Well said Grant.  Just walk away Sabean.  If these rumors had any truth to them, meaning that the if J.P. Ricciardi approached Sabean with a Lind for Lincecum or Cain & Lincecum for Rios trade I'd tell him to piss off and end all cumminication with him for the rest of the week.

And yeah Rios has played 4 seasons in the majors, so unless I'm mistaken he'd only be under contract for two more seasons.

Lincecum + now for Rios? Oh. My. God.

The Lind offer cant be true surely. Its laughable.

What the actual fuck? No, Brian, these are NOT the droids you're looking for.

I wouldn't trade either Cain or Lincecum for the entire Blue Jays roster. What a joke.

I think it's past time Sabean started walking around Nashville with a cardboard, hand-painted sign reading: "No your stupid team can't have Cain or Lincecum.  Especially for the rediculous crap you are offering."

It's a big piece of cardboard.

Hey Blue Jays we already have a Adam Lind in our organization, his name is John Bowker.  Both were born in July of 1983, both bat left handed and throw left handed.  Maybe Lind has an edge on Bowker because he's already played in the bigs, but that might only be because the Jays rushed him up there.

If I awake on Wednesday morning to find out Sabes pulled the trigger on this horrible trade (i.e., any part of Caincecum for Rios), I'm getting on the next plane to Nashville, grabbing our GM at gunpoint, and whisking him away to Dollywood, where he'll be forced to spend the rest of his life kicking the tires on Scott Rolen while strapped to the VeggieTales Sideshow Spin.

I think Sabean feels Rios is an interesing player to acquire, but NOT for Lincecum and Cain.

Maybe the writer meant Lowry+ for Rios? While that type of deal would greatly favor the Giants, it's a bit more realistic in my view (not that either would be realistic)

Grant pretty much nailed it, nothing to see here. Hopefully just stupid journo BS.

As for Lincecum, I'm pretty sure he is 5 years away from FA, not 6. I don't think you need 6+ actual years of service time for FA, I think 5.55+ is enough. Don't quote me though, I just don't think Lincecum has six years left til FA. He should get his super two (if he does get it) after next year and get 4 years of arb from 2009-12

http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_7637196

 "It's intriguing, but not enough to pull the trigger," Sabean said. "There are things we've shut off and things we've kept alive. That's something we've kept alive."

Sabean met with Blue Jays officials again Tuesday to refine the structure of a deal. While Toronto is pushing to include infielder Troy Glaus and his unattractive contract, the Giants told the Blue Jays they aren't interested.

The Giants are seeking an improved proposal, and catching prospect Robinzon Diaz, catcher/first baseman Curtis Thigpen and right-hander Brett Cecil among the quality pieces the Blue Jays might agree to move. Cecil, a hard-throwing reliever, was a 2007 draftee and would be included as a player to be named.

The Giants are far from committed to getting something done, though. They are conflicted because they  understand the value of quality pitching, especially in the National League West with its low-scoring games and generously sized ballparks.

But they also place a high value on Rios, a five-tool talent who won't be a free agent until 2010. The 26-year-old has been an All-Star the past two seasons; he hit .297 with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs while playing in 161 games. He has a terrific arm, plays an athletic right field and runs the bases well.

Giants Manager Bruce Bochy managed Rios on an exhibition tour of Japan last year and is said to be enamored with the player.

As a right-handed power hitter, he would be ideal for the middle of the Giants lineup; if the club acquired Rios and made a successful run at free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones, the offense would be transformed both for the short and long term.

Sabean confirmed that he met with Jones' agent, Scott Boras, on Tuesday but described talks as broad. Sabean said the club has not made any offers for free agents, but he was complimentary when asked about Jones, a 10-time Gold Glove winner who hit just .222 last season.

if it really is rios+sweeteners (and it would have to be at least 2 more pretty good prospects) it wouldnt be the worst deal ever.  i love timmy, but i dont think i can watch a roberts, winn, durham, inge/rolen/feliz/encarnacion/someone-else's-trash-3b, bengie, aurilia, lewis/raj/nate, omar lineup next year.  it would make it all the more painful to see matty and timmy throwing 3-hit 1-run gems and get slapped with L's every time out.

