Now I realize Barry Zito has been a hot topic since the beginning of the season, mostly negative, but I held off talking about him in depth. He was on a new team and needed time to settle in. I personally didn’t feel the need to slam him, until some more time was given in the season.

I can confidently say now, that without a doubt, Giants got taken for a ride when they paid 126 million for his contract. Before Zito got signed with the Giants, I naively thought he was one of the best pitchers in the game. I had heard good things about him seen him pitch a few times when watching the A’s games. It wasn’t until watching him every game he pitched on the Giants, that I realized his fastball is only mid 80’s and his control is sloppy leading to a lot of walks and big innings. I don’t know what the Giants were thinking paying that kind of money?

This may be a bad year for Zito and he might be Cy Young winner next year. Who knows. But does it matter? If he is this inconsistent, he isn’t worth the 126 million. Period. A true ace is someone you can rely on. Zito has proven you can’t, at least not every season. No other team was even bidding close to offering the money the Giants offered.

So why did the Giants pay this kind of money? I think the Giants were desperate for the next rising bay area star, named “Barry”. Zito was going to be the Anti-Bonds, charming young and humble. In the process the Giants were too desperate and the Agent took advantage of that. The Giants need hitters more than Pitchers right now anyways, which is the greatest irony of it all.