A giant feat for Lincecum

Tim Lincecum is the second Giant to win the Cy Young. (Eric Risberg/Associated Press)

Tim Lincecum has a lot of nicknames, but let's give him one that would be most apropos: "The Event."

Those who watch the newly crowned National League Cy Young Award winner on a regular basis feel he's capable of doing something special every time he takes the mound. There haven't been many pitchers in recent years that you can say that about. Pedro Martínez and Roger Clemens were two around here. Josh Beckett has shown to be one as well.

What's endearing about the second-year San Francisco Giants righthander is his slight stature and unassuming ways.

During the days when I was following Barry Bonds's home run chase, I remember a national reporter asking, "Why does the clubhouse kid dress so close to Bonds?"

The "clubhouse kid" was Lincecum, who is 5 feet 11 inches, 170 pounds, and looks like he's 16, but pitches like someone who could wind up in the Hall of Fame.

"It doesn't matter whether you're 5-11 or 6-5 when you're a major league pitcher," said Lincecum at his press conference yesterday in San Francisco. "You go out there trying to do the same thing - get hitters out. However you accomplish that is fine, as long as you do it. I've dealt with talk about my size all of my life, so it's nothing new for me."

Lincecum, who went 18-5 this year, beat out 22-game winner (and former Cy Young recipient) Brandon Webb of Arizona by a comfortable margin, getting 23 of 32 first-place votes and 137 points to Webb's 73. Mets lefthander Johan Santana finished third with 55 points, and fourth was Phillies closer Brad Lidge. CC Sabathia finished fifth for his remarkable second half with the Brewers after being traded from Cleveland.

"It's impressive to me that the voters came to the realization that Tim was the best," said Giants general manager Brian Sabean. "If you asked his peers, they would tell you that Tim was the most dominant pitcher in the National League this season.

"You never think about a pitcher 24 years old winning the Cy Young. Cy Young at that age is a little bit outside the box. You think All-Star team, maybe even 20 games, but Cy Young? That's incredible, and he earned it."

Sabean is absolutely right; while Webb had more victories and won 11 of his last 14 starts, Lincecum had a better ERA (2.62 to 3.30) and was dominating on a poor team.

"I'm honored," said Lincecum. "I always heard teammates say I had a shot at it, but really, I just kind of shrugged it off and told them I was going to wait until the end like everybody else to see who won it. I thank everyone who voted for me."

Lidge probably should have been considered more. Going 41 for 41 in save chances is pretty impressive. Webb had an excellent season, but probably shouldn't have finished ahead of Lidge.

Toward the end of the season, some were touting Sabathia's chances of winning the award. He was phenomenal - 11-2, 1.65 ERA in 17 starts - but appropriately finished behind four guys who pitched in the league the entire season at a high level.

Lincecum, using an arsenal of a 95-mile-per-hour fastball, slider, curve, and changeup, had the league's best winning percentage (.783) and led the circuit with 265 strikeouts (in 227 innings).

"I've always taken pride in trying to strike people out. I've always been that guy," said Lincecum, who played in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners in 2005. "That's the one [statistic] that kind of gets me fired up."

When Bonds was no longer wanted by the Giants, Lincecum became the team's new main attraction. His starts are must-sees. He has the same funky delivery - with a long stride and severe torque - that he had at Liberty Senior High in Renton, Wash., and the University of Washington.

"He's got his own kind of mechanics," said Sabean, "and they work incredibly well for him."

Lincecum is one of the few pitchers who doesn't ice his arm after he pitches. It's all part of why teammates call him The Freak and why others refer to him as The Franchise.

Teammate Dave Roberts, the former Red Sox outfielder, said, "I've been in the game a long time and seen a lot of great ones. This kid is at the mountaintop. If he stays healthy, he's going to put some records up there in the history books."

If he's at the mountaintop in San Francisco, he might have to knock Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry from it someday. They are considered the franchise's elite pitchers. Mike McCormick won a Cy Young in 1967, the only Giant to win one before yesterday.

"I spoke to Mike McCormick," said Lincecum, "and he said to me that I'll always be referred to as 'Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum,' no matter what happens the rest of my career. I can't say that's a bad thing."

Not a bad thing at all for a guy who is an event in and of himself every five days.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com