Giants Pitcher Tim Lincecum was Cited for Possession of Marijuana

Weedpipe · 11-06-2009, 06:22 PM

Though he faces misdemeanor charges in the state, it is unlikely he will receive any punishment from Major League Baseball.

The 2008 Cy Young Award winner was stopped for speeding at 8:23 a.m. on Oct. 30 while driving on Interstate 5, 4 miles north of the Oregon state line, according to Trooper Steve Schatzel of the Washington State Patrol. Lincecum was cited for driving 74 mph in a 60-mph zone.

The police report said the motorcycle officer who stopped Lincecum smelled marijuana in the car and asked him to produce any drugs that he had. Lincecum acknowledged that he did have drugs and opened the center console of his 2006 Mercedes, handing the officer 3.3 grams of marijuana, just under one-eighth of an ounce, and a pipe.

"He was placed under arrest," Schatzel said. "It was determined he was not impaired. He was cited and released at the scene. The amount of marijuana he had is about the size of your thumb."

In Washington, where Lincecum was born and raised, possessing less than 40 grams of marijuana is deemed personal use and a misdemeanor, with a maximum punishment of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Although Major League Baseball has a well-publicized policy for punishing users of performance-enhancing drugs, there are no provisions in the collective bargaining agreement for punishing players who are convicted of using drugs of abuse.

In June, Cubs catcher Geovany Soto was told he tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic. He faced no sanctions from MLB.

In reality, the hit to Lincecum's reputation will be worse than his criminal punishment.

The pitcher's 2010 salary might be set in salary arbitration. Although unlikely, the Giants could cite his arrest to the arbitration panel as a reason to award the 25-year-old a lower salary.

A Giants spokesman said the team still was gathering information and was not prepared to issue a statement. Calls to Lincecum and his agent were not returned.

Although Lincecum likely would have been handcuffed by the arresting officer, Schatzel said, he was not taken into custody but was cited and released on a promise to appear in Clark County District Court. An arraignment is set for Nov. 23.

Lincecum faces a fine of $122 for the speeding charge.

A source in the commissioner's office said that if Lincecum is convicted, he likely will be steered to a diversion program.

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Source: SFGate
Author: Henry Schulman
Contact: SFGate
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