Giants are able; they absolutely have to lock up Cain to long deal
The Giants know it's imperative that they sign star pitcher Matt Cain. Though there's still no real evidence the sides are close to a deal, San Francisco knows Cain, a free agent after the season, is a must-sign for a variety of reasons, including ...
--Cain's rotation runningmate Tim Lincecum doesn't look like he's going to be a quick sign. The Giants offered Lincecum at least $100 million over five years a couple months back, but word is, they are at least $75 million apart, with Lincecum looking for a deal of seven or eight years;
--While Lincecum has been content to go year to year, Cain has been seen as the one more committed to staying and possibly easier to lock up. They stilll haven't done it, though;
--The Giants' offense should improve with Buster Posey back at full strength, but the team is built around it's vaunted one-two pitching punch of Lincecum and Cain. From the start of the winter, these two guys have been pegged as their priority;
--While Lincecum is the more marquee name of the two, Cain is seen as extreemely durable. While some numbers people don't quite get the value of Cain, the Giants surely do. "A horse,'' one Giants persons said, flatteringly;
Early word was that the Giants hoped to keep Cain on a deal for less than $100 million. But one person familair with the talks said there was "no chance''' of that happening. Cliff Lee's $120-million benchmark has been seen as a comp by some baseball people.
The Giants are a team with stable ownership and exploding revenues. They really have no excuse to let Cain leave. It's up to them.
--Cain's rotation runningmate Tim Lincecum doesn't look like he's going to be a quick sign. The Giants offered Lincecum at least $100 million over five years a couple months back, but word is, they are at least $75 million apart, with Lincecum looking for a deal of seven or eight years;
--While Lincecum has been content to go year to year, Cain has been seen as the one more committed to staying and possibly easier to lock up. They stilll haven't done it, though;
--The Giants' offense should improve with Buster Posey back at full strength, but the team is built around it's vaunted one-two pitching punch of Lincecum and Cain. From the start of the winter, these two guys have been pegged as their priority;
--While Lincecum is the more marquee name of the two, Cain is seen as extreemely durable. While some numbers people don't quite get the value of Cain, the Giants surely do. "A horse,'' one Giants persons said, flatteringly;
Early word was that the Giants hoped to keep Cain on a deal for less than $100 million. But one person familair with the talks said there was "no chance''' of that happening. Cliff Lee's $120-million benchmark has been seen as a comp by some baseball people.
The Giants are a team with stable ownership and exploding revenues. They really have no excuse to let Cain leave. It's up to them.
