Today I’m asking a hypothetical question: Do the San Francisco Giants have an ace pitcher? I can ask this question another way — and this is the hypothetical part — if the playoffs started today, who would pitch the first game for the Giants and who would be the other two starters, assuming there would be only three starters in all?

A year ago, you would have said Tim Lincecum would start the first game of the postseason, no question, slam dunk. Can you say that now? Would you risk him in the first game of a playoff series the way he’s pitching? Tough to say.

Clearly, you would not start Barry Zito. He does not throw fast enough, he can be hit and he’s a finesse guy. You don’t want a finesse guy starting off. You want a stopper, an ace.

I’m saying Matt Cain or Lincecum would start a playoff series. I’m saying if the series were to begin today, I don’t know which one I’d use. I’m saying, amazingly, the Giants do not have an ace at the present time.