Lincecum open to long-term deal with Giants

Stud starting pitcher Tim Lincecum indicated that he’d be open to signing a long-term deal with the San Francisco Giants after the season, meaning he’d avoid his first arbitration.

“I definitely like San Francisco,” Lincecum said. “I’ve seen nothing but positive things as far as my personal experiences. It’s where I see myself being for awhile.”

Lincecum could set a record for a pitcher in their first arbitration, possibly fetching some $10 million for a year. If the Giants are going to have to hand over that kind of cash, they might as well just lock him up long term. It’s not like they have to wait to see much more from the kid.

Rick Thurman, Lincecum’s agent, said that the two sides have not yet begun working on a long-term deal.

“We’ve let it play out this year,” Thurman said. “I think it’ll be up to the Giants as to what they want to do and how they approach the offseason. It’ll really be a function of how the Giants look at him … and if he wins the Cy Young.”