Letters

Brothers in Arms

I wonder how many longtime SI readers had déjà vu all over again when reading the improbable story of 170-pound flamethrower Tim Lincecum. The story reminded me of your famous April 1, 1985, report on Sidd Finch. Sidd is missed, but it was great to read about a real deal like Tim, even if his fastball is 70 mph slower!
Dennis Peters, Beaverton, Ore.

It is inspiring to read how Chris Lincecum worked with his son Tim to make the boy's size work for him (How Tiny Tim Became a Pitching Giant, July 7). I have a 13-year-old son who plays baseball, and he is continually overlooked because of his size but still works on his game four to five days a week. Every day thousands of kids have their dreams crushed by people just like the scouts who bypassed Tim Lincecum. Maybe the "sports powers," from Little League to the majors, should learn a lesson: You don't have to be 6'5" and 225 pounds to play ball.
Tammy Mason, Dalton, Ga.

Chris Lincecum considers his son's motion the spiritual descendant of Sandy Koufax's. That's not good: Koufax had to take cortisone shots and painkillers to get through games, and he retired at age 30 so as to maintain full use of his arm.
Zachary Young, Oklahoma City

It's always nice to see the success of athletes who are not built from a prototypical mold. Unfortunately it seems that for all Chris Lincecum knows about his son's mechanics, he knows little about medicine. His dismissive attitude toward postthrowing ice application, for example, is the kind of detail that will lead to his son's breakdown. Tim won't be 24 forever, and neither will his tendons and ligaments.
Dale J. Buchberger, Auburn, N.Y.

I think Tim Lincecum is going to be just fine. Am I the only one who sees the paradox in the fact that the proliferation of pitching coaches specializing in biomechanics correlates directly with "the number of elbow and shoulder surgeries [being] at an alltime high"? I have always been of the mind-set that baseball people overthink things. In 1971 Mickey Lolich threw 376 innings, the first of four straight seasons pitching more than 300 innings. Mickey did it while eating doughnuts and riding motorcycles—and he lasted 16 years in the major leagues.
Scott Hanselman, Santa Monica, Calif.

The Black Athlete

In The Color of Money, about cultural acceptance of black athletes (PLAYERS, July 7), Phil Taylor offered up as succinct and effective an insight on the subject of race as I've seen: "America today likes its racism overt and indisputable, otherwise the tendency is to deny its existence." The situation may have improved from "shameful" to "hopeful," but we have not yet reached the end game in terms of understanding and dismantling racism in America.
Michael Rabbitt, Chicago

Pack Mentality

As Chris Ballard's story showed, Aaron Rodgers has a heavy burden to carry in replacing a legendary quarterback like Brett Favre (Welcome to the Club, July 7). If Rodgers stumbles out of the gate, fans in Green Bay probably won't pelt him with beer cans as those in Pittsburgh did to Cliff Stoudt. (We like our beer in Wisconsin.) But it wouldn't be unreasonable for Rodgers to be welcomed with 72,928 snowballs.
Bob Thompson, Kathleen, Ga.