Tim Lincecum's long-awaited pitching showcase is set for Friday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona. Personnel from almost every MLB team are expected to attend, but do the San Francisco Giants have a leg up on the competition if they like what they see from the former two-time Cy Young Award winner?
Here are three reasons why Lincecum will end up returning to the Giants.
3) Fluid relationship
Even after playing out his final contract with the Giants, Lincecum has maintained a fluid relationship with the team's coaching staff and front office. And why not? He was given a very player-friendly two-year, $35 million deal from 2004-15, and Bruce Bochy was always patient with him when it came to production in the rotation or out of the 'pen. There's a reason Lincecum's been revving up in the Giants' spring training facility as opposed to somewhere else.
2) Past history/familiarity
Lincecum has only pitched for one franchise throughout his MLB career, so it would be a fitting finish to his legacy to give it one last go with the team that drafted him. Re-joining a roster full of his former teammates -- many of whom he won multiple World Series championships with -- would be the best low-pressure situation for him to attempt a comeback. It's an even year, so why not go for that fourth ring with San Francisco?
1) Team need for pitching help
Though they came into the season with high hopes for their veteran pitching corps, the Giants ranks in the bottom-third of MLB in both team ERA (4.59) and bullpen ERA (4.04). While Bochy has said he wants to keep Matt Cain and Jake Peavy in the rotation, the team will only stick with them for so long if they continue to get lit up. If the Giants are willing to give Lincecum a shot at starting, there's really no reason he shouldn't choose San Francisco over the other ball clubs pursuing him.