Zito's a Giant!

[gohlkus]

According to ESPN today:

Barry Zito is staying in the Bay Area with the San Francisco Giants.

Sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons that the former Oakland A's pitcher has agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Giants.

The deal includes an $18 million option for 2014 and a complete no-trade clause, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

Zito's deal ties for the sixth largest overall, matching the $126 million, seven-year extension agreed to this month by Toronto and center fielder Vernon Wells. Previously, the largest contract for a pitcher was Mike Hampton's $121 million, eight-year deal with the Colorado Rockies before the 2001 season.

Wow! I'm just really glad he didn't sign with the Rangers or the Mariners (or the Angels), since now he hardly has to pitch against the A's. I don't think he'll get booed too much when he pitches in Oakland in interleague games.

I think it's probably good for his career, since NL hitters haven't seen much of him, and he's going to face worse lineups (with pitchers in the 9 spot) -- meaning his ERA will probably go down. It will be amusing to see him try to hit.

What do the Giants fans think? Pretty good replacement for Schmidt, I think -- not quite as washed up.

[Blancito21]

According to ESPN today:

Barry Zito is staying in the Bay Area with the San Francisco Giants.

Sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons that the former Oakland A's pitcher has agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Giants.

The deal includes an $18 million option for 2014 and a complete no-trade clause, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

Zito's deal ties for the sixth largest overall, matching the $126 million, seven-year extension agreed to this month by Toronto and center fielder Vernon Wells. Previously, the largest contract for a pitcher was Mike Hampton's $121 million, eight-year deal with the Colorado Rockies before the 2001 season.

Wow! I'm just really glad he didn't sign with the Rangers or the Mariners (or the Angels), since now he hardly has to pitch against the A's. I don't think he'll get booed too much when he pitches in Oakland in interleague games.

I think it's probably good for his career, since NL hitters haven't seen much of him, and he's going to face worse lineups (with pitchers in the 9 spot) -- meaning his ERA will probably go down. It will be amusing to see him try to hit.

What do the Giants fans think? Pretty good replacement for Schmidt, I think -- not quite as washed up.

Schmidt is washed up? I'd rather have him than Zito, at least through 2010.

[Baseball=Life]

The Zito acquisition is yet another example of throwing money away. He might make the Giants "competive" in that crappy division, but they are certain to face a 1st round disaster if they even get that far. The Giants had a real chance to rebuild the team this year, and to finally abandon the stadium-dependent strategy of getting turnout. They could have not relied on the Bonds/Pac Bell factor and could have actually attempted to build a winning team. Instead, they chose to do more of the same, patching together an old, basically worthless team. They paid Zito way too fucking much. I like Zito but he gets shelled every 4th start minimum. Yes, he'll face easier lineups, and his ERA will probably go down, but that bullpen is not at all adequate. Is Benitez closing still? Fucking A. It reminds me of the Gil Meche deal the Royals did.

EDIT: Well, upon some further reflection this deal does make a little bit more sense in terms of the '08 and '09 Giants (the post-Bonds giants). I wonder what will happen now with Lowry and Sanchez, though? Unless Sanchez becomes an effective bullpen guy, then 3 lefties will be too predictable in a rotation. Damn, $18 mill a year for Zito, still hard to even fathom.

[retep]

First of all, Schmidt is getting worse, and more injury prone each year.

And the Giants will still have cash to continue to rebuild next year. With Bonds certain to be gone next year, and a much better position-player crop to pick from (and added funds from the All-Star game this year) the Giants could scoop another player, and have two true stars.

Zito is around the age Schmidt was when the Giants got him, which i thought was important.

Regarding the closer, the Giants may be trying to trade Armondo and maybe Wynns (or Rich or Ryan) for a 3rd slot hitter. Brian Wilson, and another young guy, have show themselves to be excellent closers.

The Giants starting rotation is a good one: Zito, Morris, Cain, Lowry, and maybe Sanchez. Having a guy who threw 5-one hitters in a year from the third slot is nice to have!

The main question is this: what, at this point, could the Giants have done? Who else could they have spent this money on, and who could have made an impact? This makes the Giants contenders again. I know they can get knocked out of the first round. But for a team that's finished 3rd two years in a row, and has not made the post season in three years, I'm fine with this step.

[Tayster]

Basically, the giants had a butt ton of money to throw around, and no one to spend it on. From what I hear, they still have more.

Don't forget, they also have PSL's to sell, and need star drawing power...

[Baseball=Life]

The Giants starting rotation is a good one: Zito, Morris, Cain, Lowry, and maybe Sanchez. Having a guy who threw 5-one hitters in a year from the third slot is nice to have!

