Tim Lincecum News: Pro Sports Daily

Cleveland's failed pursuit of Tim Lincecum in 2005 didn't please MLB officials

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March 18

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Indians have faced two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum twice since coming to Arizona for spring training in 2009. Each time it has happened, bloggers and chat room participants have ripped the Indians for not signing Lincecum when they picked him in the 42nd round of the 2005 draft. Here's how that went down. Lincecum was draft eligible as a sophomore at the University of Washington, and did not have a great season. The Indians still liked him and took him late in the draft. The Indians were told it would take $1 million to get The Freak to sign. That's a lot of money for a player taken the 42nd round.. The Tribe made him a $700,000 offer, much to the chagrin of Frank Coonelly, who ..."

Giants' Lincecum likes what he hears

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March 17

San Jose Mercury News

"Despite giving up four runs in four innings, Tim Lincecum said Tuesday he was a big step closer to being ready for opening day. His arm didn't tell him. His ears did. "I could hear the ball," Lincecum said after a 7-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians. The sound of the ball flying off his fingertips is the telltale sign that his fastball is coming back to life. Forget the radar gun readings, Lincecum said, and just listen up. "I feel like it's coming out of my hand alright. The mechanics were good. My body feels good," he said. Still, there is work to do. The back-to-back Cy Young Award winner has a 9.39 ERA after four Cactus League outings. When Lincecum tried throwing a two-seam fastball on ..."

Tim Lincecum sets out to be sharper on Day 1

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March 17

San Francisco Chronicle

"Tim Lincecum must have one of the slipperiest craws in baseball because things do not stick in it. He really does not ruminate on bad games, although he admits that he still thinks about one game last year. In his first big-league Opening Day start, Lincecum lasted only three innings and allowed three runs in an eventual 10-6 victory against Milwaukee. Lincecum gets another chance to make a good first impression at Houston on April 5 and admitted he needs to find a way to "turn that switch on a little sooner." The double Cy Young winner is always loose before starts, maybe too loose for a season opener, and hopes to be more focused for this year's opener against Roy Oswalt, not so much for ..."

Worry about defense, not Lincecum

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March 12

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist John Shea

"Baseball royalty was in full force at Scottsdale Stadium on Thursday. In the clubhouse, four Giants Hall of Famers met with the team to provide guidance and inspiration. On the field, Ichiro Suzuki and Tim Lincecum faced each other in baseball's greatest duel of little men. Before the game, Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry explained to a reporter the importance of defense, and how he'd tip off his teammates on the location of the next pitch so they'd be in better position to make a play. Basically, he stressed teamwork - which the Giants' defense lacked in the ensuing 6-2 loss to the Mariners. "You're going to have these days here - these fields, this sun. There will be some ugly games," ..."

Encounter with idol takes Tim Lincecum aback

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March 4

San Francisco Chronicle

"There might come a day when Tim Lincecum loses his inner youth and "Timmy" disappears forever. It has not happened yet. It was Timmy, not Tim, who looked like a starstruck teenager when Ken Griffey Jr. walked into the visiting clubhouse at Peoria Stadium during Wednesday's Cactus League opener and introduced himself. Lincecum actually lost his train of thought after meeting one of his boyhood idols from Seattle. "Wow, he just came over. That's pretty cool," Lincecum said. "Just to have a guy who's great like that come over caught me off guard." It was Timmy who allowed three runs (two earned) in his first competitive inning since collecting his second Cy Young Award, then signed hundreds ..."

Tim Lincecum in good spirits after a shaky spring debut

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March 4

San Jose Mercury News

"Tim Lincecum is beyond the stage where a shaky first outing will inspire panic. Two Cy Young Awards are weighty enough to tamp down any anxiety. But in no way has Lincecum become a jaded celebrity, either. That was apparent when he stopped to sign autographs for 20 minutes after his rocky first inning Wednesday. And it was apparent in his speechless, star-struck reaction when the Seattle Mariners' Ken Griffey Jr. parted a group of reporters to extend his hand. "Lincy, what's up?" Griffey said. "Just wanted to say hi." They shook hands, and Griffey was gone as soon as he arrived. It was the first time Lincecum, a Seattle native, had met him. "Wow," said Lincecum, clearly flummoxed. "He came ..."

