Tim Lincecum lookalike

There was a nice segment on the local cable sports channel about a cab driver from Brazil who seriously looks a LOT like Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum. He's a tad bit shorter, speaks with a rather strong accent, and I guess his nose is a little different as well – but at quick glance and even after some time spent studying him, he really looks like he could be 'The Freak'!

The segment showed this guy, Luiz Lins, walking around San Francisco wearing a Giants cap and a Giants jersey, getting all kinds of looks from fans and non-fans alike. I don't know how much of it was for this particular show, but people on the street were asked who he was and they replied unilaterally, "That's Tim Lincecum." Many folks were taking pictures with him as well.

Now this Luiz guy says that he never lies to people claiming to be the baseball star, but he still causes a stir with his appearance. And he also states that he's been wearing his hair long ever since he was in high school; his flowing locks make him look even more like the real Tim Lincecum as well. Still, one must ask: 'Would the real baseball star walk around in public wearing a Giants baseball cap and jersey?' I don't think so.

Which leads me to an idea: wouldn't it be fun if the real Tim Lincecum worked on appropriating a Brazilian (Portuguese?) accent and insisted to fans that his name is really Luiz and that he's not Tim Lincecum? He could even don a store-bought Giants cap and jersey to look even more like he's not the actual baseball player. I imagine that once he's insisted to someone that his name isn't Tim/Timmy but rather Luiz, that someone would point out that the real Timmy wouldn't walk around with that silly cap and shirt advertising his presence, and that they've heard about a lookalike anyway. If Tim were able to ace the accent, then this sort of ruse just might work!

And more than that, wouldn't it be even more fun to imagine Tim trying to fool his teammates?