Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff
News Flash: The San Francisco Giants have agreed on a 7-year contract with free agent Barry Zito. The deal is reportedly worth $126-million, the largest ever for a pitcher.
Teddy’s Take: Anyone still think the Red Sox overpaid for Daisuke Matsuzaka?
Again, kudos to Theo Epstein for identifying the best pitcher available and doing what it took to sign him. Because if the Zito case is any indication, the market on major league pitching has gone nuts! The Giants are about to pay an average of $18-million a year for a guy with the following stats:
2002: 2.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP
2003: 3.30 ERA, 1.18 WHIP
2004: 4.48 ERA, 1.39 WHIP
2005: 3.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
2006: 3.83 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
See the pattern there? It’s been pretty much downhill since the 2002 Cy Young season, which is ages ago when talking about starting pitchers. Sure, he’s going from the American League to the National. But Oakland’s is one of the AL’s most pitcher-friendly ballparks, so his numbers won’t get as big a boost as other league-switchers do.
Is Barry Zito a good starting pitcher? Yes! Was he the best available major league pitcher on the market? I think so. Is he going to post better numbers than Dice-K? I doubt it. Is he worth $18-million a year? Hell no!
What do you think of the Zito signing? Have owners gone crazy again? Who’s a better bargain; Zito or Matsuzaka? Contracts aside, which of the two would you rather see on the Red Sox opening day roster?
I can see Ted right now, running toward the Theo Bandwagon....
He's had a very good off-season, hasn't he. A legit closer, and he gets an A+ from me...with one caveat.
At the midseason trade deadline or in the next couple of years, I'd better not hear the words "we can't afford so-and-so because we have to stay within our budget." In that case, the Drew and Lugo signings will be disastrous.
But if the checkbook is open for good this time (which I believe it is), there's no denying Theo is back to being the smart, aggressive GM he was in 2003 and 2004, when he was at the top of his game. And I'm more than happy to say so!
"I'd better not hear the words "we can't afford so-and-so because we have to stay within our budget."
Theo and Company can never cry poverty again. Not just because the openend the wallets this year, but because of Henry's $55 million investment in NASCAR. NO SOX FAN WILL EVER LET AN OWNER PUT NASCAR AHEAD OF THE RED SOX.
Is he worth 18 million, probably not, but it depends on the whole picture. What did we pay for Schilling? In the last 6 years, Zito has pitched over 1000 innings more than Schilling and won only 2 less games! Schilling is 40 years old, and Zito is 28! How many innings in the major leagues has Dice-K pitched? Oh, that's right, NONE yet! Are any of them worth what they are being paid, hell no. But what would you pay for 15.8 wins a year and 222 innings a year?
Good point JW. I guess in this market, 222-innings and 16-wins is worth that, especially when stiffs like Gil Meche are striking gold.
Your Schilling comparison is off, however. Curt on the Car Phone was a proven difference maker who actually got better as he, and the season, got older. Zito's next big playoff win will be his first.
Don't get me wrong Teddy, I admire Schilling and what he has done. BUT, Zito's Divisional Series record is 4-2 with a 2.43 ERA, so we can't say he hasn't won when it counts. And, I'm not saying prime vs prime I'd pick him over Schilling, just saying that when all is said and done, I think he'll have comparable stats to Schilling and many others. Plus, he's not the kind of pitcher that will kill his arm. He should be pitching for the duration.
I guess I didn't realize his playoff numbers were that impressive. I do remember a great effort against the Yankees a few years ago and him holding the Twins to one run in Game 1 this year. However, my opinion was clouded by the shellacking the Tigers gave him in the ALCS. And he did lose Game-5 (on 3-days rest) to the Sox in the 2003 ALCS.
I'll agree that in this market he was the best option out there. But with his declining numbers since that 2002 season, I'm glad the Sox went in the direction they went in.
I guess the big question is...Will Zito be worth $18 in years 4-5-6-7 of the deal. and Like Ted says his #'s have been on the decline.
I despise Curt Schilling. He is an undercover pre-madonna and a snitch. At least with Pedro you knew what you were getting. He was a pain but made no effort to hide it. Also he is a snitch for calling the police about the drunk driver. Do you people really think he did that because he wanted to do the right thing and keep the roads safe? Please. It was a publicity stunt just like his pitch for ALCS. I can picture him on the phone with the state trooper, " Hi this is Curt from a car. I'm just calling to report a drunk driver on 93 south. Please arrest him and put my name in the paper." We have all gotten behind the wheel of a car when we shouldn't have and i bet the "angel" fat Curt Schilling has too. I would love to see him get pulled over for a DUI someday and be on the front page of the Herald for that.