Lincecum ready to 'reboot' knowledge

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March 3

San Francisco Chronicle

"Not surprisingly, Tim Lincecum had a 21st century way of describing how he gathered the knowledge he gleaned during his two Cy Young seasons and will apply it to 2010. "The only thing is knowing a little bit better what I want to do," Lincecum said. "All that knowledge that you gain in previous years all stays there and just needs to be rebooted." The reboot button has been pressed and the Lincecum program has been loaded into the Freak Machine. The early results will be visible to anyone who buys a ticket to today's Cactus League opener against Seattle at the Peoria Sports Complex. As with all starters in their first outing, Lincecum is expected to throw about 30 pitches or two innings. ..."

Morrow says Lincecum might have followed shaky path

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February 27

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"To Seattle fans who have long pondered what it would have been like to have Tim Lincecum and his Cy Young talent in the Mariners' rotation, Brandon Morrow can finally offer up his own revision to that revisionist history. Morrow is in Blue Jays camp, 3,000 miles away from the fray now, no longer burdened with the onus, through no fault of his own, of being the one the M's chose in the 2006 draft instead of their native son, Lincecum. That was hard to live down, even though Morrow says now, with conviction, that it never really bothered him. But what he couldn't help but wonder, and can now articulate, is why people assume Lincecum wouldn't have followed the same cockeyed career path in ..."

Early show at San Francisco Giants camp: 'The Freak' vs. 'Kung Fu Panda'

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February 25

San Jose Mercury News

"It's a dream matchup that only could happen early in spring training. Or maybe a video game. The Freak vs. the Kung Fu Panda. On the first day pitchers threw live batting practice, could you devise a more entertaining battle than Tim Lincecum facing Pablo Sandoval? The pitchers are supposed to be ahead of the hitters, so the confrontation went to form. Sandoval swung and missed once, fouled off another pitch and put two grounders into play that would have been routine outs. "He kept saying, 'I'm gonna get you, little guy,' " catcher Bengie Molina said. "Then he'd miss it and say, 'Aww! Gimme that again. I've got you now.' " Molina couldn't lose himself in the fun, though. He was worried ..."

Lincecum works out the rust

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February 23

San Francisco Chronicle

"It was funny watching the two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner bounce two curveballs in the dirt and say, "My bad" after each. Then, after bouncing a third, he raised his hands and looked heavenward. No, Tim Lincecum cannot hibernate for four months, then awaken and throw nothing but strikes. He pitched off a mound for the third time this spring Monday, his first out of the windup, and had difficulty locating a hard curveball he hopes to use more this season. He does not want them to go in the dirt and have batters swing over them. He wants to throw them for strikes. The curves "just kind of got away from me. It's one of those things where you start expecting more of yourself. It gets a ..."

Lincecum works on his curveball

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February 23

San Jose Mercury News

"Tim Lincecum caught a spike in the mud, his curveballs bounced short of the plate and at one point he looked to the heavens for help. Hey, nobody said a Cy Young three-peat would be easy. "I'd rather bury it than hang it," Lincecum said of his curveball. "But that one 40-footer wasn't too good." The curveball is a key for Lincecum this spring and he plans to spin off a whole bunch of them — both his tighter one and the bigger, looping hook. It's a pitch he had de-emphasized since his rookie season, when he realized most big league hitters would relax as soon as they picked up its big break."

Giants ace Tim Lincecum harbors no bitterness about arbitration process

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February 19

San Jose Mercury News

"Tim Lincecum isn't bitter, cross or even slightly miffed. He's satisfied with the two-year, $23 million contract he and the Giants negotiated last Friday, mere minutes before the sides would have squared off in an arbitration hearing. "I'm glad we got something worked out before we got here," Lincecum said. "I'm completely happy." A happy, healthy Timmy is a very important thing for the Giants. And the two-time Cy Young Award winner looked and acted as if he hasn't changed a bit Thursday, crowing tunes as he dressed and conversing with teammates almost entirely in movie quotes. A few minutes before telling reporters he might back off ascending a mound for a day or two, Lincecum shrugged ..."

