So the NL Cy Young Award winner is headed to arbitration. That’s a road I would not want to go down if I were the San Francisco Giants.
Tim Lincecum comes to the table asking for $13 million, a number he’s definitely worth, especially considering the amount of success he has had in his first three years. Tell me, how can the Giants straight-face an arbitrator and say that Lincecum is worth just $8 million?
Typically, in the arbitration process, a player’s salary is put up against his peers. Lincecum is a 3-year player, so usually we’d be stacking him up against other guys entering their fourth season to determine a reasonable salary. But how many other 3-year players even compare?
Tim has separated himself from the entire league. He’s led the league in strikeouts the past two seasons, has a career ERA of just 2.90, and owns the last two Cy Young Awards.
That just screams to not have this go to an arbitrator. In the arbitration process, the club will have to try to prove that Lincecum isn’t worth $13 million – and going down that road can breed a lot of ill feelings between the Giants and a young ace that could be the future of that franchise.
If I were the ownership, I would do everything I could to end this process now, before an arbitrator gets into the mix. Why not meet in the middle and offer Tim $10.5 million. That’s reasonable. Or better yet, put this problem to bed for three years and throw Tim a 3-year, $40 million deal.
Then just let Tim go out there and win another Cy Young.
Filed in: MLB.
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If I’m the Giants, I’m offering 4/$52M.
$10M this year and a $2M raise each season.
It buys out a year of FA, and it avoids the whole contentious arbitration issue. Plus it’s bound to save them a lot of money if he stays healthy.
From Lincecum’s POV, he gets a lot of security. If he blows out his arm this season (and I’ve heard that a lot of scouts think he’s a candidate for injury issues because of his motion), he’s not going to ever get more than his $13M this year, plus about 20% less during his rehab year. After that, he’d get non-tendered.
Aren’t the $28M guaranteed worth giving up a year of FA and some potential income above and beyond what he’d be getting?
At least the O’s have Billy Rowell, whoops. They’re not the only ones kicking themselves though, 8 other teams passed on Lincecum as well.
This may be a little off topic, but I’m wondering what your thoughts are on baseball frowning on the Marlins’ spending habits. I would think that a team putting a competitive and affordable team on the field would be something MLB would applaud.
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