We'll never know if there was real truth behind those Rios/Lincecum rumours a ways back, but two CYAs later, it's worth wondering ...

Not to mention that "Leaf problems" means something different in TO than it does south of the border...

Well at least it's not a PED.

Wasn't the rumour that the Giants wanted the Jays to throw in a lesser-but-still-good pitcher to replace Lincecum in the rotation (maybe someone like Litsch or even Marcum)? I remember hearing Sabean muse about something to that effect, but apparently the Jays were adamant about not giving up more than Rios in the deal.

Of course, no one will ever know the real story, but that scenario seems somewhat plausible. However, I never really got the sense that Sabean (or Giants fans) really believed that, on balance, Lincecum-Rios was a good trade for SF. I think it was something the Jays pitched, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, and that the media jumped all over. I checked out a SF blog or newspaper comments section at the time and their fans were about 60:40, if not 70:30, in opposition to the trade proposal.

The musing I remember was that JP was reluctant to throw in Thigpen, feeling that a young established star under control like Rios should be enough to land a pure prospect with mechanics/durability concerns like Lincecum.

At the time, it certainly was a defensible decision, but damn your principles JP.  Who knew how badly Rios and Thipgen would wet the bed and that Lincecum would have two Cy's in two years.

It's funny just how ethereal rumours are. The rumour I heard at the time was that Sabean wasn't prepared to move Lincecum for Rios, but was prepared to move Cain, or at least structure a deal with Cain as the centerpiece.

Chuck, I checked.  There is no #42 on the Giants roster.  Ergo, all rumours, past or present had no substance whatsoever.  Their existence as rumours is very much in doubt.