What do you pay a Starting Pitcher who was 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA last year? Toss in two Cy Young Awards in a row? How about a 40-17 record with a 2.90 ERA lifetime? The Giants think $8 million is a fair deal where Lincecum thinks he is worth more like $13 million.
When you look at his stats and you look at the average of salaries, $13 million is not actually an unacceptable number for a steady producer. Barry Zito, whom the Giants are paying $18.5, $18.5, $19 & $20 million over the next 4 years, has had a loosing record the past 3 years. The $8 million offer is almost a slap in the face, consider the pitchers making more then $10 million; powerhouse pitchers (I say with sarcasm) like Dontrelle Willis who has pitched only 57.2 innings in the last 2 years and is 1-6 over that time, Kerry Wood, who has actually turned in to a decent reliever but may not deserve Starter money and Gil Meche who has a career record of 84-78 with a 5.09 ERA.
Lincecum is still young and has many years of production ahead of him. His cards still move quite well, and besides his run in with police in Washington State over marijuana, seems to be a fan favorite.
Which side of the fence do you stand on, Lincecum or the Giants?
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