On Deck

Two of the best young pitchers in baseball will go head to head at Citizens Bank Park today when San Francisco Giants righthander Tim Lincecum opposes Phillies lefty Cole Hamels.

Lincecum, 23, is 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA. Entering Friday, he was tied for second in the National League with 40 strikeouts. Hamels, 24, was eighth with 36.

Lincecum, the 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft, stands just 5-foot-11 and weighs 170 pounds, but his whip-like delivery helps his fastball reach 98 m.p.h. He has given up just one run in 171/3 innings on the road this season.

The Phils get a look at another youngster with electric stuff tomorrow night in Arizona when they face Diamondbacks' righthander Max Scherzer in his first big-league start. Scherzer, 23, debuted in relief Tuesday night and retired all 13 batters he faced, seven on strikeouts. His fastball reached 98 m.p.h.

Scherzer will oppose Jamie Moyer, whose pulse reaches 98.