Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco Giants would like nothing more than to re-sign starting pitcher Tim Lincecum. Even though the right-hander is a shell of what he used to be, there is no question he has the potential to still be an asset for the team. At this point, Lincecum must decide if the Giants are the right fit for him.
“You could see the fans behind him, you could see the signs of support,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said, according to USA Today Sports. “We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we certainly hope he’s here with us (next season).”
The 29-year-old posted a 10-14 record with a 4.37 earned run average and 193 strikeouts in 197 2/3 innings.
Obviously, his numbers are nowhere near what they used to be only a few years ago. With that being said, San Francisco understands that he could still pitch at a high level if given the opportunity. There are several great starting pitchers who had down years but turned in top-notch performances after getting back on track. Lincecum is definitely someone who could improve his ERA in 2014, which would give him more wins.
The fact is Lincecum might decide to sign with a different team that is willing to pay him more money. The Giants can only offer a $14 million qualifying offer while other organizations will look to lure him anyway they can. His numbers have been below-average for his standard but they are still decent enough for teams to pay a lot of money. His age is also a factor in the sense that many franchises may be convinced Lincecum has plenty left in the tank.
It will be interesting to see if Lincecum returns to a team that clearly still wants him or takes on a bigger role with a different organization for more money.
