Interest high as Lincecum takes hill

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he sees an opportunity on the major-league staff for Tim Lincecum in a long-relief role. The key is converting a former franchise icon into a bullpen cog.

“It’s all about being honest with the player and knowing where both sides stand,” Bochy said. “I’m not just talking about Timmy but any player with history with the club.

“This all goes into it when you’re discussing a contract, especially when you’re talking about a player who’s done what he’s done for us.”

The interest in Lincecum will be robust, with perhaps 20 teams sending representatives towatch his workout Friday in Arizona. But the market for his services might be more limited now than it would have been in February because teams have set their rosters and in many cases spent their budgets.

Would Lincecum go someplace like Baltimore for a chance to start? Or would his desire for the familiar outweigh a promise to start after a minor-league buildup phase? That’s even less predictable than what Lincecum’s pitches will look like.

With former Giants long man Chris Heston trying to find consistency in Triple A, the need for a durable arm who could pitch multiple innings — and perhaps be ready to step into a starting role to cover an injury — is greater than itwaswhenpitchers and catchers reported in February.

Young pitchers Clayton Blackburn and Ty Blach also are off to rough starts in Triple A, giving the Giants reason to pursue starting pitching depth.

Lincecum has spent the last three weeks throwing to his own catcher at the Giants’ minorleague complex, which they opened to him as a courtesy.

“My conversations with him have been more, ‘How’re you doing? How’s the arm? How’s the hip?’ ” Bochy said. “We didn’t go into a role.”