SCOTTSDALE -- Three years after Tim Lincecum last pitched for them, the Giants still quietly keep No. 55 on the off-limits list. None of the 58 players in camp are wearing it, but some at Scottsdale Stadium have considered the possibility of returning it to the original owner.
The Giants were in attendance Thursday when Lincecum threw for scouts at Driveline Baseball near his Seattle home. Their representative came away impressed, and while it's a long shot, general manager Bobby Evans wouldn't rule out a reunion.
"It's up to the competition of what clubs are bidding on him, and I can't speak to that yet," Evans said. "It's early. We obviously are all rooting for Timmy. Selfishly, anything he does, we would love for it to be in a Giants uniform, but sometimes opportunities on the business side dictate otherwise. But we're always rooting for him."
Several members of the organization still keep in touch with Lincecum regularly, and Evans said he spoke to his agent, Rick Thurman, recently. The report Evans got from the workout was positive.
"The velo was up, the breaking ball was sharp with good depth," Evans said. "He looked really fit and strong and prepared for a comeback. It was impressive."
While some reports had Lincecum hitting 93 mph, the Giants had him sitting 91-92. That's still a noticeable tick up from his last stint with them, although it was a controlled environment and it's unclear how many pitches Lincecum threw. If he is interested in a return, that could ultimately be a deciding factor. The Giants have always been interested in Lincecum's potential as a reliever, but they don't have a starting spot open, and Lincecum's side has indicated he wants to keep starting.
"That's still his heartbeat," Evans said.
