Giants have something familiar to give Lincecum if he re-signs, plus lineups

Giants have something familiar to give Lincecum if he re-signs, plus lineups

Tim Lincecum might not have a guaranteed spot in the rotation if he returns to the Giants, but he will have his old uniform number, 55.

The clubhouse employees who assign numbers will not give 55 to anyone else this year.

Nor will any player wear Jeremy Affeldt's 41.

Mike Murphy made that number off limits after Bonds' final year, 2007, and the that tradition will remain indefinitely.

The Giants ultimately will reuse other numbers but will wait a year or two out of respect to longtime players who move on.

Home clubhouse coordinator Brad Grems acknowledged that the club would not assign 55 to another player this year partly because he might return.

Otherwise, Grems said, "we won't give it to anyone unless a veteran player comes in and asks for it."

Grems and major-league equipment manager Alan Lee went over all the numbers before spring training.

All the de facto and official retired numbers leave the staff few lower numbers to give away, which is why Hunter Strickland, Josh Osich, Cory Gearrin and Derek Law all wear numbers in the 60s.

The lineups for Sunday's game, as Johnny Cueto seeks his fifth win and the Giants go for their fifth in seven games:

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.