Why do Lincey this way?

Quick note before the post: The website Hotstove.com, is now seeking The Dodgerhater's opinions on matters of the Giants. Check out my first entry here. Also, Check the little Twitter box on the left column of this site. I'm using it to put up sweet links that aren't worthy of their own post. In addition, yesterday The Dodgerhater was added to Yahoo's Big League Stew's Giants blog directory. Big stuff. Tons of traffic. Thanks to everyone who reads this!

Now, to more important matters:


Tim Lincecum is the best pitcher in baseball.

Did my nose grow any longer? Did I go into convulsions like Jim Carrey in Liar Liar (see video below)?

This is because the above statement is true. Tim Lincecum is the best pitcher in baseball... and he's only 25.

Baseball's system of rookie deals, arbitration, team control, and absurd uncapped free agent deals, really makes for a screwy game of back and forth for players like Timmy.

His rookie deal out of U-Dub paid him a $2.025MM signing bonus, and he made $405k in '08 and $650k in '09. Yeah, that makes him a moderately rich man already, and we all wish we had that much in the bank. But he's the best pitcher alive who happens to be making Pauly Shore royalty money, when he really deserves something cooler. Like Horatio Caine money or better.

This system greatly benefits teams like the Giants and Brewers who have these type of players under control for six years at reasonable rates, arbitration raises notwithstanding. Guys like Lincecum and Prince Fielder are making peanuts in comparison to what they're worth, and it's just the nature of the beast. They'll get their chance to make their money, it's just a matter of time.

But, herein lies the issue.

When teams like the Giants play the whole "precedent" game and act like a bunch of stingy ass lawyers, the player becomes irked. If Timmy is a guy like Terrell Owens or Rickey Henderson and speaks in the third person, he becomes "disrespected" and begins holding a grudge against his team. Luckily Timmy is easygoing and probably wouldn't know how to spend $8-13MM if he tried. That doesn't mean that he is okay with being lowballed.

Timmy's position is: "I've been the best pitcher in baseball, and have carried this team for two years. I was better than CC Sabathia, Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, and Johan Santana, and you think that I deserve less than $13 mil? WTF do I have to do? Eliminate drug dealers in the Bayview? I'm only asking for $13 mil. I could've asked for $16!"

This is the Giants' case... "Uh, well. You're too young, and we've offered you a record... uh... so yeah."

I think this video will help illustrate Bobby Evans/Sabean's future hearing performance. Click here if you're on an Email Newsfeed or Facebook:



Take Fangraphs' numbers. You can say what you will about these nerds, but their stats are pretty damned accurate and their projections are extremely relevant.

In '09, Timmy was worth $37MM according to Fangraphs. Only Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke were worth more (somehow). And, if you go back, Timmy was worth $33.7MM in '08 and $13.2MM as a rookie in '07 when he threw less than 150 innings!

As I count it, Timmy's career so far has been worth $83.9MM. And he's only earned $2.675MM. Maybe they should take those numbers to the arbitrator.

The point in all this is to say that the Giants, with their lowball offer of $8MM, does more harm than good. Obviously, payroll flexibility is the most important thing for the Giants, and I get that. I've gotten that ad nauseum.

But what good does payroll flexibility do when the best player you've had since Barry Bonds, and the best pitcher since Juan Marichial is pissed off and feels slighted?

It's not that Timmy won't win the $13MM at arbitration, as the mediator will pick his submission, it's the fact that the Giants lowballed him pretty badly, and they know it.

What's strange about it is that it looks like the Giants never had any intention of trying to hammer out any middle ground before the hearing takes place in a few weeks, mentioned here by Andrew Baggarly.


It's as if the Giants are either resigned to losing the case, or really live in a fantasy world where their "record offer to a player with less than three years of service" is deserving of a win, and are so confident in that that they won't budge to a middle ground. Apparently they've barely even spoken to Lincey's agent, Rick Thurman.

It's just an example of poor management.

I've defended this front office as much or more than anyone out there, and I've gotta say that I'm hanging them out to dry in this case. Any action that offends, frustrates, or angers Timothy Lincecum is the incorrect action, and they need to know that.

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Interesting minor league deal action

With the return of Big Money to the Giants, spending appears to be all done. That doesn't mean that we're not adding players though.

