hampionship of this stature can have on golfers with dreams | Forum

SAN FRANCISCO -- Tim Lincecum wants nothing more than to return to his old dominant self in the very place where he has been at his best before. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner finalized his $35 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on Friday after passing a physical. Now, he is ready to get back to work and build toward a comeback season in 2014. He will begin his off-season workout routine in earnest with a training appointment Monday in the Seattle area. "It gives you that freedom that Ive done it with this group before. I feel like we can do it again, and personally I feel like I can succeed there again," Lincecum said. "As a group, I feel like we have the right tools to make another push. Those are the kind of things you look for when going after an organization. When Im already plugged into one, I dont have to look too far to see what theyve done and what Ive been able to do with them." Just as the Giants had hoped, they signed Lincecum before he went on the free-agent market. Lincecum, who pitched a no-hitter on July 13 at San Diego, reached agreement on the new deal earlier in the week that keeps him with his only major league team through 2015. The contract pays $17 million for next year and $18 million in 15. Lincecums contract includes a full no-trade clause. In addition, he can earn an additional $250,000 each for 210 innings pitched and 220 innings. He would earn $500,000 for another Cy Young, $250,000 for second place, $100,000 (third), $75,000 (fourth) and $50,000 (fifth). If he wins the 2014 Cy Young award, the first-place bonus would increase to $1 million for the following year. In addition, Lincecum would earn $250,000 for NL MVP with additional bonuses for second through fifth place. He would receive $100,000 for an All-Star selection and $50,000 for a Gold Glove. Lincecum will get a hotel suite on the road. The contract also calls for him to purchase 25 tickets to each home game for underprivileged children in the Bay Area. "This was targeted as a baseball signing," CEO Larry Baer said. "This was the right thing for the Giants to keep the rotation strong and keep the teams chances of winning strong. ... Timmy is a very popular guy but I dont want it to be misinterpreted that this was done because hes popular." He just completed a $40.5 million, two-year contract that paid him $22 million this season. Given the uncertainty in the rotation, keeping one of the clubs most notable faces means a lot to manager Bruce Bochy. The Giants, who won the World Series in 2010 and again last year, will not exercise left-hander Barry Zitos $18 million option for 2014, and Ryan Vogelsong might not return. Lincecum said late in the season he is a creature of familiarity and hoped to stay put with San Francisco, which drafted him 10th overall out of Washington in 2006 and quickly promoted him to the majors in May 2007. He pitched the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, when the Giants captured their first championship since moving West in 1958. Then in 2012, Lincecum moved to the bullpen for the playoffs and emerged as a reliable reliever as San Francisco won another title. Lincecum -- the Cy Young winner in 2008 and 09, when he won 18 and 15 games, respectively -- went 10-14 with a 4.37 ERA and 193 strikeouts over 32 starts last year, his third straight season with a losing record. Still, Lincecums strides down the stretch to get back to top form were encouraging for the Giants brass. "He gave us really positive signs as to what hes capable of doing," assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. "He is an important part of our rotation and we are very pleased to have him back for at least two more years." The right-hander joined Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry, and Kirk Rueter as the only Giants in San Francisco history to win at least 10 games in six straight seasons. "When your last couple years are a collective 4.50 (ERA), thats not the way you want to go out," Lincecum said. "Thats not the guy I am." The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Lincecum earned the nicknames The Freak and Franchise for his quick rise to the majors and his quirky delivery. A four-time All-Star, he is 89-70 with a 3.46 ERA over seven major league seasons. There was some thought he might test the open market and at least listen to any offers from his hometown Seattle Mariners. "Up until this year I hadnt really thought about it. Ive always kind of looked at myself as a Giant, even a couple years ago when there were contract talks and two years before that," he said. "Home is always going to be home to me. Maybe Ill look at that route later on in life as a professional place. Personally, I wasnt ready for that kind of jump." General manager Brian Sabean has now checked off two important items from his to-do list looking forward to what he hopes is a comeback year for the club in 2014. In late September, the Giants signed right fielder Hunter Pence to a $90 million, five-year contract before the season ended. He played every game this year. Zito, who recently took out a full-page newspaper ad thanking Giants fans, will be due a $7 million buyout as he departs following a $126 million, seven-year contract. The move will be made formal at the conclusion of the World Series. Now, San Francisco has a rotation led by Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner. "When you have staples in a rotation like this, mainstay guys who have come up through the organization, myself, Cain and Bummy, thats a pretty good collective group of guys to base your rotation off of," Lincecum said. "I know that I havent had the greatest year, but Ive got to go in with confidence knowing that Im going to get back to where I need to be. Thats pretty much my mindset right now." 20:47ET 25-10-13 SAN DIEGO -- Three of golfs prominent golf organizations have created the Latin America Amateur Championship, giving amateurs from 27 countries a shot at playing in the Masters and qualifying for golfs two oldest championships. The inaugural Latin America Amateur will start next January in Argentina. It follows the model of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which began in 2009 with the backing of Augusta National Golf Club and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club. The U.S. Golf Association joined the latest effort in Latin America, with all three groups offering some major perks. The winner will receive a spot in the 2015 Masters and will be exempt into the final stage of qualifying for the British Open and U.S. Open, along with an exemption to any other USGA championship for which the amateur is eligible. And just like the Asia-Pacific Amateur, the idea is to accelerate the development of golf in a region that doesnt get a lot of attention. "We believe this event will be motivating to current and future generations of golfers, and one day create heroes that will inspire others to give the game a try," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said Wednesday. "This belief has guided us well through the early successes of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, and with the collective expertise in guiding the game of golf provided by the R&A and the USGA, we are hopeful in achieving equally exciting results." Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, is now No. 24 in the world. The most receent winner was Guan Tianlang, who at 14 last year became the youngest player to make a cut in a major.dddddddddddd The first Latin America Amateur will be Jan. 15-18, 2015, at Pilar Golf in Argentina. The PGA Tour recently began a Latin American satellite tour, and the new amateur event could provide an even bigger boost with golf returning to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 games. The 120-man field will be determined largely by the World Amateur Golf Ranking. At least two players will come from each of 27 countries recognized by the International Olympic Committee, which also are part of the International Golf Federation. Along with South America, they include countries in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The two players will be decided by the world ranking. If there are no players in the ranking, the national golf association will nominate the players. The remainder of the field will be filled by the ranking, with no country allowed more than six players. The exception is the host country, which can have as many as 10 players. It will be 72 holes of stroke play, same as the Asia-Pacific Amateur. "Supporting the games continuous growth has been a responsibility taken very seriously throughout the 260-year history of the R&A," chief executive Peter Dawson said. "Having been involved in this region of the world for many years, we understand the potential impact a championship of this stature can have on golfers with dreams of competing at the highest level." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '