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Lincecum, Giants headed to arbitration hearing?

February 3, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

The Giants are likely headed toward an arbitration hearing with their ace Tim Lincecum, as the sides remain far apart on the pitcher’s 2010 salary.

From the San Jose Mercury News:

The Giants and Lincecum exchanged salary offers two weeks ago; the Giants filed at $8 million, the highest number offered by a club to a player with less than three years of service time. Lincecum’s camp filed at $13 million, a record-setting number that many in the industry still considered low.
Industry sources said that it made sense for Thurman to file a “winnable” number if he expected the case to reach a hearing. Once at that stage, an arbiter considers the evidence, hears arguments and chooses one salary or another — with no middle ground.

I’d be shocked if an arbiter sided with the Giants at $8 million. Lincecum already has two Cy Young awards, is a two-time All-Star and the Giants finished with a winning record last season, which are all things an arbiter looks at.

The Giants have an interesting situation on their hands in regards to Lincecum’s long-term future. He has four more years of arbitration and if they wanted to, the club could go year to year and continue to pay him in the $13-20 million range (assuming his arbitration number continues to rise). Assuming he doesn’t get hurt and leaves via free agency at the end of those four years, then the Giants would have had him for four years at around $80 million.

Now, if they wanted to buy out his remaining arbitration years with a long-term contract, then the Giants will guarantee Lincecum upwards of $100 million. If he gets hurt, then they’re screwed but at least he’s locked in and they don’t have to worry about going year to year with arbitration and getting embarrassed with offers like $8 million for one of baseball’s best pitchers.

With the way he’s looked the past two seasons, I would hurry to lock Lincecum up to a four or five year deal if I were the Giants. But he’s only 25 and no matter great he’s pitched over the last two years, there’s no guarantee for future success. If his arm fails off in a year, the Giants would have made the right decision to take things year by year.

Either way, “The Franchise” is under the Giants’ control for the next four years.

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Celtics’ Pierce may be looking at broken foot

February 2, 2010 / Christopher Glotfelty

During Boston’s 99-88 victory over Washington on Monday, the Wizards’ Caron Butler landed on Paul Pierce’s foot while the two were chasing a loose ball. Pierce said after the game that he thought he had sprained his ankle. As recent X-rays were inconclusive, Pierce will have to undergo more tests to determine the severity of the injury.

From NBA.com:

The team does not know for sure if Pierce’s foot is broken after X-rays taken Tuesday; more tests are scheduled. But it “looks that way,” the league source said.
Another league source, while acknowledging that Pierce hurt his foot Monday, also said there was not yet definitive word that Pierce broke his foot and that the injury “might be a lot less serious” than that. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said Tuesday evening that the team’s medical staff had yet to make a determination of the extent of Pierce’s injury.
The Celtics are hopeful that even if the foot is broken that Pierce won’t be out of the lineup for long. But they are not yet certain of that.

This is bad news for the Celtics, who have been dealing with injuries to key players all season. It’s unclear how long Pierce could be out, but they’re deep enough to cope for the time being. However, they’ll need their All-Star forward back at full strength for the playoffs if they have any hope at beating teams such as the Cavaliers and Hawks.

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Patriots to stay away from Peppers?

February 2, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

One of the biggest rumors that made its rounds during the NFL offseason last year was the Patriots potentially acquiring defensive end Julius Peppers from the Panthers. Now that he’s an unrestricted free agent, those same Peppers-to-New England rumors are starting to pop up again.

It’s highly unlikely that the Panthers will pay the absurd $20.1 million in order to place the franchise tag on Peppers and keep him in Carolina for 2010. And if they don’t, Peppers is free to sign with any team of his choosing – including the Patriots.

But as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes, New England was burned in March of 2007 when they signed free agent Adalius Thomas to a hefty five-year, $35 million contract, which also included $20 million in guaranteed money. At the time, Thomas was coming off an 11-sack, 83-tackle season in Baltimore and he was supposed to team up with Richard Seymour to give New England a fierce pass rush.

But in three seasons with the Patriots, Thomas has just 14.5 sacks and even managed to get into Bill Belichick’s doghouse last year by showing up late to a team meeting. Considering that Peppers is 30 and would break the bank as the biggest free agent name available this year, New England might be gun shy to acquire another Thomas in the making.

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Terry gets support from teammates

February 2, 2010 / Christopher Glotfelty

Under fire for his affair with a teammate’s wife, John Terry’s role as England captain is in question. Despite all this, three teammates are supporting him.

From Goal.com:

The future of John Terry as England captain is squarely in Fabio Capello hands, but his decision could be made easier with The Evening Standard reporting other players don’t want the armband.
Replacement candidates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney have all reportedly expressed privately they would be uncomfortable assuming the captaincy if Capello decides to sack Terry.
The Chelsea defender has drawn heavy criticism following an alleged affair with a former partner of international team-mate Wayne Bridge, with numerous calls for the player to be stripped of his captaincy

You have to understand, this is a huge deal in the British media. Apparently, the courts have suspended laws that have previously suppressed athletes’ and celebrities’ protection from scandal.

The United States and England are in the same group in the World Cup. By then, England’s team could be in shambles.

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