The news on the local sporting front has been pretty grim lately — the Sharks got iced, the 49ers are dreadful and the Warriors just got dunked on by Baron Davis — so it’s great to know that at least there is hope for the future.

That upside comes in the way of Tim Lincecum, the S.F. Giants’ marvelous, young right-hander who this week made the cover of Sports Illustrated under the headline "The Freak" for his uncanny ability to throw a 98-mph fastball using his whippet-like 170-pound frame.

Although the cover piece focuses on Lincecum’s pitching mechanics, it also goes into telling detail about why nine teams picked other players in the 2006 draft (perceived injury risk) before the Giants selected Lincecum — who is now one of only two pitchers in baseball history to win 70 percent of his decisions during his first two seasons (the other — Mets former flamethrower Dwight Gooden).

Oh, and at 24, he has a very good shot at being the starting National League pitcher in this year’s All-Star game.

Fans can only hope that the dreaded SI cover jinx goes on the disabled list.