Giants’ Lincecum gets the call again

The San Francisco Giants are 16 games under .500 and have only 39 victories entering today’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

But the Giants do have ace starting pitcher Tim Lincecum, who has been steady money for gamblers in putting together a 10-2 record with a 2.66 earned-run average.

Yet, San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy may have made the wrong move when he shuffled the Giants’ pitching rotation to get Lincecum two starts this week before Tuesday’s All-Star game.

That’s because Lincecum has been showing some cracks in his game in recent weeks.

After compiling a 1.99 ERA over his first 14 games and giving up only three home runs in 90 2/3 innings, Lincecum has given up four homers over his last 31 innings.

And in his last start when he was moved up in the rotation, Lincecum was roughed up by the New York Mets in a 7-0 loss at Shea Stadium on Tuesday night.

Lincecum gave up nine hits, including two home runs, in six innings in losing for only the second time this season.

Lincecum will be on the mound against Chicago’s Ryan Dempster today. The Cubs, who have a National League-leading 57-37 record, are listed as a -144 home favorite over the Giants (+136), according to Covers.com.

According to Wagerline.com’s betting chart, San Francisco had received 63.64% of the picks for today’s game as of Saturday.

College football

Odds for the 2008 Pacific 10 championship have been posted at Sportsbook.com and USC is listed as a 2-7 favorite to win its seventh consecutive league title.

Arizona State is next with 4-1 odds, followed by Oregon at 7-1.

UCLA, which will be led by new Coach Rick Neuheisel, is listed with 8-1 odds to win its first Pac-10 title since 1998.

--

lonnie.white@latimes.com