Ottavino reveals story behind Lincecum pic

DENVER -- Rockies pitcher Adam Ottavino's photography hobby can cause a sensation. Not long ago, it caused a stir in the baseball world.
Ottavino appeared on MLB Network's Hot Stove and MLB Now shows Thursday. During MLB Now, he was asked about a December photo on his Instagram account, when he captured a buffed-up Tim Lincecum. They were working in Seattle at Driveline Baseball, where Ottavino was doing "pitch design work" in preparation for the 2018 season.
Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Giants who hasn't pitched since 2016 with the Angels, is looking to make a comeback, Ottavino said. But he feared he revealed the plan too early.
"I texted Tim the next day and said, 'Hey, I'm really sorry that I put that out there, kind of outed you,'" Ottavino said. "He said, 'At least you made me look jacked.'
"He looks good, though. We're going to see. He's going to throw for some teams. He's been training. When he's ready to make his appearance back out there in public, he will. He's a legendary pitcher. If he can get what he's looking for, he can be pretty good."

Ottavino also discussed the Rockies' improved bullpen on Hot Stove.
"We had a really good 'pen last year, and [the front office] added to it with [Pat] Neshek … it was a big component for our team, getting as far as we did, finally breaking through and getting that Wild Card spot. So they kind of doubled down. I think it's a good move for us."
More from his day at MLB Network:
• Ottavino discussed his across-the-body delivery:
"I wasn't aware I was doing it until I saw myself in video a little later on in life, like, pro ball. Once I was aware of what that did to right-handed hitters, I wanted to use that to my advantage."

• He said the life of the Rockies' bullpen comes from an unusual source:
"Maybe our bullpen coach, Darren Holmes, he's kind of the ringleader. He played a long time. He's one of us.
"It's crazy to say that about a coach."

• He characterized a season that ended with a 5.06 ERA:
"It was kind of like a Murphy's Law kind of season. I came in not really in a groove I wanted to be in, surviving, keeping my head above water. Then I had a really bad stretch there, kind of took myself out of contention. But there are still some good things that happened. I learned a lot from it."
• He admitted some residual fatigue from his comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2015 and '16: 
"It took me 14 months. I pitched really, really well when I came back. I was just tired form that process. I put so much of my heart and soul into coming back.
"It's not like I didn't train or anything. It's just that I don't think I had the same edge. That can cost you."