"He’s like my kid” – When Rangers manager Bruce Bochy reflected on his relationship with 2x Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum

Tim Lincecum turned heads during his time in the league, including his former San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. His quirky delivery and velocity made for a tough at-bat for opposing hitters.

He played 10 seasons in the big leagues, mainly with San Francisco, becoming a four-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion during the Giants' prime years in the 2010s.

Bochy was reminded of his former ace on a recent episode of The Morning Roast. He went on to explain to the listeners just how special the small-statured righty was to him.

"You know, Timmy will always be one of my favorites. He's like my kid. That's how I felt about Timmy," - said Bochy.

Bochy went as far as to say that he views Lincecum as a son to him. The two really had a close relationship during their times in San Francisco.

"The guy that really approached all the young kids from minor league camp to welcome them, and make them feel better, and make them feel a part of it was Tim Lincecum" - said Bochy.

Bochy remembers Lincecum as being a leader and a mentor to the guys underneath him. From his on-field presence to the values he held off the field, Lincecum was a class act.

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Bruce Bochy rarely had to worry after penciling in Tim Lincecum for a start

San Francisco Giants - Bruce Bochy and Tim Lincecum (Image via USA Today)

Tim Lincecum spent nine years with the Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants. During that time, he posted a 108-83 record with a 3.61 ERA and won two National League Cy Young Awards.

Lincecum racked up those two Cy Young Awards before he reached the age of 25. He joined a short list of pitchers that have accomplished the feat including Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

However, pitcher usage was quite different when Lincecum burst on the scene. While it is rare to see starters get up to 100 pitches in an outing, Lincecum did it in 13 of his 24 starts as a rookie.

The following year, he threw 3,682 pitches, the second-most across MLB. The consistent usage likely ended Lincecum's career years before he would have liked to hand them up.

He started to fizzle out and eventually retired following the 2016 season after a year with the Los Angeles Angels. We can only wonder how good he could have been if arm care had been taken as seriously as it is today.