A Lincecum Coincidence For Somsen
CINCINNATI—When watching righthander Layne Somsen throw off the mound, it’s impossible not to immediately think of Tim Lincecum. The two have incredibly similar throwing motions, so much so that it’s hard to think it’s a coincidence.
It is, Somsen said.
“It’s just natural,” the 26-year-old said. “It’s how I developed how to throw.”
Somsen hadn’t really paid attention to Lincecum until his freshman year at South Dakota State in 2009, the year Lincecum won his second straight Cy Young Award.
“When I got to college, my coaches started talking because that’s when (Lincecum) started getting big,” Somsen said. “I’d go and watch him and, obviously, I’d see how he did, just simply because of the similarities. His is a little bit different, so I don’t take any mechanical stuff from him.”
What is similar is their size. Lincecum is listed at 5-foot-11, Somsen at an even 6 feet.
“I’m just trying to get that downward plane as a small guy,” said Somsen, a 22nd-round pick in 2013. “I don’t think it was that when I was younger, (but) that’s just how I started to throw. But I think it has made me effective, because I can get that downward plane as a shorter pitcher, which is nice. You always want to get more on the ball.”
The Reds invited Somsen to big league camp this spring and impressed in his time there, as he did at Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville in 2015.
He begins at Louisville this year after making 27 appearances (four starts) in the high minors last season, when he went 2-1, 2.74 with 8.7 strikeouts and 4.3 walks per nine innings. He allowed three homers in 62 innings.
Somsen missed two months in 2015 after being hit by a line drive and breaking his foot. He did return to finish the regular season and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League.
The Reds see him as a reliever, even though he’s made several spot starts throughout his career.
RED HOTS
• Righthander Nick Howard, the 2014 first-rounder, works out of the bullpen again this season at high Class A Daytona. He worked as a closer in college at Virginia.
• Out of minor league options, outfielder Yorman Rodriguez started the season on the major league disabled list with a hamstring injury.
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