Lincecum absent from celebration, scratched Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO – Two years ago, Tim Lincecum was a holy terror to anyone with a hot microphone in a champagne-soaked clubhouse. He snuck enough four-letter words on the air to make the FCC blush.

But Saturday night, as the Giants celebrated another NL West title, Lincecum was nowhere to be found.

The Giants sent him home early so he could rest up to start Sunday’s day game, manager Bruce Bochy said. Following the clinching victory, the club scratched Lincecum and will replace him with right-hander Yusmeiro Petit against the San Diego Padres.

Bochy said Lincecum was contacted and invited to join the celebration, but the congestion around the ballpark would’ve made it difficult.

Prior to Saturday’s game, Lincecum was at the park on time; members of the Baseball Writers Association of America presented him with the annual “good guy” award for his professionalism in dealing with reporters after all of his starts, many of which have not gone his way this season.

Even with a much improved second half, Lincecum’s 4.91 ERA ranks 46^th out of 47 NL starting pitchers who qualify for the ERA title.

Bochy said he would confer with pitching coach Dave Righetti to form a plan for the rest of the rotation over the final 10 games.