They may not seem significant now, but maybe down the line, these minor-league signees and random spring training invitees may help out. Here's a look at what we've gotten, beginning with the biggest name so far...


Byung-Hyun Kim

I was never fond of this character. Not because he was a funny little Korean guy who gave up a ton of big knocks and made a lot of contorted faces as a result, but because well... he was just weird. Plus he spent most of his time with the Snakes and Rockpile, who as we know, are not our favorites.

Because it was so many years ago, I really can't remember any specific time that B.K. pissed me off or ruined my night while playing against the Gyros. But, I did a little research. Now I remember why I disliked him:

Career versus San Francisco:

48 Games, 105.2 IP, 6-5 Record, 8 SV, 69 K, 2.73 ERA, .239 BAA

Basically this weird little guy with his submarining/sidewinding style did pretty damn well against us.

His injuries, time removed from the game, and his mental state notwithstanding, why not take a minor league flier on a guy like this? What's the harm?

That's the idea. In today's baseball climate, there are potential gems just lying around, collecting dust on the side of some lonesome highway. Either that, or toiling in some random foreign seasonal league, being managed by Hugo Chavez or Jose Offerman.

The point is, it's an interesting signing, and this guy was once good. Maybe there's a bullpen injury down the line and B.K. answers the call. Maybe he's a headcase and sucks. If that's the case, he remains in Fresno, or his non-guaranteed deal is terminated. Then he goes back to Seoul to working in the family Samsung factory.

Here are the other randoms we've picked up:

Tony Pena

Righty Tony Pena should probably see time in the big league 'pen this year. After beginning his career with the Snakes, he's done enough to show that he deserves another shot or two. He's got good stuff, and has never had horrible stats. I mean, last year when he fell out of favor in Phoenix and ended up with the White Sox, he had a solid, sub 4 ERA, and had a 2.75 K/BB ratio. So, you know, a guy like this will probably be helpful at some point. Fangraphs put his value at over $4MM last year.

Santiago Casilla

Santi was pretty good on my fantasy team two years ago as I recall. Since my particular league valued holds, and we had big starting rosters, guys like Casilla and Jeremy Affeldt are definitely valued. Well... Santi has gone downhill a bit due to injuries and in 2006 in spring training, he revealed that his name was not in fact Jairo Garcia (as he was claiming to be), but indeed Santiago Casilla.

In 2008, he had a solid year in the 'pen, posting a sub 4.00 ERA and striking out 43 in 50 innings.

Despite his elbow concerns, this is another minimum-risk, solid-reward minor league deal.

Horacio Ramirez

Lefty Horacio Ramirez, who I wish was actually Horatio Caine, will get a chance. He too was once an okay pitcher... for short periods of time. With a career 4.64 ERA, no one is jumping for joy here, which is why he had to take a minor league deal, a sharp pay decrease for someone who somehow earned $1.8MM last year.

There's not a ton of upside in Ramirez, who has always been a starter. Perhaps in a relief role, he could improve. But, with a career BABIP of nearly .300, I wouldn't count on it. I might actually prefer Horatio Caine. He could start out every game with a one-liner over the PA and then they could crank The Who leading up to a first pitch.

I may be onto something here. The Marlins are retarded in so many ways, but Jesus, if they did this, people would love it. If you can't see the video below, click here:



Rule Fivers:

In the sparsely covered "Rule 5 Draft" in December, the Giants lost LHP Benjamin Snyder, OF Brian Horwitz, and RHP Raul Burgos. Ho hum, whatever.

The two guys we gained were LHP Jake Stevens and RHP Steve Johnson.

Stevens is nothing special based on his stats, and since the Rule 5 draft dictates that a player must remain on the team's 25 man roster or return to his original team, he's probably not much to think about.

Steve Johnson, on the other hand, could damn well end up being a player. Last year between three different squadrons in different levels, he managed a 3.41 ERA and K'd 154 batters in 145.1 innings. Also of note is that the Dodgers have claimed him in the past, so I hope he ends up being amazing, just to slap them in the face. His high K/9 rate makes him worth the minimal gamble. There's always a market for these guys.

That's all for today folks...


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