Is Tim Lincecum The Best Bargain In MLB?

Tim Lincecum may be the best bargain in Major League Baseball this season. He is currently leading the majors in ERA with a 2.20 mark and in strikeouts with 198. He is only one win from being tied for the lead in wins with only Josh Beckett, Johan Santana and Adam Wainwright ahead of him with 13 wins. Last season Lincecum won the NL Cy Young Award and, unless he has a breakdown of monumental proportions, probably will be the winner of that award again in 2009. Lincecum is 13th in salary among Giants players this season. It is ironic that the highest paid player on the team is Barry Zito, who has an 8-10 record this season and earning $18.5 million this year. His salary is about 28 times higher than what Lincecum will earn this season. Noah Lowry has not made a pitch this season and is earning $4.75 million. This is the third major league season for Lincecum and he is only making $650,000, even though he won the Cy Young Award last season. A $245,000 raise is not much after a season ...