Hey, I agree completely. Actually, Cain was a big reason I won the fantasy league last year. I couldn't believe other folks didn't pick him up sooner. I remember early in the season when he 1-hit the A's (albiet a very weak hitting team, quite impressive nontheless). Cain, once he matures (clearly hasn't yet) is going to be one of the top in the league, no doubt about it.

This all having been stated, where I disagree with you here is putting Morris ahead of Cain (or even Lowry) in the rotation. I think Morris' best days are behind him, he's a #4 guy to me.

The main question is this: what, at this point, could the Giants have done?

Well, they could have abandoned 2007 and even 2008, gotten rid of all the old has-beens, and actually tried to build a winning baseball team from a grassroots, bottom-up angle. They could have looked at a long-term strategy. Re-signing Bonds was a mistake, perhaps you agree. Feliz? Do you expect Durham to have a 2007 like his 2006 2nd half?

And the Benitez issue is huge..... no team wants a piece of him, his contract will be very very hard to get rid of.

Hopefully Sanchez will have a huge year, as well as some other guy who's name I can't remember right now (not sarcasm).

[retep]

This all having been stated, where I disagree with you here is putting Morris ahead of Cain (or even Lowry) in the rotation. I think Morris' best days are behind him, he's a #4 guy to me.

There are two issues here: 1) Morris had broken ribs last year, which most people didn't know as it was announced at the end of the year. 2) Maybe the mental affects of being the #2 guy would be a lot for the 22 year old Cain? Just a thought.

Well, they could have abandoned 2007 and even 2008, gotten rid of all the old has-beens, and actually tried to build a winning baseball team from a grassroots, bottom-up angle. They could have looked at a long-term strategy.

First off, next year the Giants host the All-Star game. I think you wanna put out a good effort in that type of high-profile year. Second, their moves allow them to be a contender for the NL west. So, yes, maybe they'd be at a loss to advance in the post season, but St. Louis had a worst record than L.A. last year, I believe.

Being competitive brings in money, and we can do that. And, as you in the AL West know, winning a title--even in a weak division--still is fun and brings hope.

Re-signing Bonds was a mistake, perhaps you agree. Feliz? Do you expect Durham to have a 2007 like his 2006 2nd half?

Bonds: They tried to get Lee, and Manny, and a few others. It didn't work. Bonds was the best cleanup hitter available. I think it was a fair deal. Plus, Bonds--due to his attention--might come close to paying for himself. I'd rather give Bonds $16 mil than Gary Matthews $10 mil. Not to mention Bond's defense got far and away better at the end of the year: he robbed two HRs in the second half, and made many long running catches. Carlos Lee sure isn't any better, for example.

Feliz: He is a solid 3B man, and 98 RBIs are nothing to sneeze at. We got him kinda cheap, too. He has played too many games these past two years, but he showed he was a team player (willing to play SS and LF) and too the brunt. With Aurillia back, he can spell Pedro at 3B when Klesko plays 1B. I think there isn't a better 7th place hitter for the money.

Durham: I remember Mike Krukow talking 3 years ago that he though Durham could be a middle of the order type guy. Will he hit 26 HRs? I don't know. But I think its fair to say he can hit 20, which for a 2B is still fair. Plus, our bench is much deeper than years past. I was not that excited when they re-upped him, but they got a better price than was first suspected.

And the Benitez issue is huge..... no team wants a piece of him, his contract will be very very hard to get rid of.

Brian Wilson may very well be the closer next year. The Giants have said they'd eat much of his contract to move him: Tampa Bay is said to be interested, as well as maybe Atlanta. The theory is that warmer weather would help him. And never count out Baltimore for overplaying for RPs.

My Giants Lineup:

CF: Dave Roberts
SS: Omar Vizquel
1B: Rich Aurillia
LF: Barry Bonds
2B: Ray Durham
3B: Pedro Feliz
C: Bengie Molina
RF: Randy Winn
P: ______

[Southpaw Slim]

Okay, after Zito's first start as a Giant it has become gleefully obvious to me that Barry is in fact...

















wait for it...



















Still an Oakland Athletic!

That's right! After his first abhorrent bomb of a start to open up the season, it's clear to me that Zito was making his final push for the A's by royally screwing over the Giants to the tune of 18 Million-with-a-capital-M U.S. dollars per year. His fly-ball ratio is not favorable, even in the cavernous regions of the Pac Bell outfield. I still love my Barry, and I do say "my" Barry because in my opinion he has proven to still side with the A's, however subversive his tactics may be.

[AntMoOAK]

That press conference was hilarious though... talk about a deer caught in the headlights... welcome to the Big leagues (moneywise) # 75