NewsLincecum cited for marijuana possession
Giant turned over small amount of drug during traffic stopBy Chris Haft / MLB.com
11/05/09 9:57 PM EST
Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum, last year's National League Cy Young Award winner, faces misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and use of drug paraphernalia stemming from an incident in Washington State last week. According to a report in The Columbian of Clark County, Wash., Lincecum was stopped for speeding on Interstate 5 in the town of Hazel Dell, about four miles north of the Oregon border, on the morning of Oct. 30. Lincecum, a Washington native, was driving 74 mph in a 60-mph zone behind the wheel of a 2006 Mercedes Benz. A Washington State Patrol trooper, who used a laser device to catch Lincecum speeding at 8:23 a.m., pulled the Mercedes over. The news report said that the trooper smelled marijuana when Lincecum rolled down the window. Asked to produce the drug, Lincecum withdrew a small pouch and a pipe from the car's dashboard console. Steve Schatzel, a Washington State Patrol trooper and spokesman, said that the amount of marijuana Lincecum handed over was 3.3 grams. Schatzel described the amount as the size of a human thumb, enough only for personal use. Schatzel added that Lincecum did not seem impaired behind the wheel. Lincecum, 25, was released after being fined $622 for speeding and for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The Associated Press reported that Lincecum entered a plea of not guilty through his attorney, according to records in Clark County District Court. A pretrial conference between Lincecum's attorney and a county prosecutor is set for Nov. 23, and Lincecum is scheduled to appear before a judge on Dec. 22. A Giants spokesman said that club officials were still gathering information on the matter and would not immediately issue a statement. A native of Bellevue, Wash., Lincecum is expected to be a leading contender for this year's NL Cy Young Award. A two-time NL All-Star who started this year's Midsummer Classic in St. Louis, Lincecum finished 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 32 outings with 261 strikeouts in 225 1/3 innings. He recently was named NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News.Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