Lincecum, Giants make it official

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February 18

MLB.com

"In a mere formality, the Giants announced Wednesday that right-hander Tim Lincecum's two-year, $23 million contract became official. Lincecum, 25, avoided salary arbitration by agreeing last Friday to the deal, which was finalized after he passed a physical examination on Tuesday. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner will receive $8 million this season and $13 million in 2011, with a $1 million bonus payable in each year. This year's base pay is the highest for a first-time arbitration-eligible pitcher, exceeding the standard set by Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon last January when he avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $6.25 million salary."

Lincecum's deal has ramifications

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February 13

San Francisco Chronicle

"A last-second meeting in Florida on Friday will wind up paying dividends for both Tim Lincecum and the Giants for years to come - four years, at least, not only the two that cover Lincecum's new contract agreement. The two-time Cy Young winner will make $23 million over those two years, and then his two remaining potential arbitration years will be based on those numbers rather than a figure that might have thrown San Francisco's payroll out of whack - or that might have cost Lincecum several million per year. "It's a win-win for both sides," Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans said by phone while waiting for a flight back from Tampa. "Whenever there's a settlement, it's in the ..."

Lincecum makes 2-year, $23-million deal

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February 12

San Francisco Chronicle

"Tim Lincecum and the Giants have forged a two-year deal that will pay him $23 million, sources have told The Chronicle. The 25-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner will receive $8 million in salary and a $2 million bonus this year and $13 million in salary next year. Lincecum is not expected to be available for comment today. He is flying back from Florida, where he was scheduled to have his contract settled via arbitration today. The hearing would have decided whether Lincecum's 2010 salary is $13 million (the figure he submitted) or $8 million (the figure submitted by the Giants)."

Sources: Lincecum signs with Giants

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February 12

ESPN.com

"Right-hander Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants have settled their arbitration case, with the two-time NL Cy Young winner signing a multiyear contract ahead of Friday's scheduled hearing, sources tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday that the Giants had made an initial three-year, $37 million offer to Lincecum."

Lincecum's arbitration hearing will set a record

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February 12

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Glenn Dickey

"Unless Tim Lincecum and the Giants can reach a last-minute compromise settlement, they'll go into an unprecedented arbitration hearing today. The Giants are offering $8 million, which in itself would be more than a 1,200 percent increase over Lincecum's 2009 salary. His agent has countered with a $13 million figure. The arbitration panel must pick one figure or the other. If the panel chooses the figure proposed by Lincecum's agent, the young pitcher, just 26 on June 15, will get the biggest settlement for a player in his first-time arbitration settlement, beating the previous record of $10 million for Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. The nearest pitchers in previous ..."

Despite 3-year contract offer, Lincecum and Giants appear destined for arbitration

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February 12

MLB.com

"Despite reports of a multiyear contract offer from the Giants, Tim Lincecum appears headed for a Friday salary arbitration hearing with his employers. An industry executive familiar with the proceedings indicated to MLB.com on Thursday that the sides probably would not forge a compromise on the Giants' proposal. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the club offered Lincecum a three-year, $37-million package on Wednesday featuring salaries of $9.5 million this year, $12.5 million in 2011 and $15 million in 2012. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner and his representatives reportedly responded with a counteroffer exceeding $40 million. Giants officials and Lincecum's ..."

Tim Lincecum, Giants discussing deal

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February 11

ESPN.com

"San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum and the team are not close to a contract agreement, baseball sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Thursday. The San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier Thursday that, according to a major league source, the Giants have made a three-year, $37 million offer to the two-time Cy Young Award winner, with annual salaries of $9.5 million, $12.5 million and $15 million. The newspaper reported that Lincecum's camp responded with an offer worth more than $40 million. However, baseball sources told Olney that as of noon ET Thursday, the two sides were not close to a deal."

Giants make offer to Lincecum

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February 11

MLB.com

"The Giants have made a three-year offer to Tim Lincecum, their ace right-hander whose arbitration hearing is scheduled for Friday, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday. A Major League source told the paper that the Giants offered the back-to-back National League Cy Young Award winner a three-year contract worth $37 million with annual escalating salaries of $9.5 million for 2010, $12.5 million for 2011 and $15 million for 2012. The source added that Lincecum's camp countered with a proposal of more than $40 million. Both the Giants and Lincecum's agent declined to confirm or deny the figures, the newspaper said. Both sides submitted arbitration figures last ..."

