Lincecum and Giants still battling over money; Wang, Damon leave New York

Anyone who gives betting tips on baseball is watching the free-agent market during the offseason, and there are a few big names still figuring things out before the players head to spring training in the next month or so.

Tim Lincecum

“The Freak” is still under contract with the San Francisco Giants until 2013, but this was his first year that he could apply for arbitration, and the two-time reigning Cy Young winner has done just that. Lincecum is a absolute steal at $650,000 right now, and the Giants know they’re going to have to pay if they want to keep him. Lincecum wants $13 million a season, while the Giants want to give only $8 million, and all the while, contract talks for a long-term deal are still going on. This is similar to the Ryan Howard saga, as Howard was awarded $10 million from Philadelphia, who had offered him $7 million in arbitration after he had been making $900,000 as the National League MVP. Howard eventually signed a three-year deal, and the Giants would do well to do the same with Lincecum, because someone will pay him, and the Giants’ betting odds would be as good as an online super casino.

Chien-Ming Wang

Wang is still on the market after five years with the Yankees, but after two straight 19-win seasons, the right-hander suffered various injuries over the last couple of seasons and was not offered a new contract in New York. Reportedly, Washington, the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are all interested in the 29-year-old, who has yet to throw off a mound. A healthy Wang would be a big boost to any team’s sportsbook odds, as he has proven to be very effective. However, he was very reliant on his sinker and many people think that teams simply caught on to him. First, he has to prove his health.

Johnny Damon

Damon was also booted out of New York after refusing to take a salary less than the $13 million he was making, and Detroit, Tampa Bay and Atlanta have all made offers to the 36-year-old. The biggest offer has come from the Tigers, who are offering a year at $7 million, and you have to wonder if Damon is worth that big of an investment at this stage in his career. He was a very good teammate in New York and made some big plays during the Yankees’ World Series run, but there was no way he was ever making double digits in millions anymore, especially when teams aren’t sure he’s even an everyday player anymore. He definitely won’t be one of the top fantasy baseball picks, either.