I think you have to sign Timmy and Matt Cain just as a reward for services rendered. Both should be able to pitch effectively well into their low to mid thirties. Neither one show signs of being high risks for injury or ineffectiveness. Linceum has already made the transition from thrower to pitcher and Cain is showing signs of doing the same.
From Extra Baggs blog:
Will Tim Lincecum sign a multiyear contract? Is the book of Eli coming to an end? Plus other Giants notes | Extra Baggs:
"As we all know, the Giants front office is in favor of a rule change that would protect catchers from being targeted in home-plate collisions. GM Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy both came out strongly in favor of changing the rules after Buster Posey’s season-ending injury at the plate May 25. But neither Sabean nor Bochy has been able to build any consensus within the industry. Joe Torre, MLB’s on-field operations chief, told Bochy a few months ago that he would not support any rule changes to protect catchers. Amid that climate, my understanding is that the Giants will not even bother to raise the issue."
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Will Tim Lincecum sign a multiyear contract? Is the book of Eli coming to an end? Plus other Giants notes | Extra Baggs:
"The Giants face one immediate action date on Friday. They must set reserve lists, which means protecting those players who otherwise would be eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft. You protect eligible players by placing them on your 40-man roster.
Charlie Culberson, Roger Kieschnick and Nick Noonan are the most recognizable names of minor leaguers who are eligible to be snatched up by another club unless they’re protected. You might not know about right-hander Hector Correa, but I consider him the easiest slam dunk to be added to the 40-man. He’s a potential impact relief arm and will be graded appropriately on Baseball America’s top prospects list. (Huge extra credit points if you remember that the Giants got Correa two springs ago when they traded Jack Taschner to the Pirates for Ronny Paulino, then flipped Paulino to Florida.)"
Right now, the Giants have 36 players on the 40-man. I suspect they will add Correa and Culberson, at least. Kieschnick is a tougher call but probably ranks third on the list. Noonan, sadly, has dropped off the map.
The Giants also might look to protect lefty David Quinowski and right-hander Justin Fitzgerald. Right-hander Daniel Otero has been a closer in the system and isn’t a pure stuff guy, but has solid numbers and might merit a roster spot. Catchers Johnny Monell and Jackson Williams would be in play, too. Monell is not a premium defender, but has left-handed power and that is a rarity.
One thing is for sure: The Giants won’t max out their 40-man. They need to keep space open in case they sign a free agent or add a player in a trade, etc.
But there is a way the club can create more space to protect some of these prospects: By cutting ties now with others on the roster who are not in the plans for 2012. The Giants have a slew of arbitration-eligible players and they don’t plan to offer contracts to all of them. Officially, they don’t have to tender those contracts until midnight on Dec. 12. But if they already know they aren’t going to bring back players like Eli Whiteside, Jeff Keppinger, Mike Fontenot, etc., they might as well do them a favor and let them loose by Friday. That way, they can have more time to catch on with another team.
Whiteside, in particular, is a candidate to be taken off the roster. He’s beloved by his teammates, he caught the only no-hitter by a Giant in almost four decades and he owns a World Series ring. I think Giants fans will always think fondly of Eli. But Chris Stewart clearly brought more defensive skills to the table last year.
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