I have to admit, I’ve been pretty bored with spring training this year. What is there to get excited about?

Brandon Belt having a great spring? Yes. Tim Lincecum got a hair cut? No. Barry Zito might be good again for real? Yes. Chad Gaudin will be the 12th pitcher? Not really.

But, then these two things happened on the same day.

My thoughts: the Posey deal is a great deal. The Giants get their best player locked up for the next decade at a less expensive rate than Prince Fielder, Troy Tulowitzki, or Joey Votto. I’d take Posey over all of those guys because of the position he plays (and because he is awesome).

The Posey deal is also cheaper than the one the Twins gave Joe Mauer, another win for the Giants.

It’s also interesting to me that the deal was done the same day as Verlander’s. Remember: the Giants just beat the Tigers in the World Series. Now, Verlander is amazing. But, he plays every five days and he’s older than Posey. One could argue that Verlander is more important to the Tiger’s franchise than Posey, but that would be an all-out cage match of a debate.

Posey’s deal is less expensive than Verlander’s. Amazing.

Not only that, but Verlander’s deal makes the Matt Cain deal look like a bargain. Who would have thought that. The Giants are locking up their core, a core that has two rings already, at rates that are less expensive than the “market”.

All of which leads to a question/observation.

Is this the end of the Tim Lincecum era?

A lot depends on what he does this season, but either way I think he’s gone. If he has a great season he will be too expensive, and if he sucks the Giants will want to go in a different direction anyway. The Giant’s best move of the past two seasons might have been NOT signing Lincecum to a long term deal.

Baseball starts tomorrow, and the Giants are off and running in two days. I’m ready now.

Bring on the season!

(-SB)