This is a little early (with only 4 career starts), but premature hype is what we're all about here at Complete Sports.Anyway, consider this me officially being the first to hype Tim Lincecum as a possible Cy Young candidate. Obviously, with any young pitcher there are injury risks, but as long as he stays healthy I think he has the talent to win the Cy Young as a rookie, like Liriano might have been able to do last year.
Linceum struggled in his first start on national TV against the Phillies, lasting only 4.1 IP and allowing 5 ER. Since then, he has been lights out. Here are his 2 starts since:
5/11 - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 K, 1 BB
5/17 - 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 10 K, 1 BB
5/22 - 8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
Not bad.
Through 4 starts he's 2-0 with a 3.08 ERA. He also has 25 K/8 BB in 26.1 IP, and has allowed only 3 HR in those 26.1 IP. He's striking out batters are a very good rate, not walking many guys (only 3 BB in his last 22. IP over 3 starts).
In short, I think he has the ability to be one of the top pitchers in the League this year as long he can stay healthy. His minor league track record is fantastic, and he has been brilliant in the Majors since his first start. Twice he has gone head to head with Roy Oswalt, and the results have been great.
When Lincecum is one of the top contenders for the Cy Young this year, well, you heard it here first.