Tim Lincecum昨天接受访问时表示，这个春训，他一颗滑球都没丢过，开季之后也将暂时停止丢滑球。
虽然Lincecum跟Bochy都坚持Lincecum的手臂没问题，但这个决定相信还是为了保护Lincecum这几年大量使用的手臂。因为滑球被认为是很伤手肘的球种。
问题在于Lincecum不用滑球到底影响多大？撇开春训的鸟成绩不看，去年Lincecum的滑球使用频率从7.2%大幅提升至24.1%，而变速球和曲球的使用比例则从21.3%和16.4%大幅下降到14.4%和6.4%。
拿掉一项武器的Lincecum表现会如何呢？值得观察。
Giants manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged the slider isn't so friendly on the elbow, and Lincecum is trying to pace himself this season.
"He just wanted to back off," Bochy said. "It's a long season and he has a lot of innings in him. It probably puts a little more stress on his arm. He probably wants to wait to break it out later."