Dynamic pricing takes the next step

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February 11

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Rich Walcoff

"The Giants' expanded dynamic ticket pricing plan for 2010 is pure marketing genius. Making fans pay more to see Tim Lincecum pitch against the Dodgers on a sunny Saturday during a playoff chase in September simply follows the basic economic law of supply and demand. But as ticket scalpers and stock traders know all too well, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Besides, the sliding scale ticket program could set a scary precedent. What if the Giants decide to charge $10 to park a clunker at AT"

Giants, Lincecum still in negotiations

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February 11

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Giants are taking their negotiations with Tim Lincecum down to the wire. With an arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday, the sides have discussed parameters for a multiyear contract. A major-league source said the Giants have made a three-year, $37 million offer with annual salaries of $9.5 million, $12.5 million and $15 million, and that the Lincecum camp countered with a proposal north of $40 million. Assistant general manager Bobby Evans, the Giants' point man in negotiations, wouldn't confirm or deny the offer. Lincecum's agent said they would have no comment. Evans said talks have been "ongoing," though he added he hasn't spoken with the Lincecum camp in 72 hours. Such a lapse ..."

Lincecum hearing expected Friday

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February 11

San Jose Mercury News

"Discussions between the Giants and the agent for right-hander Tim Lincecum have remained stalled in recent days. And time for talk is running out. Lincecum's arbitration hearing is set for Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla., according to numerous reports. The two-time Cy Young Award winner said last weekend that he intended to attend the hearing, in which an arbiter would listen to arguments before selecting the Giants' submitted salary figure ($8 million) or the amount Lincecum's camp is seeking ($13 million). The $5 million gulf would represent the widest in the history of the arbitration process. Also, Lincecum could establish a record salary for a first-year arbitration case. An arbiter's ..."

Lincecum has right attitude on deal: 'Whatever'

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February 9

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Scott Ostler

"Will a nasty arbitration hearing be the end of the love affair between the Giants and Tim Lincecum? That seems to be a major concern as zero hour approaches. Experts and baseball insiders warn that arbitration can cause relationship damage because the ballclub goes to great lengths to highlight the player's shortcomings. Look, we love Timmy, but have you seen his clubhouse locker? Here's a photo. It looks like a gypsy camp. He leaves his Cy Young Awards lying around, someone's going to trip and break a leg. Lincecum is asking $13 million. The Giants are offering $8 million. What we're worried about, then, is that Lincecum might go into a huge sulk if the arbiter rules that Timmy must play ..."

Lincecum unfazed by arbitration process

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February 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"For a guy who is supposed to be steaming mad at his employer, perhaps worried about being browbeaten in an arbitration room and weighed down by a very public pot bust this winter, Tim Lincecum looked like his usual Timmy self Friday. His sense of humor is intact, as he laughed heartily at the absurdity of where he was storing his two Cy Young trophies at the moment: in the backseat of his car. His hair is 3 inches shorter. He said he cut it before last month's baseball writers' banquet in New York because "it looked unhealthy." Finally, his sense of proportion seems to be sound, at least publicly. Maybe Lincecum has sat home wondering if he should view the Giants' $8 million arbitration ..."

Lincecum unfazed by arbitration process

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February 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"For a guy who is supposed to be steaming mad at his employer, perhaps worried about being browbeaten in an arbitration room and weighed down by a very public pot bust this winter, Tim Lincecum looked like his usual Timmy self Friday. His sense of humor is intact, as he laughed heartily at the absurdity of where he was storing his two Cy Young trophies at the moment: in the backseat of his car. His hair is 3 inches shorter. He said he cut it before last month's baseball writers' banquet in New York because "it looked unhealthy." Finally, his sense of proportion seems to be sound, at least publicly. Maybe Lincecum has sat home wondering if he should view the Giants' $8 million arbitration ..."

Lincecum readies for arbitration hearing with Giants

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February 6

San Jose Mercury News

"It was a February softball question to Tim Lincecum before reporters came with the hard stuff: Where does he keep his two Cy Young Awards? "I have both of them in my car, actually," said the Giants' 25-year-old ace, his normally pallid cheeks blushing a bit. No kidding. In the trunk, we hope? "Nah, on the backseat," he said. "It's locked, though." Lincecum could use a different set of wheels in a few days. Whether he wins, loses or settles his arbitration case, he'll need to back up the truck to haul the money away. The real price of an arbitration hearing can be tougher to quantify, though. That's because a team must point out a player's shortcomings in the hopes of convincing an ..."

