Former UW star Lincecum accepts demotion to minor leagues

Published 6:34 pm Tuesday, August 9, 2016

By Mike Cranston

Associated Press

CHICAGO — Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum has accepted a demotion to the Los Angeles Angels’ Triple-A team.

The Angels announced Tuesday that Lincecum plans to report to Salt Lake City this week, where he will be a starter.

“It’s impossible to practice the things he’s working on at the major league level,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said before their game against the Chicago Cubs. “This is not a trial and error theater here. You have to be able to do it.”

The Angels designated Lincecum for assignment Saturday after he went 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA in nine starts since signing on May 20 following left hip surgery. The 32-year-old right-hander, who helped the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles, had the right to refuse a minor league assignment after no other team claimed him off waivers.

Lincecum signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Angels after holding a showcase workout in Arizona for most major league teams.

Scioscia said Lincecum has to adjust to a loss in fastball velocity.

“There’s no doubt that it was easier for Tim to get back in counts when he was throwing 95-96,” Scioscia said. “It was easier for his off-speed pitch to work better when he had the velocity. He has enough velocity. This guy has not gone from 96 down to 83 mph. This guy is still touching 90, which is plenty and he has deception in his delivery.

“He’s more command-sensitive now than he was five years ago and that’s something that he has to wrap his arms around.”

Scioscia said right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will take Lincecum’s spot in the rotation and start Thursday at Cleveland.

The banged-up Angels also placed reliever Cam Bedrosian on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right middle finger. Right-hander A.J. Achter’s contract was selected from Salt Lake City.

Bedrosian had been part of the Angels’ closer-by-committee with Huston Street on the disabled list.

“He felt it for about a week and it was something he could pitch with,” Scioscia said of Bedrosian. “But it flared up the other day. . I don’t think he’s going to throw for at least a week, so it’s going to take some time.”

Los Angeles also claimed left-hander Brett Oberholtzer off waivers from Philadelphia, where he had a 4.83 ERA.

“He’ll fit into our pen,” Scioscia said.