The Giants have carefully cultivated Tim Lincecum's image in his three seasons with the team, and it certainly didn't hurt when Lincecum won the 2008 National League Cy Young Award.
But that image took a hit at least a little when he was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession after getting pulled over for speeding in Washington state on Oct. 30.
According to the police report, the officer who pulled over Lincecum smelled marijuana and requested that the pitcher hand over the drug. Lincecum presented 3.3 grams and a pipe.
The pitcher reached a plea deal in which he will pay $372 in fines, and the drug charge will be dropped.
It was a minor charge, the fine is a drop in the bucket, and he isn't the first professional athlete to find himself in that type of predicament. But two things make it more interesting in Lincecum's case: He's considered "The Franchise," and he's due to cash in on the incredible start to his career.
Lincecum is eligible for arbitration this winter, and the Giants have talked for a couple of years about locking him up with a long-term contract. Maybe his latest off-field news won't affect what he gets paid in 2010, but it will be interesting to see if it does ... and how much ... and, maybe most important of all, how it will affect his relationship with the Giants.
--Freddy Sanchez has a lot to prove to Giants fans.
In Pittsburgh, he was a batting champ and three-time All-Star. But in two months in San Francisco, he was limited to 25 games because of injuries and hit .284 with one homer and seven RBIs.
Rather than exercising Sanchez's $8.1 million option, the Giants renegotiated and signed the second baseman to a two-year, $12 million contract.
"I know I didn't do what I wanted to do when I came here," said Sanchez, who went on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and underwent knee surgery after the season.
The Giants gave up a lot for Sanchez, pitching prospect Tim Alderson, in a July 29 trade with Pittsburgh. Sanchez said, "I try to be as loyal a person as I can. Being part of the San Francisco Giants' family, hopefully I can do what they traded for me to do."
Sanchez, 31, seems confident he'll be 100 percent before spring training. He'll likely bat second.
The Giants, who were eliminated from postseason contention in the season's final week, could have used a healthy Sanchez during the stretch run. As GM Brian Sabean said, "He certainly played up to our scouting reports and expectations. It's unfortunate he ran into not being able to stay on the field, because he really would have helped the ballclub."
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
