So pretty much everyone knew that giving Barry Zito 7 years and $126 million was something of a reach. By reach I mean terrible decision that should have gotten many people fired. He was respectable in 2007, league average to the core, but not worth the money. So far this season he's 0-6 with an ERA north of 7.50 and his WHIP is damn near 2.00 after the first month of the season. He's struck out 11 and walked 15, and anyone who's watched him pitch can see that he has less than nothing. Now he may be moved to the bullpen where he would become an $18m middle reliever. This quote tells you how dire the circumstances are.



Don't worry though, it's all inside.



Only five and 4/5 years left Giants fans.

What exactly happened to Zito? He busted onto the scene at 22 and was great but has turned into a terrible pitcher. K rates have taken a hit, BB rate is way up. He won the Cy Young at 24 which looks to be where he peaked as a pitcher.

I haven't looked into this at all, but my guess is that the spacious confines of Oakland Alameda County Coliseum had something to do with it. Not that Pac...err..AT&T...err...whatever they call it now is a bandbox, but that foul territory he was so used to has been eaten up. He went from a park that greatly favors pitchers to one that is pretty much neutral now.

Then again, after a quick glance at the numbers he was better on the road while with Oakland in 2006 and has been equally as shitty on the road as he is at home since joining the Giants.

That was a bad deal the day it was signed, now it is looking like the worst contract in the history of baseball (and that's saying something with Carl Pavano in the picture).

I have heard mentioned before that Barry's problems started when Rick Peterson left the A's.

He's been really wild this year, and when he does get the ball over the plate, he doesn't have much on it. His fastball is in the low - mid 80s, and his trademark 12 - 6 curve seems to be missing. He should never have won the CY in 2002 either; should have been third behind Pedro and Lowe. Thank God Theo steered clear of Zito.

then again, w/ the QuesTec era, BZ may not be getting the calls that he got in 2002-e.g. if the 12-6 isn't dropping in for strikes, he's got NOTHING to back it up and has to come in w/a 'fastball' over the plate which is a BP pitch.

This is it more than ballpark switch/Peterson/not getting the calls. When he won the Cy Young his fastball was around 90, in the games of his I've seen this year its been low 80s, and he's had trouble doing anything with the curve since last year if not earlier.

On opening day Jeff Kent went yard off him on a fastball that was something like 84 mph grooved right down the middle of the plate. Thats pretty much been Zito's year.

That's about it. The guy really has nothing this year. It was compounded yesterday with the Giants kicking the ball twice badly in he first inning (actually, Randy Winn in right booted the ball twice on the same play, plus another error). I have to say that if there were one MLB pitcher I'd step in against right now, it would be Zito. Too bad, he seems like a nice guy.

From Rotoworld: