Zito 0-6 now LOL, how many games will he lose this year?

[bobcatfan]

Wow, this is getting ridiculous.  I think barring a complete turnaround or 5 more mph on Zitos fastball, this is easily already the worst contract in baseball history.  I think its pretty funny.  Zito is supposed to be the ace, and in reality he's probably their 5th starter behind Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and Correia, based on his stats.  So what do you think, how many games will he lose this year?

[Interested Observer]

Billy Beane is a genius lol

[Interested Observer]

Now he's been demoted to the bullpen....

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

[AJ25]

not too many more. he got moved to the bullpen. he'll probably get shelled, just like he would if he threw out the first pitch of the game. but good news, he switched to Geico earlier this year  ;D

[Interested Observer]

Hopefully he can turn it around like Smoltz did. I don't know what his issue is since joining SF. He's lost velocity on his fastball. I mean Glavine and Maddux don't throw very hard either but they know where to put the ball. He's gonna have to get it together quick....

[bullets13]

Hopefully he can turn it around like Smoltz did. I don't know what his issue is since joining SF. He's lost velocity on his fastball. I mean Glavine and Maddux don't throw very hard either but they know where to put the ball. He's gonna have to get it together quick....

smoltz was never this bad... i'm just surprised the rangers haven't traded 3 top prospects for him yet.  he won't lose too many more games from the bullpen, as i doubt they're going to put him in during close games anytime soon.

[Interested Observer]

Smoltz was bad enough that he had to hire a sports psychiatrist. Maybe he's hurt and just doesn't want to admit it. Something has to be wrong with the guy for his game to go to complete "blah" in just over a year.......

[bullets13]

Smoltz was bad enough that he had to hire a sports psychiatrist. Maybe he's hurt and just doesn't want to admit it. Something has to be wrong with the guy for his game to go to complete "blah" in just over a year.......

in all honestly, if you look past 2001 and 2002, Barry has never been that good.  His last 4 seasons in oakland he went: 

14-12

11-11

14-13

16-10

the giants then proceeded to pay him like he's the offspring of Johan Santana and Josh Beckett.  He moves to a team that is going to score less runs and provide worse defense for him, and his record for his first season at San Fran is 11-13.  I'd say anybody with half a baseball brain could've predicted his record based on his past 4 seasons combined with him moving to an inferior team.  If you look at his numbers this year, he's hasn't been stellar, but his first four starts weren't completely awful.  Here are the numbers for his first four starts... now granted, he got shelled in starts 5 and 6, but he started out decent, and i don't think anyone would go beyond calling him a decent pitcher.

Start 1: 5.0 IP, 4 ER

Start 2: 5.0 IP, 3 ER

Start 3: 6.0 IP, 1 ER

Start 4: 6.0 IP, 3 ER

There's no reason that on a team with an actual offense that he couldn't have started out 2-2, or even 3-1.  I think people's expectations are based on his salary instead of his skill set.  I also think that the pressure of losing his first four games, which were all winnable, has probably gotten into his head.  Maybe with some time in the bullpen he can get things straightened out, and maybe get a cheap win or two to gain his confidence back.  I'm sure if he gets his mindset right, he can get back to being the .500 pitcher he was always destined to be.

[Interested Observer]

Yeah but this guy has been reported to be throwing his fastball in the mid 80's so mechanically, something has to be wrong