Prior to the signing, Giants fans were praying to the Baseball Gods every night before bed that they'd wake up to the news of Cain agreeing to a new deal with the ball club. Though it took a little longer than many would have hoped, those prayers were answered just days before the start of Opening Day when both sides agreed to a 5-year, $112.5 Million contract. The deal which locks Cain up until the end of the 2017 season, includes an option worth $21 Million for 2018 and is the most lucrative contract in MLB history issued to a right-handed pitcher, surpassing the previous mark held by the Dodgers' Kevin Brown (7-years, $105 Million).
Cain, already a 7-year veteran, has become a fixture in the Giants' rotation and is currently the longest-tenured Giant having made his Major League debut with the organization back in August of '05. The first of many homegrown talents of the pitching variety which the Giants have become famous for the past several years now, it was Cain who paved the way for other young studs such as teammates Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner who together have formed one of the most formidable starting rotations in all of baseball for what looks to be many years to come.
Looking passed his sub .500 career win-loss record of 69-73, which to his credit has been an indication of receiving the Major League's lowest run support over the last five seasons (3.7), Brian Sabean and company instead looked at more significant stats such as innings pitched. Having reached the 200 innings plateau for the fifth consecutive season in 2011, Cain is among an elite class of hurlers to have achieved that feat in five straight years. The others being Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Mark Buehrle, C.C. Sabathia, James Shields and Justin Verlander. Still at the youthful age of 27, Cain has already achieved so much on the mound being the workhorse that he is, but even he would tell you that there's still room for improvement.
Historically an unfortunate victim of poor run support including the 20 of Cain's first 30 career starts in which the Giants scored two runs or fewer in, you would think a player of Cain's stature had enough of the torturous style of baseball that San Francisco tends to play. Wrong. Following the busy 2010 season which saw Cain put in plenty of work on the mound during both the regular season and in the postseason where he hurled another 21.1 scoreless innings in San Francisco's title run, many believed the excessive number of innings pitched would have put a toll on the right-hander's throwing arm the following year. Instead, he would log a career-low in ERA (2.88) while being named to the All-Star squad for the second time in his career. If you're one of those baseball fans who firmly believe that pitching wins games then the Giants appear to be in good shape for many years to come.
However, one predicament the front-office could find themselves in several years from now is what exactly they'll do when the contracts of Lincecum, Cain, Posey and Bumgarner all expire around the same time and if they'll be able to afford re-signing them. But until that time comes, we'll enjoy the ride for the time being.
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