Atomic RoadRunners

Trades:

Trade 1:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Reds SP Edinson Volquez (active), Brewers 1B Prince Fielder (active at 1B)
• Get Off Kong! receives: Giants SP Tim Lincecum, Mets SS Jose Reyes

Trade 2:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Giants AAA C Buster Posey
• Shoeless Jews receives: Cubs SS Ryan Theriot

FAAB Acquisitions:

• John Bowker, 1B/OF Giants ($5 bid, active at OF)
• Mat Latos, SP Padres ($5 bid, reserve)
• Brooks Conrad, 2B Braves ($0 bid, active at 2B)

Up:

• OF Chris Duncan

Down:

• 3B Mat Gamel

Move:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio (to 3B)
• 2B Brendan Ryan (to SS)
• SS Alex Cora (to MI)
• 1B Casey Kotchman (to CM)

Cut:

• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres
• OF Alex Romero

Notes:

• Lost on bidding for Pirates 1B/OFGarrett Jones.  I bid $5, The Pi Train bid $16
• Minor league starter Mat Latos re-joins the Roadrunners, as he was cut June 30th
• Giants OF John Bowker re-joins the Roadrunners.  He was on the squad for several months in 2008.

Tim Lincecum lost for the first time since April 12 after giving up four runs — three earned — in eight innings Wednesday against the Angels. Lincecum took a 3-1 lead into the eighth against a lineup missing Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero, but he couldn’t hold it after giving up four straight hits to start the frame. Two of those were delivered by Hunter and Guerrero as pinch-hitters. Lincecum dropped to 6-2 with a 2.72 ERA. Lincecum had nine strikeouts, and his numbers across the board are looking a lot like his Cy Young effort from a year ago. (Rotoworld)

Tim Lincecum yielded just one run on four hits over seven innings on Thursday night. Lincecum struck out 10 and walked only one, lowering his ERA to 3.45. He didn’t figure into the decision, as the pitcher’s duel wasn’t decided until the ninth inning. Lincecum will get the Braves next. (Rotoworld)

Tim Lincecum allowed five runs over six innings, but didn’t factor into the decision in an 8-6 loss on Friday night. Lincecum gave up a first inning RBI single to David Wright, but negotiated his way through the next four innings without a run scoring. However, he would yield two runs in the sixth, and leave without recording an out in the seventh, eventually charged with two more runs. He matched a season-high by giving up 10 hits. He also walked three and struck out eight in the no-decision. He’ll hope to rebound against the Padres next time out. (Rotoworld)

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits over six innings after winning his previous three starts on Sunday in a 7-5 (13) Giants win. Lincecum has not been as dominant as he was in 2008 to start the season despite winning his last three decisions coming into Sunday. He’s still a must-start Fantasy SP option whose K totals continue to be staggering despite the ERA only being at 3.25. (CBS Sports)

Tim Lincecum limited the Cubs to two runs and four hits over seven innings in a victory Tuesday. Lincecum wasn’t at his best, but the Cubs’ ‘B’ lineup still didn’t have much luck against him. The Cubs rested Ryan Theriot, Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Milton Bradley, and Geovany Soto on Tuesday, and it didn’t take much for the 2008 Cy Young winner to mow through a makeshift lineup. He struck out seven and walked two in a 113-pitch outing. This makes three straight wins for him after he opened the season 0-1 in his first three starts. (Rotoworld)

Tim Lincecum gave up three runs over seven innings in an 9-3 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night. Lincecum actually held the Dodgers scoreless over the first seven innings, but gave up a run and failed to get an out in the eighth inning before exiting the game. He would ultimately be responsible for three runs. He scattered six hits while striking out eight and walking three in his second win of the season. He has an outstanding 43/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31 1/3 innings pitched this season. While this was a step down from his previous starts, the Dodgers’ boast a much better offense than the Diamondbacks, who had been his opponents for the past two starts. He worked a perfect first three innings, and he did not get into any real trouble until the eighth inning, when he was pulled. After a bumpy start to his defense of his NL Cy Young Award, Lincecum has dramatically snapped back into his 2008 form in his past three starts, striking out 33 in 23 innings while allowing only four runs and 16 hits. He has won his last two starts while pitching into the eighth in three straight outings. Those who initially worried about Lincecum can put those concerns to bed He’ll pitch against the Cubs next. (Rotoworld, Rotowire, CBS Sports)

