Two Major One Minor 050515

Here is my fourth Two Major One Minor segment of 2015. This is my fifth year of doing this series where I feature two Major League players and one minor league player each week. This week I am featuring Tim Lincecum, Edinson Volquez and Yohan Flande.

RHP Lincecum is someone who had been at the top of the game winning the NL Cy Young in 2008 and 2009 but also had a three year stretch starting in 2011 where it seemed he lost "it". He does have a couple no hitters to his credit in 2013 and 2014 while bolstering the Giants staff last season as they won their third World Series in five years. This season he is showing glimpses of capturing some of that old magic as his hits per 9 rate (7.8) and walks per 9 rate (3.3) are better than the previous few seasons. His K/9 is the lowest of his career (6.0) but the concern right now is finding the strikezone. This season he is 2-2, 2.40 ERA, 20 K, 1.23 WHIP, .245 BAA in 30.0 IP over 5 games. The ERA and BAA are showing signs he may be turning it around. He was originally drafted by the Giants with the 10th pick of the first round in 2006. Lincecum will be 31 on June 15.

RHP Volquez struggled for years to find the success he had in 2008 when he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting while with the Reds. He finally seemed to bounce back with the Pirates last year and is showing positives with the Royals to start out this season. His BB/9 (2.1) and K/BB (3.38) are currently career bests and his hits per 9 (6.3) would be a career second best. He has started out 2015 going 2-3, 2.10 ERA, 27 K, 0.93 WHIP, .192 BAA in 34.1 IP over 5 games. The ERA and WHIP would be career bests and the BAA is second best. While it is unlikely he can maintain it over the whole season its possible joining the Royals who are still energized by their 2014 World Series appearance has sparked him too. He originally signed with the Rangers in 2001 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Volquez will be 32 on July 3rd. 

LHP Flande pitches with Double A New Britain of the Colorado Rockies. This season he is 4-0, 1.76 ERA, 27 K, 0.95 WHIP, .230 BAA in 30.2 IP over 5 games. He is kind of a late bloomer trying to reboot after a dismal rookie effort last year with the Rockies when he was 0-6, 5.19 ERA, 34 K, 1.20 WHIP, .257 BAA in 59.0 IP over 16 games with 10 starts. He is currently tying a minors career best hits per 9 (7.6) and has a best BB/9 (0.9) and K/BB (9.00). It may also help if he can maintain his 2.26 ground out/air out ratio if he returns to Colorado as his home field. He originally signed with the Phillies in 2004 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Flande turned 29 on January 27.