Read More: Alex Gonzalez (SS – ATL), Brandon Crawford (SS – SFG), San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves

The San Francisco Giants are in some serious need of an upgrade at shortstop, and according to sources they are in talks with the agent of free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez: 

Per Jim Bowden on Twitter: 

Gonzalez hit .241 with 15 homers and 56 RBI in 149 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, and would definitely be an offensive upgrade compared to Brandon Crawford, who is said to be the likely candidate as starting shortstop next season if the Giants don’t search for someone else. 

For more on the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles. 

Read More: Pat Burrell (LF – SFG), Cody Ross (RF – SFG), Carlos Beltran (RF – SFG), San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have a number of offseason questions to be answered, but took care of a few on Wednesday as the team will not offer arbitration to outfielders Cody Ross or Pat Burrell according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea. 

Ross, 30, batted a meager .240/.325/.405 in 121 games for the Black and Orange last season, and would have earned upwards of $8 million in 2012 if offered arbitration by the Giants. The ‘boss’ still has a lot of ball left in him, and should be picked up quickly by another squad for 2012. 

As for Burrell, 35, he acknowledged that his playing career is likely over towards the end of the regular season, batting only .230/.352/.404 in an injury plagued 2011 campaign that he saw time in only 92 games. If he is to retire, Burrell would finish with a .253/.391/.472 carrer line in 11 years in the majors. 

For more on the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles. 

According to multiple sources, the San Francisco Giants are actively trying to sign Tim Lincecum to a long-term contract. The move makes sense for the team but probably will not go anywhere. “The Freak” has already stated his preference for one- or two-year deals. Of course, it does not hurt the organization in any way to give it a shot, and success could save a lot of money. It will undoubtedly cost the team more to work on short-term deals.

Let us get one thing across right now. Lincecum may not always be a Giants’ pitcher, and shot-term contracts make a lot of sense for him. Obviously, there is a lot of flexibility for him if he decides one day to pack it up and jump to another organization. He would not have to wait too long to make that move. A lot of players like stability, but having freedom can be just as favorable. In any case, it is not like Lincecum would be unable to sign with a team should a deal not be struck from year-to-year.

Plus, Lincecum stands to make more money on shorter deals than a long-term contract. He will be handed millions more each season through this method. The San Francisco Giants (or other teams) will have to pay an extra premium to keep him around to avoid having another club offer him more money. Of course, there is not much risk involved in signing an ace starting pitcher for one or two seasons when he shows very little downside. If he stays healthy each season, then he will end up earning more money than he would have through a big contract.

The team and the fans might want to see Tim Lincecum locked up for the next decade, but that is not going to happen. I highly doubt that “The Franchise” is going to dedicate himself to more than two years at any given time until he starts to show some decline later in his career. In reality, I do not think he is going to jump ship either though. He should stick around as long as the Giants continue to win games and give him the support he needs to wrack up his own wins. Lincecum should stay the “Franchise” for the years to come. However, he will just do so without a multi-year deal.

Who knows? The organization could give him enough money or enough of a reason to commit himself to three, four, or more years. Without a doubt, money or the right circumstances can change anyone’s mind. By the end of the offseason, Lincecum could be locked in with the team for many years. That is still an unlikely outcome though. He just seems like the kind of guy who would prefer to only commit bits and pieces of his time. In the end, that is not a huge deal for Tim Lincecum or the fans. The San Francisco Giants’ pocketbook might not like it too much though.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

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For the last few seasons, Matt Cain(notes) of the San Francisco Giants has been a dependable and durable starter for the team. He regularly works deep into games and can get the team within striking distance for the win. Cain improved in various areas from 2010 to 2011, so he should continue to do so. In any case, here are some predictions for him during this coming season.

1. Cain does have a decent shot at 200 strikeouts.

He has never passed more than 186 strikeouts in a single season but is almost always around the 170 mark. Undoubtedly, Cain is capable of hitting the coveted 200 mark, and 2012 looks as good of a time to do it as any other. Of course, he is not necessarily an overpowering pitcher. That does not mean that he cannot strike batters out though. He might not make it to 200, but it would not surprise anyone if he does.

2. Throw in a couple complete games and possible shutouts.

After throwing four complete games with two of them being shutouts in 2010, Cain followed that up with only one complete game this past season. He did make it to the eighth inning on a regular basis though. There is no doubt that he can finish games and blank opponents. With that in mind, I see him throwing a few complete games and a shutout or two next season.

3. He will win at least 15 games and post an earned run average under 3.00.

Okay, I have said this for my predictions on most starting pitchers for the San Francisco Giants. With the way the top four pitch, it is highly likely that they will all manage to do this. The offense let him down like the rest of the starters this past season, and he wound up with a 12-11 record despite a 2.88 ERA. In all likelihood, his success will continue in 2012 albeit with a few more wins and less losses. The ERA will not jump above 3.00 though.

4. His career record will finally become a winning one.

It might be surprising, but Cain does not have a winning career record. His record currently stands at 69-73 in spite of a strong 3.35 career ERA. Without a doubt, he will be able to fix that in 2012. Cain should have no trouble winning enough games to fix his record, especially if the Giants have an upgraded offense and defense. In doing so, he can join Ryan Vogelsong(notes) as another pitcher on the team who can put their winning percentage over .500.

5. Cain will continue to be a workhorse for the San Francisco Giants.

Undoubtedly, Cain is a valuable asset to the organization. He constantly pitches into the seventh and eighth innings of ballgames. Eating up the innings while pitching successfully is a great ability. In the last five seasons, he has surpassed the 200 inning mark each time. Throughout a season, that helps keep the bullpen fresh and available. Nobody can complain about that.

Things look bright for Matt Cain.

By the end of the 2012 regular season, Matt Cain will more than likely have provided the San Francisco Giants with another great year. He is undoubtedly a borderline elite pitcher because he is usually good, often great, and occasionally untouchable. That is not always reflected in his win-loss column, but you can see it for yourself when he takes the mound. On that note, this coming season should be a good one for him at the very least.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

More From Yahoo! Sports:

Five Predictions For Aubrey Huff in 2012

Five Predictions For Buster Posey in 2012

Five Predictions For Nate Schierholtz in 2012

Five Predictions For Tim Lincecum in 2012

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomes the World Series champions San Francisco Giants to the East Room of the White House. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

U.S President Barack Obama is hailing the World Series champion San Francisco Giants as baseball’s “characters with character.”

He welcomed the team to the White House on Monday to celebrate the Giants’ 4-games-to-1 triumph over the Texas Rangers in last year’s fall classic.

Obama was joined by California lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Giants great Willie Mays. Obama noted that Mays was a 23-year-old outfielder when the Giants last won the World Series.

He also singled out gangly pitcher Tim Lincecum, whose nickname is “the Freak,” and reliever Brian Wilson, famed for his foot-long beard and outlandish garb. The president said the Giants may be “a little different,” but “one thing they know is how to win.”