So due to extreme depression over what the Giants are going to be like for the next few years I haven't been logging on here recently. It just makes me more depressed. But after reading that Chronicle article, I just had to come and see what everyone was saying about it.

Thank you everyone. Sabean may be insane, but the MCoven are not, and it was good to read your comments. I shall have to return to my daily browsing and occasional commenting.

Lincecum + for Rios? Plus??????????????????

My head still hurts from reading that crap.

willis and cabrera to the TIGERS.
now that lineup is something I would look fwd to watching.

FWIW, I just got Will Carroll to respond to the trade scenario on his BP chat. As you'll see, he doesn't equivocate on Tim's value. Here is the transcription:

Dylan (SF): I've seen you write that Tim Lincecum is a "freak" before. I think it mainly refers to the fact that his mechanics are so odd that his longevity and chances of injury are completely unpredictable. Does this mean that you would trade him to the Jays straight up for Alex Rios? To me, the Jays have to add a reasonably talented pitcher to the equation.

Will Carroll: No, he's just a straight freak.

There is no single pitcher that I would trade straight up for Lincecum. There are very, very few players that I would take straight up for him and the ones I would are guys like Cabrera, Pujols, Reyes ...

... so yes, I like Tim Lincecum and would be willing to say that the Giants should never trade him.

FWIW, Ken Rosenthal says the Giants view Rios as a center fielder. That would certainly make the deal a little more palatable.

I still wouldn't do it, though. The key for me is: Five years of Cain/Lincecum are more valuable to a team like the Giants than three years of Rios.

Deal "on the table"??? Doesn't that mean it might seriously actually happen? I'm going to be sick. Jayson Stark says:

if the Giants trade Linc for Rios, they seriously risk losing fans. Lincecum is a total stud and this trade would be worse than the AJ Trade.

I made an effort to go out to the yard and see Linc pitch. I'd never do that just to see Rios.

If Sabean agrees to this trade, after having previously traded Accardo for Hillenbrand, will Riccardi complete the deal by saying, "Sssssssssssssucker!!!"?

they both just said they'd do Linc for Rios straight up. They're on crack. FUCKING CRACK!

Giants should consider signing him.

I love that Bochy was "enamored" with Rios. . .this is the same guy who said Klesko was hitting the bedjezus out of the ball in BATTING PRACTICE, convincing sabes that he was worth a 3 mil flier because "he definitely god his stroke back". . .someone put out a memo that Bochy is not allowed to make roster decisions, and please, for the love of god, but a cover sheet on your TPS reports.

• Rios is NOT 24 years old. He will be 27 at the start of next season. That means he's entering his prime and really shouldn't be considered a "young player" anymore.
• Rios is NOT an on base machine. He had a respectable .354 last year, but has a lifetime .338, not exactly  great.
• He's not a 3 or 4 hitter. At best he's a 3 spot fill-in, but he'd be best suited as a #5 hitter. Lincecum should not be traded for a #5 hitter.

The suspense is killing me.  I just know Sabean is going to do something retarded.  I need a drink...

at this point do SOMETHING.  i wont be able to  bear to watch a roberts lewis winn durham bengie ortmeir frandsen omar lineup.  we are gonna come out of the winter meetings with nothing then overpay for an andruw jones and bring feliz back...i can see it coming.  

Buster Olney just gave an update on Linc for Rios.  I believe the direct words were "Blue Jays asked about a possible Rios for Lincecum trade, and the Giants said *absolutely not."

He also believes the Giants won't trade either pitcher...

Collective sigh of relief, anyone?

