Most players that file for arbitration will get overlooked by the media. However, in two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum’s case, it won’t be overlooked. The reason is that the 25-year-old right-hander is expected to break the salary record of $10 million for a player in his first year of arbitration eligibility.

Lincecum is headed into uncharted territories with his contract. He’s considered a Super 2 in the arbitration-eligible world. This means that he has at least 2 years of Major League service time and less than 3 years of service time, and he falls within the top 17% of service time among those players between the 2 and 3 year mark.  Got it?  I created Salary Arbitration for Dummies just in case.

Lincecum and his agent will submit a salary figure to a three person panel. Additionally, the San Francisco Giants will submit a salary figure to the same panel. Unless a deal is agreed upon by both parties, they will all attend a hearing where each side will make a case regarding what Lincecum should be paid.  Because of a “special provision” (aka winning back-to-back Cy Young’s) he’ll be compared to the big money pitchers such as teammate Barry Zito and C. C. Sabathia. Both Lincecum and Giant’s will want to settle this before it comes to a hearing since neither one will want to lose, and it may cause bad blood since both sides may have to bring up negatives of each other during the hearing. Hearings will be scheduled for February 1-21.

The Philadelphia Phillies Ryan Howard filed for $10 million and won. This was during his first  year of arbitration-eligibility and one year removed from winning the National League MVP. The Phillies submitted $7 million for this case. Howard, and his agent Casey Close submitted an $18 million request before the 2009 season, but this was settled beforehand with a $54 million deal that lasts through the 2011 season.

It’s been speculated that Lincecum’s 2010 salary could reach $23 million – matching Sabathia’s salary. We will find out on Tuesday what the numbers from both sides become public. After everything is all said and done, the Giants and Lincecum will do this every year through the 2013 season when he’s about $75 million richer. At this time he can become a free agent and make the big bucks.