What does Justin Verlander’s recent deal mean for Tim Lincecum?
Our man Cliff takes a look over at SI.com:
The Giants had hoped to sign Lincecum to a puny two-year deal in lieu of an arbitration hearing. He has requested $13 million 2010 salary, an amount that would be a record for a player in his first arbitration year. The Giants have countered with an $8 million offer. Compare that to the $9.5 and $6.9 million figures submitted by Verlander and the Tigers this winter prior to the signing of his contract. Then remember that Verlander was entering his second arbitration year, while Lincecum is entering his first. In 2009, the first arbitration year for both pitchers, Verlander and Hernandez earned $3.675 and $3.8 million, respectively, amounts less than half of the Giants’ low-ball offer to Lincecum. Weighing all of that makes it clear that the newly established market for arb-eligible aces has exploded Lincecum’s value well beyond even Verlander’s new deal.
Prior to Verlander’s contract, the Giants could have argued that Hernandez’s contract was an outgrowth of his unusual combination of youth (he reached the bigs at 19, won’t be 24 until April and his contract will expire before his 29th birthday) and experience (he’s already pitched five seasons in the majors). By comparison, Verlander and Lincecum both attended college and were rookies at age 23, the age Hernandez was this past season. But with the 26-year-old Verlander now signed to a more expensive contract that will take him through his age-31 season, the Giants no longer have that weak leg to stand on in negotiations with Lincecum.
