ATF Morning Commute – Lincecum Edition

May 20, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum (55) adjusts his hat after the Oakland Athletics scored a run in the fourth inning at AT

Tim Lincecum‘s brand new contract is still a hot topic, despite happening a couple of days ago. I’m still not even sure if the reason I’m happy is because I love Lincecum, or because I think that it’s worth it. But, here’s what a few other people are thinking.

San Francisco Chronicle: Giants’ brain trust bets Lincecum will evolve

"“I feel like I’m still trying to get a grasp on this new, I guess, me,” he said. “I’m learning the hitters a little better and trying to be a little more efficient, studying them and exploiting them as much as I can. It’s still a learning process. It’s exciting just to look at it that way. This isn’t just an end-all. This isn’t as good as it’s going to get. It’s going to get a lot better.”"

San Jose Mercury News: Alex Pavlovic and Tim Kawakami discuss Lincecum’s new contract in a video chat

San Jose Mercury News: Giants overpaid Lincecum for a reason

"But the Giants were using a different kind of economics in this deal, which isn’t tied to actual recent performance or clear-eyed appraisals.The Giants love to pay their stars. Their stars draw fans, their fans fill AT&T Park — even when the Giants aren’t putting together logical rosters — and that’s how the Giants have the cash to overpay their stars.Call it TooMuchMoneyBall."

CSN Bay Area: Lincecum deal – Baseball or marketing decision?

"The Giants are what we have believed them to be for awhile – a team with money and choices on how to spend it. Whatever does or doesn’t happen with Lincecum, we at least know that much today."