Major League Baseball

Giants ace Lincecum eyes record $$ in arbitration

Published Jan. 19, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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A new baseball standard could be on the verge of falling — a financial one.

On Tuesday, Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum submitted an arbitration claim for $13 million in salary for the 2010 season. The team countered by filing at $8 million.

If the teams settle at the midpoint before the February hearings, Lincecum will receive $10.5 million and beat Ryan Howard’s existing record of $10 million for a first-time eligible player.

Lincecum is coming off back-to-back National League Cy Young Award seasons. He was a bargain at $650,000 last year. His is eligible for arbitration for the first time as a so-called "Super 2" — a player in the top 17 percent of service time between two and three seasons.

Lincecum's case could be most similar to Howard, who won the NL MVP in 2006 when he led the league with 58 home runs and followed that with 47 homers in 2007. The Phillies offered $7 million, while Howard won with his $10 million request.

Lincecum, nicknamed "The Freak" for his giant stride and slender body, has been the NL's most dominant pitcher almost from his arrival. He has a 33-12 record with a 2.55 ERA the past two seasons, leading the league in strikeouts both years. He has 526 strikeouts during that span, averaging 10.5 per nine innings.

Lincecum also leads the majors in ERA, batting average against (.214), winning percentage (.733) and strikeouts over the past two seasons.

Earlier on Tuesday, Lincecum agreed to pay $513 to resolve marijuana charges against him in Washington state.

He originally faced two misdemeanor charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 30. The charges were reduced to a civil infraction.

Lincecum appeared in Clark County District Court before Judge Darvin Zimmerman on Tuesday morning. Giants managing partner Bill Neukom was in court in a sign of support for Lincecum.

He paid a speeding ticket separately.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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