Giants' showdown with Lincecum is only natural

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February 5

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"Ahh, kids. They grow up so fast. One day, they're winning the regional spelling bee, the next, they're learning the subtleties of the fine print. It's not like we didn't know this coming in, that Tim Lincecum's arbitration would be the first true intrusion of business into what has been a child's game. He throws pitches that others cannot hit, everyone tells him how swell and noble he is, and life is good. Really good. But as it comes for everyone, this is the day when the dollar sign gets put on the muscle, to borrow the title from Kevin Kerrane's instructive book on the art and science of baseball scouting. This is when Lincecum finds out for the first time the limits of his power and ..."

Debate rages over Lincecum's case

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February 4

MLB.com

"There's a good chance Tim Lincecum found out sometime Wednesday night that the Tigers and Justin Verlander agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract, avoiding arbitration. And even though Lincecum grew up near Seattle as a Mariners fan, he could have been raised in Wichita and still be well aware that Felix Hernandez and the Mariners re-upped for five years and $78 million a few weeks ago, also avoiding arbitration. So naturally, with the Giants ace right-hander's arbitration case still looming and starting to take up more and more space in the daily headlines, the baseball world collectively asks one question: How much is Tim Lincecum really worth? The basic guidelines have been set to ..."

Lincecum, Giants, wont be agreeing anytime soon

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February 4

San Francisco Chronicle

"t appears the Giants and Tim Lincecum won't be agreeing on any long-term deal and that the pitcher will have to "settle" for whatever the arbitration panel concludes. In a recent SFGate poll, most readers said they thought the Giants should give Lincecum a five-year deal, but that's probably not going to happen."

Tim Lincecum's arbitration case headed for a hearing, his agent says

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February 3

San Jose Mercury News

"The agent for right-hander Tim Lincecum said the Giants have not engaged in significant contract negotiations, and he is convinced the two-time Cy Young Award winner's arbitration case will reach the hearing stage. Rick Thurman said the Giants have not discussed a one-year deal and talks have been limited to "some very insignificant two-year conversations," which leads him to believe that "it's quite clear the case is headed to a hearing." The agent said he was surprised at the minimal level of conversation from the Giants, adding, "I think that's the direction (a hearing) they've wanted this to go from Day 1 simply because there's been little or no discussions with regards to a contract." ..."

Lincecum's day in court ends quickly

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January 20

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Giants' Tim Lincecum wrapped up his legal dealings with Clark County on Tuesday morning, spending 10 minutes in district court to accept a reduced drug paraphernalia charge, a civil infraction that drew a $513 fine for the two-time Cy Young Award winner. Lincecum wore a sleek, gray suit and an open-collared dark green shirt - and no beanie - for his appearance before Judge Darvin Zimmerman. Lincecum's father, Chris, attended the proceedings. Giants managing partner Bill Neukom, a lawyer before the Washington bar himself, was seen outside the courthouse afterward, shaking hands with Lincecum and talking with him briefly. Lincecum had already paid a reported $122 for a speeding ticket in ..."

Tim Lincecum attacks arbitration like the shrewd pitcher he is

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January 20

Contra Costa Times

columnist Tim Kawakami

"Surprised? Tim Lincecum approached arbitration as deftly as he handles any of his trips to the mound, and it's safe to expect the same final results. Lincecum will be in control of this situation, from start to end. He won't look silly or greedy. And when it's over, he'll probably win. Yes, it's good to be Lincecum, the young Giants pitcher who has already accomplished almost everything and is about to start reaping the financial rewards for it. That's the essence of what happened Tuesday, when the Giants and their 25-year-old star pitcher exchanged 2010 salary numbers in baseball's arbitration process. The Giants' figure: $8 million, the highest-ever offered to a player in his first year ..."

