Little Giant's

[Durango53]

This time last season, Cain was called up by the Giants, and showed them flashes of the success he's gone on to have this season. But another pitcher is making some noise down on the farm this season, and may provide San Francisco with a pleasant shake-up to its rotation next spring.

Tim Lincecum, the Giants first-round draft pick in the 2006 First-Year Player's Draft, started his professional career with San Francisco's short-season team at Salem-Kaizer, only to quickly move on to Class A San Jose.

The right-hander only pitched four innings total at Salem-Kaizer, but in his time there, he struck out 10 batters.

But he didn't stop there. Since joining San Jose, Lincecum has made six starts, allowing opposing batters to a measly .135 average against him. He also has 48 strikeouts there, and he isn't done. San Jose continues its season Saturday, when it hosts the California League North Division finals.

Lincecum's pitching coach at San Jose, Jim Bennett, has said the 22-year-old may be one of the best pitchers he's ever seen.

[Durango53]

Early this month, the San Francisco Giants paid a $2.1 million signing bonus for a 16-year-old Dominican third baseman, Angel Villalona. And that came not long after the New York Yankees paid $2 million to a 16-year-old Venezuelan catcher, Jesus Montero. In each case, that is nearly double the highest bonus in a normal year, causing some concern that Major League Baseball's open market on international talent -- only players from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico get drafted -- could be pricing itself into an elite range. Kevin McClatchy, the Pirates' managing general partner, was aware of the Villalona signing and expressed some worry about the situation in general. "Obviously, any time you see spending like that on 16- and 17-year-old kids, it does raise a red flag," he said. "But I think it's one of many issues we're going to try to tackle with the collective bargaining agreement. It does concern me."