braves hitters down with his slider and his changeup and still rearing back with his low 90’s fastball all the way until the end of the game. Lincecum’s last pitch, a fastball, checked in at 93 MPH.

The one question that was discussed on Twitter between some Giants fans and bloggers was whether Bruce Bochy should have pulled Lincecum out after the 8th inning or let him keep going like he did. Personally, I thought that he should have pulled him out since he was over 100 pitches and just in case you needed him on short rest. With the bullpen throwing the way they have been, especially Brian Wilson, my thought is that you save Lincecum for another day.

One of the other arguments was that you keep your best pitcher in the game because it only takes one mistake to tie the game up. It is true that Lincecum is the Giants best pitcher but he is just as likely to give up that one run with the fatigue that he had as the Giants bullpen is to give up the run.

Either way it worked out for tonight. We can review the situation again if the Giants need to bring Timmy back on short rest. Hopefully, they won’t.

The Giants are back at it tomorrow with Matt Cain on the mound, another player with no playoff experience, and then head to Atlanta for two games.