Tim Lincecum seeks a record $13 million in arbitration; Giants offer $8 million

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January 20

San Jose Mercury News

"In what could be a record-setting arbitration case, representatives for pitcher Tim Lincecum have asked for a $13 million salary while the Giants countered with an $8 million offer. Barring a breakthrough in negotiations, an independent party will be asked to choose one of those figures as Lincecum's paycheck for 2010. There are no compromises in arbitration cases. Lincecum is an unprecedented pitcher, so it was not surprising that agent Rick Thurman asked for an unprecedented price Tuesday. The record for an arbitration case involving a player in his first year of eligibility is the $10 million granted to Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard in 2008. The highest salary awarded ..."

Lincecum accepts drug paraphernalia charge

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January 19

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Giants' Tim Lincecum wrapped up his legal dealings with Clark County today, spending 10 minutes in district court to accept a drug paraphernalia charge, a civil infraction that drew a $513 fine for the two-time Cy Young Award winner. Lincecum wore a sleek gray suit and an open-collared green shirt - and no beanie - for his appearance before Judge Darvin Zimmerman. Lincecum's father, Chris, attended the proceedings. And Giants' managing partner Bill Neukom was seen outside the court building afterward, shaking hands with Lincecum and talking with him briefly. The court appearance comes on the same day Lincecum's representatives are to exchange arbitration numbers with the Giants - ..."

Giants' Tim Lincecum could set a new salary mark in arbitration

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January 18

Oakland Tribune

"Tim Lincecum owns two Cy Young Awards, and soon he will be able to afford one heck of a trophy case. The Giants' 25-year-old ace, who filed for salary arbitration Friday, is expected to break the salary record of $10 million for a player in his first year of eligibility. The entire baseball industry — agents, club executives, the players' association, and yes, commissioner Bud Selig — will be monitoring the proceedings with intense interest. The arbitration process is like a game of chicken and Texas Hold'em rolled into one. The club and the player's agent blindly submit figures. A hearing is scheduled. If the two sides cannot settle before the hearing date, an arbitrator listens to ..."

It's official: Lincecum files for arbitration

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January 16

San Jose Mercury News

"Tim Lincecum owns two Cy Young Awards, and soon he will be able to afford one heck of a trophy case. The Giants' 25-year-old ace filed for salary arbitration Friday and is expected to break the salary record of $10 million for a player in his first year of eligibility. The entire baseball industry — agents, club executives, the players' association, and yes, commissioner Bud Selig — will be monitoring the proceedings with intense interest. The arbitration process is like a game of chicken and Texas Hold'em rolled into one. The club and the player's agent blindly submit figures. A hearing is scheduled. If the two sides cannot settle before the hearing date, an arbitrator listens to ..."

Lincecum may hit arbitration jackpot

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November 28

MLB.com

"Baseball's different flavors of arbitration are starting to emerge into the winter air, and they figure to spice up the Hot Stove season once again -- actually, perhaps a little more than usual. The free-agency version, which sets Draft compensation for teams losing free agents, will take center stage for the next week leading up to the Winter Meetings, which begin Dec. 7 in Indianapolis. Teams can offer free agents arbitration by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and players may accept -- though almost all won't -- by 11:59 p.m. Dec. 7, the first day of the Winter Meetings. But, while important, that version of arbitration never has been the key arbitration ingredient to Hot Stove stew. The ..."

Break open vault for Lincecum

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November 28

San Francisco Chronicle

"Tim Lincecum is having an unprecedented career, and now he's in line for an unprecedented contract. A historic negotiation is expected after the Giants' ace won Cy Young Awards in his first two full big-league seasons, and being eligible for arbitration for the first time adds to the process' unusualness, not to mention Lincecum's bargaining power. Lincecum's 2009 salary of $650,000 could soon be considered pocket change if he, as anticipated, breaks Ryan Howard's record salary of $10 million (for first-year, arbitration-eligible players), won in February 2008, two years after his MVP season. Arguably, two Cy Youngs trump one MVP. "As of today, we'll pursue a one-year deal," Lincecum's ..."

Break open vault for Lincecum

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November 27

San Francisco Chronicle

"Tim Lincecum is having an unprecedented career, and now he's in line for an unprecedented contract. A historic negotiation is expected after the Giants' ace won Cy Young Awards in his first two full big-league seasons, and being eligible for arbitration for the first time adds to the process' unusualness, not to mention Lincecum's bargaining power. Lincecum's 2009 salary of $650,000 could soon be considered pocket change if he, as anticipated, breaks Ryan Howard's record salary of $10 million (for first-year, arbitration-eligible players), won in February 2008, two years after his MVP season. Arguably, two Cy Youngs trump one MVP. "As of today, we'll pursue a one-year deal," Lincecum's ..."

