By Chris Haft / MLB.com
11/12/09 6:00 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO -- The impressive season recorded by Tim Lincecum could be punctuated by a rare Cy Young repeat.
Lincecum is a candidate to win his second consecutive National League Cy Young Award, which will be announced Nov. 19.
Lincecum would become the first back-to-back Cy Young winner since Arizona's Randy Johnson, a Giant in 2009, captured four in a row from 1999-2002. Lincecum already owns the distinction of being the second Giant to receive the Cy Young. Mike McCormick preceded Lincecum in 1967.
Many observers believe Lincecum outdid himself this season, though his record slipped from 18-5 in 2008 to 15-7. He reduced his ERA from 2.62 to 2.48. Opponents hit .206 off him, compared with .221 last season. The right-hander walked 68 batters in 225 1/3 innings this year, an improvement over 2008's 84 walks in 227 innings.
Lincecum led the NL with 261 strikeouts and 26 quality starts while ranking second in ERA and opponents' batting average and third in innings. He also tied teammate Matt Cain for the league lead with four complete games and joined four other pitchers atop the NL list with two shutouts.
Lincecum started this year's All-Star Game for the NL, legitimizing his status as one of the league's top pitchers.
St. Louis' Chris Carpenter (17-4, 2.24 ERA) and Adam Wainwright (19-8, 2.63) are considered the NL's strongest Cy Young contenders besides Lincecum.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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