Tim Lincecum To Test Open Market

The Giants have talked with two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum about a new contract, but he won't sign before he finds out what he can get on the open market.  Lincecum won't do anything until five days after the World Series, when he can solicit offers on the open market, sources tell Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com.

The Giants presented a two-year deal to The Freak, but talks haven’t progressed since then.  The Giants plan on making the right-hander the qualifying offer of one-year, ~$14MM if they can't change Lincecum's mind and get something done before the end of the World Series, setting themselves up for draft pick compensation if he bolts.  Baggarly speculates that Lincecum, a Seattle native, might be curious to see what level of interest the Mariners will have in him.  The M's, whose first-round pick is protected, had a scout following Lincecum and the Giants over the club’s last homestand.

San Francisco took care of one of their top stars earlier this month when they re-signed Hunter Pence to a five-year, $90MM deal.  Yesterday, I previewed the offseason ahead for the Giants, including the Lincecum situation.