Lincecum excited about potential return to Giants
Free-agent right-hander Tim Lincecum will put on a showcase Friday in front of more than 20 teams as he seeks employment with a major-league squad.
Among the teams interested in the 31-year-old are the San Francisco Giants, the only team Lincecum's ever played for in MLB. The idea of potentially returning to pitch in the Bay Area is exciting for Lincecum, who was drafted by and spent nine years with the club.
"Where I end up is where I'll end up," Lincecum told Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan. "They already have six starters. I've got to just look out for me, and if they're the No. 1 piece in the puzzle when it comes down to decision time, I'll be excited to go back."
While Lincecum would gladly accept a position with a number of clubs if the situation was right, the Freak has nothing but admiration for his former employer and would welcome the familiar surroundings.
"I respect them as an organization, and I know I do love the familiarity," he said Wednesday. "I know the Giants have five or six starters … so I know I may have to look elsewhere. I know what I'm fighting for, and I'm fighting to get back to starting."
Lincecum is seeking a starting job after recovering from September hip surgery and recently had his fastball consistently sitting in the 90-91 mph range.
He made 15 starts for the Giants last season, posting a 4.13 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 76 1/3 innings of work.
Over his career in the bigs, the four-time All-Star owns a record of 108-83 with a 3.61 ERA while striking out 9.3 hitters per nine innings.