Advanced stats responsible for Lincecum's win

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November 22

San Francisco Chronicle

"Amid the Giants' and their fans' merriment over Tim Lincecum winning a second straight Cy Young Award, a contentious subplot unfolded about the voters' thought process that got Lincecum selected. Lincecum won the award despite Adam Wainwright's higher wins total and Chris Carpenter's lower ERA, suggesting voters looked beyond the conventional statistics and considered Lincecum's other offerings. Indeed, Keith Law of ESPN.com voted for Lincecum largely because he led the National League in FIP, WAR and VORP. Who knew? Sabermetrics, the objective analysis of players through their advanced statistics, crept into front offices long ago, and now it's part of award voting. For many voters, the ..."

Lincecum wins 2009 Cy Young Award

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November 19

San Francisco Chronicle

"Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum has won the 2009 National League Cy Young Award in a historic and close vote of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Lincecum becomes the first pitcher since the writers created the award in 1956 to win it in each of his first two full seasons in the majors and the first starting pitcher to win with as few as 15 wins in a nonstrike year. Lincecum went 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA and 261 strikeouts in defeating Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals for the top pitching honor in baseball. Lincecum becomes the fourth National League pitcher to win consecutive Cy Youngs, joining Sandy Koufax (1965-66), Greg Maddux (1993-95) and 2009 Giants ..."

Tim Lincecum not Cy Young favorite this time

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November 18

San Jose Mercury News

"Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum improved in almost every statistical category from his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2008, but he is not the favorite to repeat when the National League winner is announced Thursday. If he does beat out St. Louis Cardinals co-aces Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, though, it will be one heck of an interesting conference call with members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. That's because Lincecum still hasn't commented publicly since he was slapped with two misdemeanor counts after a highway patrolman seized 3.3 grams of marijuana and a pipe during a traffic stop Oct. 30 for speeding on Interstate 5 near the Washington-Oregon border. ..."

Lincecum will plead guilty to lesser charge

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November 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum has agreed to plead guilty to one charge related to his possession of a marijuana pipe in return for his drug charge being dropped, in a plea agreement that still must be approved by a judge in Clark County, Wash. Prosecuting attorney Grant Hansen said Friday that Lincecum's lawyer has signed off on the deal, which requires the 2008 Cy Young Award winner to pay $372 in fines. The judge could accept the deal with a signature but could also order Lincecum to appear in court at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 22. Hansen said Lincecum's celebrity had nothing to do with this disposition, which is standard for a first-time offender for misdemeanor pot possession who ..."

Prosecutor recommends drug charges be dropped against San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum

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November 7

San Jose Mercury News

"A prosecutor recommended that two misdemeanor drug charges be dropped against Giants ace Tim Lincecum, who was cited Oct. 30 for marijuana possession while speeding on Interstate 5 roughly four miles north of the Washington-Oregon border. Lincecum would pay a $250 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A infraction in Washington, if his plea deal is accepted by a judge Monday. The 2008 Cy Young Award winner received no preferential treatment, said Grant Hansen, the deputy prosecuting attorney for Clark County, Wash. "This is the protocol for a first-time offender who is cooperative with police," said Hansen, adding that Lincecum would not face probation or jail time. The ..."

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum faces pot charges in Washington

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November 6

San Jose Mercury News

"Giants ace Tim Lincecum faces misdemeanor charges for marijuana possession after he turned over a small amount of the substance during a traffic stop near the Washington-Oregon border on Oct. 30, Washington State police said. The 2008 Cy Young Award winner also was cited for driving his 2006 Mercedes 74 mph along a 60 mph stretch of Interstate 5 near Hazel Dell, Wash., police said. After an officer detected the smell of marijuana, the two-time All-Star complied with a request to turn over 3.3 grams of the substance and a pipe from the car's center console. Because the officer did not judge Lincecum to be impaired, he cited him and allowed him to continue. Lincecum, 25, entered a plea of ..."