Zito to pitch through slump
Posted: Thursday April 24, 2008 08:24AM ET
So what do the Giants do with Barry Zito? Have him skip a start to clear his mind and work out the kinks on the side? Make him a long reliever? Or keep throwing him out there every five days and hope he finally clicks? Looks like it is going to be option three. Two years ago, the team had a struggling Matt Cain miss one start in mid-May to regroup. When he returned to the rotation, he was money. When asked if the Giants might consider doing that with Zito, pitching coach Dave Righetti said, "No, because who the hell is going to pitch?"
Barry Zito, AP
Comments (102)
This has to be the worst contract in MLB history.
Hi, I'm Troy McClure | 04/24/08, 08:29 AM
Report Offensive CommentTory...I think you are on to something. The Pavano deal is still the worst, but this may take 2nd place. At least Zito hasn't been injured. But what a waste. He had some very good years and was supposed to be the man....
Me DUM DUM | 04/24/08, 08:32 AM
Report Offensive CommentTory...I think you are on to something. ...sorry...I meant Troy.
Me DUM DUM | 04/24/08, 08:32 AM
Report Offensive CommentI forogt about Pavano. That was pretty darn bad.
Mike Hampton is a contender too...
Hi, I'm Troy McClure | 04/24/08, 08:37 AM
Report Offensive CommentHamtpon is definitly on the list. As is Jarrett Wright for the Yanks.
Chan Ho Park's ranger deal has to be on the list also.
Me DUM DUM | 04/24/08, 08:42 AM
Report Offensive CommentHis slump has been 2 years and running.....
joec | 04/24/08, 08:43 AM
Report Offensive CommentTroy - I think the Hampton deal is by far the worst. That big of a contract with measly numbers...But you guys are right about Pavano, Wright, Chan Ho...
#1astrosfan | 04/24/08, 09:05 AM
Report Offensive Commentmike hampton was a pretty bad call also.
patriot2792 | 04/24/08, 09:07 AM
Report Offensive CommentHow about Roger Clemens deal last season?
METS4LIFE | 04/24/08, 09:13 AM
Report Offensive CommentDon't forget the Red Sox version of Pavano, Matt Clement. However the Zito deal is far and away the worst. I don't think any of these other guys mentioned are even in the same league as the Zito deal. Zito has far more years and money than any of the other deals. Zito would actually be helping the Giants if he got hurt for the rest of the years.
Jack Goff | 04/24/08, 09:14 AM
Report Offensive Commentand $50 million for Kei Igawa
METS4LIFE | 04/24/08, 09:14 AM
Report Offensive CommentLet's go Rangers!
Haskins | 04/24/08, 09:15 AM
The perfect team to mention while discussing teams that got fleeced by free agents
METS4LIFE | 04/24/08, 09:15 AM
Report Offensive CommentRoger's last year isn't anywhere near Hampton/Pavano/Zito.
Jamman | 04/24/08, 09:16 AM
Report Offensive CommentJack Goff - Great point....
METS4LIFE - Another great point....
#1astrosfan | 04/24/08, 09:16 AM
Report Offensive CommentIt's too early to tell which is worse between the Zito & Hampton contracts. In his couple of years in Denver, Hampton was a disaster even worse than Zito has been so far, but Hampton then had some decent stretches with the Braves. Of course, he has now been on the shelf forever.
Judging the contracts at the time they were signed, however, the Zito deal is definitely dumber. Hampton was coming off of several hreat seasons in a row when he signed his deal in 2000. His implosion was relatively unforeseeable. In contrast, Zito had been in obvious decline for several years running before signing his big contract; the guy's lowest season ERA since 2003 was 3.83.
Brad Wesley | 04/24/08, 09:16 AM
Report Offensive CommentLiving in DFW, I honestly don't think I'd go to a Rangers game with free tickets, not even to a luxury box. Not only are they the worst team in baseball, but the new Cowboy's stadium has basically forced all traffic to the stadium onto 1 or 2 streets. GENIUS!!
Jamman | 04/24/08, 09:20 AM
Report Offensive CommentAt least he's not Kevin Brown..... yet?
Zwitek | 04/24/08, 09:22 AM
Report Offensive CommentTory...I think you are on to something. The Pavano deal is still the worst, but this may take 2nd place. At least Zito hasn't been injured. But what a waste. He had some very good years and was supposed to be the man....
Me DUM DUM | 04/24/08, 08:32 AM
I don't think he was ever supposed to be the man. He's always struck out batters at basically a league average pace or worse, and issues walks more than the average MLB pitcher. That's not good. People need to rememeber that Oakland is a flyball-pitcher's dream -- the foul territory is STUPID-BIG, which makes pitchers stats look way better than they actually are. Next time your watching a game, provided your not watching a game in Oakland, pay attention to how many balls get popped-up and go just foul, or ten to fifteen rows foul. All of those are outs in Oakland and it inflates a pitchers #s. Barry Zito has, more or less, always been an average pitcher. What he has been that's puts him above the average pitcher is durable, but that's not worth his contract.
I agree with Jack Goff, sort of, in that Zito's deal is the worst. Pavano's and Clement's contracts suck because of their injuries, which most likely couldn't have been predicted, whereas the Giants should have known that Barry was, and continues to be, a mediocre, durable pitchers. But Brian Sabean is an idiot. How he continues to have a job, I'll never know. Rememeber, he's responsible for allowing Barry Bonds to run roughshod over the organization, the trade that sent Bonser, Liriano and Nathan to Minnesota for AJ Fecking Pierzynski, and now this Zito debacle. Ownership should throw him, and everyone that works for him, on the street and start fresh.
SlinkyRedfoot | 04/24/08, 09:32 AM
Report Offensive CommentNo, that's it.
SlinkyRedfoot | 04/24/08, 09:33 AM
Report Offensive CommentI guess that is the definition of "talk amongst yourselves".
AllStarz | 04/24/08, 09:37 AM
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