Minor League Spotlight: Tim Lincecum Is Ready

Minor League Spotlight is the MLB FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. But you probably figured that out already.

Tim Lincecum: learn it, know it, live it. The 22-year-old 2006 first round pick of the Giants is absolutely killing it in the minor leagues. He had what was probably his best outing of the year on Sunday for Triple-A Fresno, striking out 14 over six shutout innings, allowing only three hits, walking none.

The right-hander has a minuscule 0.29 ERA in 31 innings, thanks in large part to the fact that opposing hitters are batting just .119 against him. He has 46 strikeouts on the season. Wow. Those are like high school numbers. Crazy. Check out the praise he's received from Captain Cranium:

"I don't want to jinx him, but I think this kid has the potential to throw not just a no-hitter, but more than one," [Manager Bruce] Bochy said. "He has the kind of stuff you don't see very often."

Well, that is unless you manage current Giants pitcher Matt Cain, or you managed Padres pitcher Jake Peavy, as Bochy did last year. But Lincecum appears as if he's ready to join that group. Only problem is there isn't a current spot on the roster for him. GM Brian Sabean says it would be a stretch for him to bring Lincecum up as a reliever. That makes me think Russ Ortiz could be on the trading block -- or a candidate for demotion to the pen, because there's no denying that Lincecum would be an upgrade in the rotation.