The Giants have settled their final arbitration case of the season by agreeing with Tim Lincecum on a 2 year $40.5 million deal that buys out his last two team controlled seasons. :

The contract, which is pending a physical, will pay Lincecum $18 million this season and $22 million in 2013. He also receives a $500,000 signing bonus.

Overall that is pretty much right in line with what you would expect for him to earn via the arbitration process but I guess it gives both some certainty that if he has a great season (or suffers some sort of injury) that next season won't be in question.

I have already come out thinking that I don't think that it is a great idea for the Giants to sign Lincecum to an ultra long term deal like he has reportedly asked for. The risk on a deal like that is very high and while you have the perk of a premier player often times by the end of these deals it is a weight on a franchise, especially if the team is not willing to spend freely to cover up mistakes.

So all that being said I am happy that Lincecum will be a Giant (but that was never in doubt because they were not going to trade him) and that it wasn't at an unreasonable price. It is too bad that a medium term extension couldn't be worked out but I don't blame Lincecum for wanting to have the chance at really maximizing his career earnings.

Maybe in two years the Giants will have an offense worth sticking around for.

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