Agent says Pablo Sandoval wants 6

Updated 5:08 pm, Thursday, November 6, 2014

Tim Lincecum is expected to return to the Giants' rotation in 2015. Whom he sees when he swivels his head toward third base is the all-consuming question within the front office as the hot-stove season begins.

Those were the biggest takeaways from Thursday's annual postseason debriefing from manager Bruce Bochy, general manager Brian Sabean and team president Larry Baer.

Sabean said the Giants have made Pablo Sandoval an offer. Given the huge chunk of payroll that a contract for the third baseman would consume, team officials have told the team's other free agents, including starters Ryan Vogelsong and Jake Peavy, that they must wait in line.

'We've told both Peavy and Vogelsong we need time to sort things out,' Sabean said. 'Again, it goes back to Pablo. Pablo is the only one we've engaged as far as an offer and moving forward. The other four free agents know where we stand. ... It's obvious that Pablo is the heavy lifting.'

The Giants' other free agents are Michael Morse and Sergio Romo. Sabean would not discuss their futures specifically, but both might be tough to bring back given budgetary constraints, Morse's struggles in left field and the size and length of a contract that Romo might attract from teams seeking an experienced closer.

Sandoval's camp has offered no hints that he will make a quick decision on his next home.

As one of the few impact bats available in free agency, he is expected to generate significant interest from wealthier teams, including the Boston Red Sox.

Even with his annual conditioning issues, Sandoval should have no trouble finding a team in this offense-starved era willing to give him the five years and $90 million to $100 million that he sought in spring training.

While the Giants clearly want to re-sign the Panda, their cleanup hitter for most of 2014 and a standout postseason player, Baer reiterated that payroll will rise incrementally, not exponentially, and Sabean said any deal for Sandoval needs to be 'within budget, too.'

If history is a guide, Sabean will not give Sandoval an open-ended clock to decide. Sabean said he has extended 'feelers all over the board' in the free-agent and trade markets and is willing to pull the trigger on short notice.

Sabean acknowledged he does not have an in-house solution for third base if Sandoval leaves, and the non-Sandoval options are limited. The best free-agent alternative might be Hanley Ramirez, but only if he wants to shift to third base. Ramirez will be expensive, too.

Another option is former Padre Chase Headley, whose production has plunged over the past few seasons and recovered in 2014 only when he was traded to the Yankees and their hitter-friendly park.

The Giants ultimately are expected to submit an offer to Peavy, who was one of the majors' best pitchers down the stretch after his acquisition from the Red Sox and reunion with Bochy.

The rotation currently consists of Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson and a lot of question marks, including Matt Cain coming off elbow surgery and Lincecum, who was dropped from the rotation amid a horrible August and September and replaced by Yusmeiro Petit.

Bochy said he would like to see Petit return to long relief and expects Lincecum to return to the rotation. The Giants do not seem willing to pay Lincecum $18 million in 2015 to be a long reliever.

'Our hope is he bounces back and throws the ball the way he did for six, seven weeks there,' Bochy said. 'He was really good. He'll come to spring training, knowing Timmy, very determined to get back on track and be the pitcher he is.

In other news:

*Forget about Buster Posey moving to first base. Bochy said, 'Buster is our catcher next year,' with Andrew Susac entering camp as the backup and Hector Sanchez fighting for a spot.

*Bochy said Angel Pagan is pain-free and 'feels like he could play right now.'

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman

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