Tim Lincecum

The Giants ace Tim Lincecum is the only pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in each of his first two full seasons as a major league pitcher. This year's Cy Young came as somewhat a surprise to many – including Giants fans. But the genius of his pitching distinctly deserves the honor nonetheless.There is plenty of hot truth to talk about here.

For one, Tim Lincecum is 25 but looks about 17 years old. A small, meager frame, long hair, and rather geeky face, he still intimidates the best of beefy power hitters, because his stuff is so good. His nicknames are various: The Freak, Timmy, The Franchise... for many, Lincecum represents David vs. Goliath.

Lincecum's personality – how he commands himself on and off the field – adds immensely to his value. At age 25, he brings a competitive discipline to the mound without ego. His professionalism is matched by his humility. And yet he knows how good his pitching is.

Trained by his father from a young age to both protect his arm and achieve maximum velocity, Lincecum's throwing style is very safe on the arm, but compensated by a very flexible back. The pitch is as deceptive as it is unconventional. He has the most strikeouts in a season for both the years he received the award.

And yet that was the only statistic this year that Lincecum topped. His ERA and win-loss record paled in comparison to his Cy Young competitors. Since his impact on baseball is unmistakable, however, the award is not that big a surprise. And now going into salary arbitration, he will finally command a well-deserved, star-pitcher salary from the Giants.