With the mother of all arbitration cases set to go down this winter, Tim Lincecum and his agent Rick Thurman will pursue just a one-year deal according to John Shea of The SF Chronicle. Going year-to-year in arbitration would allow the righty to maximize his earning potential, though he'd be forgoing the security that comes along with signing a long-term deal.
Shea mentions that the 25-year-old two-time defending Cy Young Award winner could ask for C.C. Sabathia money thanks to a "special accomplishment" provision in Article VI Rule F (12) of CBA. While filing for salary arbitration, a player's compensation is based on what other players with similar service time are paid, however this provision would allow arbitration panel to "give whatever weight to such argument as is deemed appropriate." That essentially means they could disregard Lincecum's service time, if they choose.
