Giants Should Consider Waiver Posting and Trade of Tim Lincecum

It's time for the San Francisco Giants to seriously consider putting Tim Lincecum on revocable waivers.

The right-hander gave up one hit and one walk over eight innings as the Giants beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-1, on Thursday.

Lincecum has been completely dominant in four of his last five starts, and the Giants could conceivably cash in after his latest performance. He is a free agent at the end of the year and could still conceivably go back to the Giants as a free agent.

But what the Giants could do is get a decent prospect in return who could help them in the future.

What would be the benefits of trading him? Who would be interested, and would the Giants even consider it?

The Benefits

There are many benefits to trading for Lincecum, mainly his experience in the postseason.

While he's struggled the last two years, there's no doubt that Lincecum can get the job done. He just has to find that spark he once had.

He has a 5-2 career postseason record with a 2.47 ERA. Last year, five of his six appearances in the postseason were out of the bullpen.

However, if Thursday's performance is any indication, Lincecum can still show flashes of brilliance. For a team willing to trade for him, that could play to its benefit when it comes to the postseason.

Which Teams Would Be Interested?

It's rare that you find a two-time Cy Young winner who could be made available like this. While he has had his struggles this year, there are still a number of teams that could be interested in his services.

The Oakland Athletics could use him to provide another experienced arm out of the rotation alongside Bartolo Colon.

The St. Louis Cardinals could be another team in the mix, as could the Arizona Diamondbacks, who recently traded away Ian Kennedy.

Interested teams are out there, but will they be willing to pay up?

Will the Giants Even Consider It?

Given Lincecum's history with the Giants, it's hard to imagine the team trading him.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Giants are interested in making a qualifying offer to Lincecum at the end of the season.

"

Lincecum and Pence are in their walk years. But the Giants are interested in retaining both, and their current intention is to offer them the roughly $13.8 million tender, which at worst would assure a draft pick between the first and second rounds if either signed elsewhere.

"

If they're that keen on making him a qualifying offer, then it's likely going to take a lot for the Giants to trade him. I'd imagine a team would have to be willing to give up a Zack Wheeler-type prospect in return for a rental.

In the end, I don't think the Giants make the move.

Worst-case scenario, they get a pick between the first and second rounds of next year's draft if he walks in free agency.

The reward of hanging on to him far outweighs the risk.