I've been listening to KNBR a lot today (against my better judgement) and not once but twice the hosts (Fitz first, now Barbieri) have made veiled allusions to issues with Lincecum. Fitz said something about clubhouse problems, the Razor just hinted at the Marinovich-like relationship of Timmy and his dad, something about Tim missing plane flights, attitude, etc. This is the first I've EVER heard about Lincecum being any sort of problem from a clubhouse perspective.

Is this the Giants FO feeding misinformation to their flagship radio station to defend against angry fans in case they trade their ace pitcher? Is Tim really a malcontent? Do I listen to too much sports talk? (Don't answer that last question, please.)

I'm not sure whether this is me showing faith or blatant sarcasm.  I'm leaning heavily towards the latter.  

you can say what you want about panicking and giving up linc, but he and cain throwing 2 hitters will be meaningless if the giants trot out the lineup they have now.  i honestly dont believe they can average more than 2 runs a game.  the team batting average would probably hover around .240.  maybe rios isnt the guy we go get, but we cant afford to do nothing.  stop being so scared to take chances on the trade market.  no other is going to value timmy quite as much as everyone on here because they werent in the situation sf fans were last year (timmy's 100mph fastballs were one of the few shining lights)  but face it matty and timmy could turn out to be the next smoltz/maddux and the team would still be horrible 5 years from now becase there are ZERO top hitting prospects even close to making an impact in the system and we cant afford a big FA hitter if we plan to save money for lincecain and pay zito. even without timmy, the staff could be a competitive one.  (id take cain, lowry, zito, correia, misch over what the mets or yanks (assuming neither lands haren or santana) are going to throw out there.  two or three very good hitters makes the lineup competitive.  id rather have a team that you feel might be able to compete every day than a team that pitches fantastically but you know is never going to score enough runs.  BALANCE.

how do you plan to win 20 games in 2010?  who is going to drive in the runs for those wins?  are ortmeir and schierholtz suddenly going to become will clark/matt williams?  speaking of williams remember when nobody wanted to trade one of our two big sluggers either?  howd that turn out?  the fans as a whole need to grow some and be willing to take a risk.  best case scenario if we keep them is they both become dominant but in another 2-3 years we have to deal one of them for hitting.  somthing better than we'd get now, yes but i dont think its worth 2 or 3 miserable years or the risk that one or both of them dont pan out.

I will actually cry if the Giants trade Caincecum for Rios.

Does Brian Sabean really want to make jponry cry???

so you are all willing to go into next season without making a trade?  again im not saying rios for lincecum is the deal we should jump on, but clearly they have to do something and ruling out dealing lincecum or cain is ridiculous

From the Toronto Globe and Mail:

Ricciardi still hasn't heard back from the San Francisco Giants, but sources with both teams said there is now just one offer on the table: Alex Rios for Tim Lincecum, even up. No Troy Glaus. No Matt Cain. Nothing else. Ricciardi is ready to make the deal right now. Giants GM Brian Sabean has yet to respond - although he has delayed his daily press briefing with Bay area reporters.

ok well then dont complain when lincecum and cain each go 2-17 with era's in the 3's.

if they dont get a hitter im not sure you can call what the giants will be playing baseball.  and yea sabean has made a couple bad trades, but like someone else pointed out he has also made just as many great ones.  the state of the farm system might be something you can attack him on, but he came damn close to bringing the giants a world series ring.  and yea lets try to gain some perspective-lincecum 7 wins. rios-allstar.  not saying its a fair trade-but its not a no-brainer-dont-do-it.  im sure toronto fans are up in arms that they are about to deal half of their young allstar outfield duo for some young pitcher theyve barely heard of with a funky-injury-inducing-type delivery.  before you rush to judgement see if sabean can put another hitter or two around rios if he even makes the deal. and i love timmy but he will NOT be better than nolan ryan. c'mon.  bottom line: this was one of the worst teams in the league last year, we lost our best (and only) hitter, there are no prospects expected to do much on the way.....and you all want to stand pat?

The Dodgers are desperate:

ignore the poor grammar (it's a Dodger story) and then smile.