Barry Zito goes across the Bay and signs with Giants

7 years 124 million . That's a lot of money. Too bad the team is older than dirt. Feels like Mike Hampton signing in Colorado a few years back. It's all about the money, not winning

 

I can't say I blame him for taking the money but if he's worth that than Zambrano from the Cubs will break 200 next year.

 

I didn't realize that Zito walked 99 batters this season until recently. He's absurdly overrated.

 

he can actually take it to 144 mil with an 18 mil option in 2014. Wow.

 

Thought he would end up in Queens. He is a West Coast pussy though and would have wilted in New York. He will give the Giants a lot of innings, and around 15 wins. The money is insane for a guy who can't bring the heat, nor handle it.

 

From ESPN insider:
If you're going to hand out the largest contract ever given to a pitcher, it probably should be to one of the best starting pitchers in the game, right? Seems like Baseball 101.
The Giants missed that memo.

Sure, Barry Zito is a good fit in San Francisco's big, pitcher-friendly ballpark, and in the short term he pushes the Giants to fringe-contender status. But from the club's perspective, this is one of the worst contracts ever signed, for its length, for its annual salary and for the entire misguided notion that Zito is this good a pitcher. He's been the beneficiary of a favorable ballpark with lots of foul territory, a favorable schedule, great bullpen support and outstanding outfield defense -- and he's not going to receive either the defense or the relief help in San Francisco.

The contract boggles the mind for a number of reasons:

• Why would anyone give seven or more years to a starting pitcher? Because Kevin Brown and Mike Hampton worked out so well?

• Why would anyone give such a long contract to a pitcher whose fastball has already shown signs of deterioration, and who just posted the second-worst strikeout rate of his career?

• How did Barry Zito, who nearly led the AL in walks last season, end up with the reputation of one of the best pitchers in baseball? Because he won a Cy Young five years ago -- one that probably should have gone to Pedro Martinez?

The Giants might get a great year or two at some point in this deal, but on the whole, it's going to be an albatross around the neck of the successor to GM Brian Sabean. This club has been on the edge of the precipice for years now, with the worst farm system in baseball and one of the oldest rosters in the majors, and committing long-term to a guy who at best is a No. 3 starter on a contender is madness.

The ripple

 

Hard to believe that the Giant's would give him that kind of money (especially the length of the contract, must have a great agent)..............but the way things are going in baseball now (Money$) nothing surprises me anymore. Zito might struggle switching leagues, but it should be intersting to see. The same goes with Freddie Garcia that the Phillies recently signed.

 

SF would have been much better off just matching LA's offer to Schmidt.

 

Could not agree more. I would much rather see Schmidt on the hill in a big game.