Tim Lincecum got his first win of the season, hurling eight one-run innings in a 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks on Friday night. Finally. Lincecum may have been slightly better in his last start, but he finally got the run support to secure his first victory. The only run Lincecum gave up scored on an RBI single by Doug Davis. Otherwise, Lincecum was dominant, scattering five hits while striking out 12 and walking just one. He has 25 strikeouts to just one walk over his last two starts. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner shut down the Diamondbacks for the second time in less than a week, allowing one run and five hits in eight innings. Lincecum (1-1) got a no-decision last Saturday in San Francisco, striking out 13 over eight shutout innings in a 2-0 loss to Arizona. A lot of people were worried about the young right after he went just three innings in his first start and posted a 7.86 ERA after two starts. But he hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts spanning 16 innings and has whiffed 25 in that span. Oh yeah, he worked his ERA down to 2.96. It seems Lincecum has started to begin his defense of the NL Cy Young. Continue to start the strikeout whiz in all Fantasy formats. His next scheduled start is for Wednesday against the Dodgers. Lincecum was 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two outings (one start) against the Dodgers last season. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Tim Lincecum struck out 13 batters during an eight-inning scoreless performance, but go no run support and left with a no-decision Saturday against the Giants. Lincecum didn’t walk a batter and was only at 98 pitches when he left in the eighth, but the Giants were obviously concerned about his endurance after he spent last week battling a flu-like sickness. Jeremy Afeldt blew it in the ninth for his first loss. Lincecum will take a 3.86 ERA and an 0-1 record into another series against the Diamondbacks next week. “It’s the nature of the game that once in a while the other team scratches out a win and sometimes you scratch out a win,” said Lincecum, who gave up 14 hits and seven runs in his previous two starts while battling a stomach ailment. “I didn’t have too many rough innings and didn’t get my pitch count up. My landing point was off the last few outings and I just needed to figure out what I was doing wrong.” Lincecum didn’t walk anyone and struck out Conor Jackson three times while getting Reynolds twice in a no decision. With no run support from his teammates, Lincecum failed to get his first win of 2009 and the Giants lost for the seventh time in eight games. “That’s the Timmy we know,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “He did his job. We squandered too many opportunities. We’re sputtering offensively.” (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Team doctors gave Tim Lincecum a clean bill of health Thursday after becoming ill Wednesday. Lincecum flew back to San Francisco to have a medical exam after becoming sick. Lincecum was worried that it was related the bronchitis he suffered from in spring training. For his part, the pitcher hasn’t used the illness as an excuse for his 0-1 and 7.56 ERA through two starts thus far. According to manager Bruce Bochy, Lincecum saw a doctor, and the exam didn’t reveal any health problems. Lincecum is still expected to start Saturday against the Diamondbacks. Lincecum had two bouts of illness in spring training, including a bad case of bronchitis. He also split the nail on the middle finger of his pitching hand in his second spring start, which made him unable to do a lot of his usual side work, according to pitching coach Dave Righetti. Maybe this can partially explain his poor start to the season as well as a slight loss in velocity. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Tim Lincecum said he noticed a flaw in his delivery while watching tape of his first two starts, the Giants’ official site reports. No, he didn’t mean his wacky delivery is inherently flawed, but the delivery hasn’t been wacky enough in the two starts in which he was hit pretty good. Lincecum explained it using terms such as “axes” and “torque,” but there’s a reason we didn’t take physics after high school. It seems like the error is reparable, and Lincecum should return to his pre-season, post-Cy Young promise. (Rotowire)

Tim Lincecum struggled for a second straight outing by allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Padres on Sunday. Four runs in 5 1/3 innings may not seem so bad, but the combination of high expectations for Lincecum and low expectations for the Padres’ lineup make it a disappointing outing. He also gave up 10 hits and walked three, though he did strike out five. Either it is just taking Lincecum a few starts to settle into the season, or there is more to the rumors of a finger blister problem than has been reported. Long-term he will be fine, but for the moment there is legitimate concern about his lack of effectiveness. Play him anyway of course, barring an injury announcement, he should settle down sooner rather than later. Since there’s been no reports of physical ailments there is no reason to worry, and Lincecum is a few more bad starts from becoming a buy-low candidate. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Tim Lincecum was removed from Monday’s game after reaching 78 pitches in just three innings. He struck out five, but walked three, hit a batter and gave up three runs on four hits. No injuries have been reported here to justify the early removal, so we’ll chalk it up to ineffectiveness and the high pitch count unless we hear otherwise. He was in line for the win, and was replaced by rookie Joe Martinez. Perhaps the confusion before the game, with the Giants originally indicating the game would be pushed back at least an hour due to rain, only to start it a mere 23 minutes late, had something to do with Lincecum’s poor showing. (Rotowire, Rotoworld)

Update: The Giants confirmed that Tim Lincecum did not suffer an injury during Tuesday’s game. Lincecum was already up to 78 pitches after three innings. The Giants simply opted to go with middle reliever Joe Martinez to start the fourth inning when it was obvious that Lincecum didn’t have his best stuff. (Rotoworld)

Tim Lincecum said Monday that he’s open to continuing contract extension talks into the season. Giants GM Brian Sabean appreciates the openness, but isn’t so sure the two sides will agree on figures in this kind of economic climate. “We’re open to it, but in this climate, with what’s going on with the economics in the country and until we see how it affects baseball, I don’t know how wise that would be,” Sabean said. Lincecum will earn $650,000 this season. (Rotoworld)

Tim Lincecum yielded three runs in 5 2/3 innings and struck out eight Thursday in a win over the Athletics. Lincecum isn’t yet firing on all cylinders, but he’s hardly pitching badly. We’re guessing that you’ll probably want to go ahead and start him next week if you’re fortunate enough to own him. (Rotoworld)