Baseball Opinion - Zito Back in the Rotation

Occasionally, The Baseball Opinion will ask other baseball writers their input on a specific subject. Their response will be available in our Over a Beer and Peanuts section.

Need some reasoning why a GM made a recent trade? Don't know anything about the minor leaguers involved? Want to know who came out the best in the trade (what sportscasters will not say)? Then go to our Trade Bait section to read through the trade breakdowns.

Look at some previous articles from this site in our Archives.

Zito Back in the Rotation

Christopher Solberg, Editor
5/06/2008

The San Francisco Giants are sending their team's biggest drain on their budget back into the rotation. Barry Zito, the $126 million dollar man, will be back from his temporary banishment to the Giants pen. It was so temporary, he didn't even make an appearance out of the pen.

Zito, the team's highest paid player, also has the highest number of losses in the majors (0-6) and an ERA (7.53) explaining why. His main problem is his lack of velocity on his fastball. It is topping out in the mid-80s, something that he can't get by with unless he has Greg Maddux' control or movement on it.

Some are saying that the only way he'll get better is if he's reunited with his old pitching coach, Rick Peterson. But even Omar Minaya, in his wheeling and dealing ways, wouldn't touch Zito at this point with a ten foot pole.

This is going to get ugly, worse than Mike Maroth in 2003 ugly.

The Baseball Opinion is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB, or MLB.com

Baseball Opinion
is a privately run website and donations are always accepted to help promote and maintain the website. Baseball Opinion is grateful to any donors to the website.