Tim Lincecum’s first Cy Young season began in Los Angeles with a relief appearance in a rain-delayed game. Merkin Valdez started the game because Bruce Bochy and Joe Torre thought they were going to be able to game the weather report and get their rotation starters in on their normal turn after the rain delay. That wound up not being the case, and Tim Lincecum wound up pitching in relief only to then wait for about 75 minutes in a rain delay to then go out and pitch again.
I was at this game and I remember being confused.