Tim Lincecum’s Best Bet at Proving Himself is with Another Team
Former San Francisco Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum is a free agent, and looking to re-establish himself as a viable big league pitcher. His best chance to do that would probably come on another team.
The San Francisco Giants enjoyed a tremendous offseason this past winter, making great strides to get the team back to a level where they can compete to make another even year World Series run. Even still, one of the biggest talks of the town among fans is the future of a player who isn’t on the roster right now. Golden boy Tim Lincecum is a free agent, and his future is quite uncertain, but he remains one of the most popular Giants in history.
That popularity is easy to understand, and certainly well-deserved. With his quirky delivery and lights out stuff, Lincecum came in and quickly dominated every one and every thing in his path. He won Cy Young Awards in both of his first two full seasons, and was the ace of the 2010 World Series winning staff. His laid-back demeanor and full-loving attitude made him the perfect face for the city. Even after four subpar seasons, Lincecum remained one of the most beloved players on the Giants’ roster.
Lincecum is said to have many suitors, including the Giants, despite not even throwing his showcase yet this spring after hip surgery last year. Lincecum will have his choice of teams to play for when the time comes, so it appears in all likelihood that his tenure with the Giants is over. With that said, what team would be Lincecum’s optimal choice? It seems to all depend on what Lincecum wants.
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If Lincecum is looking for a one-year, “show me” type of contract, San Francisco is probably not the ideal place for him to spend his 2016 season. In that single season deal, Lincecum would need as much time on the mound as possible to prove that he’s healthy and once again an effective pitcher. If he spends 2016 with the Giants, he isn’t guaranteed that. He would need a lot of help from those around him to get that consistent, extended mound time.
The diminutive hurler has already made it abundantly clear that he wants to continue to be a starting pitcher, and the Giants’ rotation is full as it stands now. Of course, there are the question marks in that starting five, namely Matt Cain and Jake Peavy. But what if those two are healthy and don’t totally suck in 2016? Then Lincecum is stuck in the bullpen. Maybe he makes the occasional spot start, but he’s not getting the opportunity that has to come with a “prove yourself” contract. He toils away for a season, and faces an even steeper uphill battle to get a spot next year.
Signing a one-year contract is probably in the best interest of Lincecum, especially if he believes himself to be healthy and ready to go. After the deal expires, he can enter a very weak free agent pitching market next offseason and be one of the hottest commodities, earning himself a more long-term, and more lucrative deal. If that’s the case, his best bet would be going to a rebuilding team, or a team with rotational needs. Rebuilding teams, like the San Diego Padres or Miami Marlins, or teams with spots up for grabs, like the Baltimore Orioles, would give Lincecum more of an opportunity to pitch every fifth day. All three of those teams are said to be interested in the right-hander, and would allot Lincecum the time he needs.
But maybe Lincecum comes out and is seeking a cheap, multi-year deal. Though it may not seem so, it might make more sense for Lincecum to return to the Giants on a two-year, or three-year deal. That one single season wouldn’t be as important for Lincecum to prove himself, and he would have an opportunity next spring to earn a rotation spot again, as Peavy’s deal expires after this year, although by then there would be more competition from young pitchers like Clayton Blackburn, Ty Blach, or Tyler Beede. Lincecum would be able to work a season as a long reliever and spot starter without risking his future status, because there’s at least another guaranteed season to prove himself.
The question then becomes, would the Giants be willing to make a multi-year pact, again, with Lincecum? Would any team be willing to make a commitment for multiple season with Lincecum solely based on a throwing showcase? The Giants gave Lincecum a very lucrative two-year contract before the 2014 season after two straight down years, and were burned with two more down years. Making that commitment is a huge risk, not just for the Giants, but for any team.
It seems to be in Lincecum’s best interest to take a one-year deal and potentially earn a bigger contract in the subpar 2016-2017 offseason, rather than taking a multi-year deal and possibly entering free agency in a star-studded 2017-2018 class. It also seems to be in his best interest to move on from San Francisco and head to a team that has a more permanent spot for that one season. It will be hard to see Lincecum in any uniform that doesn’t say “Giants” on the front, but both the team and the player have to think about what’s best for them.
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Lincecum wouldn’t be a traitor for going to San Diego. He wouldn’t be a turncoat for joining Barry Bonds in Miami. He wouldn’t be a bad guy for moving on to wear a different orange and black in Baltimore. Lincecum taking a job elsewhere is the nature of the business. The Giants probably can’t give Lincecum what he needs right now. That’s also the nature of the business. They had a good run together, a magical time, but sometimes, moving on is the best thing.