Giants offer Lincecum three-years, $37 million

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:02:05 +0000

In a surprising twist of events, a source tells John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that the Giants have offered ace Tim Lincecum a three-year, $37 million contract. The deal would pay the pitcher $9.5 million, $12.5 million and $15 million over the next three years, although Shea reports that Lincecum’s camp countered with a proposal for over $40 million.

If not, Friday’s hearing in Florida would decide whether Lincecum’s 2010 salary is $13 million (the figure he submitted) or $8 million (the figure submitted by the Giants).

The record for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time is $10 million (Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard), $4.35 million for a starting pitcher (Dontrelle Willis, Cole Hamels). It’s believed Lincecum’s agent, Rich Thurman, negotiating for a multiyear deal, has asked for a first-year salary close to the $13 million figure he submitted.

It was just yesterday that I hammered the Giants for creating a lose-lose situation by only offering Lincecum $8 million in arbitration and then following through with the hearing by setting it up for this Friday. I maintained they were running a risk of not only losing in arbitration, but also upsetting Lincecum (their franchise player) in the process by low-balling him with their $8 million offer.

But this changes everything. Now the Giants are showing their commitment to Lincecum by offering a fair deal that works for both sides. And if they’re only a few million apart, then hopefully they get something worked out by tomorrow and avoid a potentially messy arbitration hearing.

The Giants went from a lose-lose situation into a potentially positive one, although let’s see if they can close the deal before tomorrow.

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Lincecum arbitration hearing a lose-lose situation for Giants

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:35:30 +0000

Far be it for me to question what the inner workings of a professional baseball organization is doing, but what in God’s name are the San Francisco Giants thinking?

In mid-January, Tim Lincecum field for $13 million in arbitration, while the Giants submitted an $8 million figure. Many viewed the situation as the Giants low-balling their ace pitcher, but I figured that the $8 million would be used as a starting point for the club and Lincecum to reach a deal outside of the courtroom. I even told my cohort here at The Scores Report, John Paulsen, that they would likely avoid arbitration altogether and meet somewhere in the middle.

But upon waking this morning I read: Giants, Lincecum set arbitration hearing for Friday.

Nice prediction, Stalter.

Unless I’m missing the big picture here, the Giants have done a fantastic job of setting themselves up in a lose-lose situation. By submitting $8 million and then actually following through with the hearing, they risk not only pissing off Lincecum but also losing $13 million in arbitration. After all, what are they going to use against Lincecum – his RBI totals?

Fortunately for the Giants, Lincecum is being a total professional about the situation. He’s on record saying that he understands the business part of baseball and that it’s nothing personal. He also understands that the Giants could use his October 30 pot charge against him during the hearing, although that’s about the only thing the club has against the two-time Cy Young winner.

For the life of me I don’t know why the Giants couldn’t settle with Lincecum on a $10 or $12 million deal to avoid arbitration. Or a two-year deal at $25 or $30 million, seeing as how this is the same brain trust that gave the ultra-useless Edgar Renteria a two-year, $18.5 million contract in December of 2008. If Renteria is worth $18.5 million over two years, than Lincecum is worth roughly $9 billion and the deed to the Playboy mansion.

Again, maybe I’m missing the bigger picture. Maybe the Giants don’t want to shell out big bucks for Lincecum and then watch his arm fall off in a year. Maybe they’re worried about his marijuana charge or that he’ll eventually pick up a hobby like hunting for great white sharks. Who knows.

What I do know is that nothing good will come out of this arbitration hearing on Friday. If they win, then Lincecum gets less than he’s worth and may eventually resent the Giants for it. If they lose, then they pay Lincecum more than they wanted and they still run the risk of having him resent them in the end. I realize he’s under their control for the next four years (his remaining arbitration years), but this just doesn’t seem like a wise decision by a club that is known for having their choices come back to haunt them.

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Tim Lincecum arbitration hearing – The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

Giants offer Lincecum three-years, $37 million

Lincecum arbitration hearing a lose-lose situation for Giants