Can Zito lose 20 games?

6 starts 6 losses. The Giants have arguably the worst offense in baseball and Zito is 0-6 with a 7.53 ERA. The Giants can't afford to let him do anything but start - he's going to make $14.5 million this year and his injury risk is low - he's never missed a start in his career.

They say you're only as good as your last start. In Zito's case that would be yesterday - 3 IP, 8 ER.

Could Zito lose 20 games this year?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tim Lincecum is somehow 4-0 with the same God-awful offense to support him. Then again, his ERA is just 1.23.

Barry Zito Done as a Starter

After more than one season of horrible pitching, the highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball is out of the starting rotation.

I would have wished a further demotion, like a trade, but this is the next best thing. So, to all Giants fans out there, how does it feel to have a $126 million middle reliever?

In a few weeks, we better feel pretty damn good or else the franchise will be screwed over even more then it already has been.

This is not the first time in recent memory the Giants have had a struggling starter who was demoted to middle relief.

The last time was 2006 and the pitcher was Matt Cain.

After starting that season 1-5 with an ERA of 7.04, he was demoted to the bullpen for a few innings of work. When he returned, he won his next five starts while lowering his ERA to 4.79.

Don't the pre-bullpen stats look familiar? Yes!

In fact, the familiarity is startling with Zito's stats this season, who is 0-6 with an ERA of 7.53.

So let's see if skipper Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti can work their magic with Zito as he enters the starting pitcher's Frankenstein lab, known as the bullpen.

Note: Left-handed long reliever Patrick Misch is the top candidate to take over for Zito until he returns to the rotation.

In Zito's last start he pitched three innings, allowing seven hits and eight earned runs. Misch then pitched the next six innings while allowing only five hits and two runs in a 10-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

That's one expensive middle reliever!

How is he going to lose 14 games in relief? What terrible news!

No one will ever lose 20 games in a season again!

gs78 wrote:

No one will ever lose 20 games in a season again!

That's what they said until 2003. Mike Maroth might get that "honor" for a long time though. Nobody will ever win 30 again though! That's McLain's!

Will anyone ever lose 25? Paul Derringer lost 27 in 1933. Nobody has done it since although Roger Craig did lose 24 in 1962.

Nobody will ever lose 30 - Jim Hughey was the last to do it back in 1899.

I always did think Zito was overrated and overpayed!

Overpaid? Nah - most guys in the bullpen make $14.5 million a year

But Jones is getting paid 7 mill for this year? Wtf??

gdennis59 wrote:

But Jones is getting paid 7 mill for this year? Wtf??

Jones is overpaid for his age and the amount of work he does! He is good yet, but not great.

Maroth should not have been allowed to lose 20 games! Trammell should have yanked him from the starting rotation the last couple weeks of 03!

18 or 19 losses would have been bad enough!

OK! Maybe it could happen! But a team would have to be as bad as the 62 Mets or 2003 Tigers!


But there is so much parity in MLB. Look at the Standings right now in the AL East or Central;


No team will lose 100 or win 100 games this year!


And Zito has too much talent to lose 20 even if they put him back in the starting rotation

Todd Jones is the greatest relief pitcher in Tigers History!

gs78 wrote:

Todd Jones is the greatest relief pitcher in Tigers History!

Jones has not blown a save all season!

Zito will start today.....


....Zito is back on track!!!

He took the loss and improves to 0-7. 13 more to go!

gs78 wrote:

Todd Jones is the greatest relief pitcher in Tigers History!

I second that!!!

Zito will not lose 20 games.

NO WAY!

Damnit Giants!

Zito pitches okay but can't get the loss. The Giants lose but they don't fall behind until after Zito leaves. Get 'em next time Barry!

Zito pitched!

GREAT WORK Barry! While his start wasn't all that good (2 ER in 6 IP) it got the job done!

0-8.

12 more to go

His last start hurts - he pitched well enough to lose (and his team did) but he got a no decision. Still, there's plenty of time. 12 more. You can do it Barry!

Some factoids:
Zito became the first Giants pitcher to open a season with eight losses since 1890.

A quote:
"I haven't done much bad in this lifetime," the 2002 Cy Young Award winner said. "I want to go out there and be aggressive and compete. It's not going to benefit me to think about the past. What will benefit me is asking, 'What can I do today to make it better?"'

I'd have preferred this quote:
"Well I lost again. 0-8. Clearly my season is fu**ed. I might as well go out there and see how many I can lose. A single win would be unacceptable at this point"

Zito is of course quite rich and the Giants have him locked up for a very long time. The Giants are 17-27 yet their 3rd starter (or should I say ace) is 5-1. That's pretty damn impressive on a team so bad. He could easily be 7-1 if not for bullpens blowing a lead in the 9th with 2 outs and blowing a 3 run lead in the 8th in a game the Giants once lead 6-0. Oh well.

This is a Zito thread though...C'mon Barry!

Great job today! Get 'em again next time!

I bet Zito wins his next three starts

He won't lose 20!


No Way!

gs78 wrote:

I bet Zito wins his next three starts

NO!

He needs to lose his next 3 starts. If he can go 0-11 through 12 starts he'll be in great shape. The problem is 20 losses is a lot. Hell, even if he gets to 0-11, 9 is still a lot. Verlander only lost 6 all of last year. Until Zito gets loss 15 I'm going to be worried about his chances.

C'mon Barry, get that ERA up (but not too high or they'll take you out of the rotation).

C'mon Giants - give Barry no run support (instead give those runs to Lincecum!)

Wait, why the hell do you want him to lose 20? Dont you like the Giants?

gdennis59 wrote:

Wait, why the hell do you want him to lose 20? Dont you like the Giants?

I like the Giants but not Zito. If the Giants were going somewhere this year I'd be cheering a different cheer, but they aren't so keep on losing Barry!

Catbox, If Zito goes 0-11, the Giants will put his ass in the bullpen, especially if he is rocked.

Mike Maroth will be the last 20 loss pitcher!


And as much as like to see records broken, I hope no one ever losses 20.

Same goes for Denny McLain's 31 wins; [ unless Verlander won 30!; like that ever happen] Last pitcher to win 30!



Maroth MLB's last 20 loss [ in a season] pitcher; McLain MLB's last 30 win [ in a season] pitcher!

Let's keep it that way!

gs78 wrote:

Catbox, If Zito goes 0-11, the Giants will put his ass in the bullpen, especially if he is rocked.

That's my fear. I'm hoping Zito can start putting together 7 IP, 2 ER and then have the Giants score nothing but 0's. Their offense is capable of it, it's right there with San Diego's for worst in baseball....

quick, name 3 hitters for the Giants (no cheating)!

Aaron Rowland, Omar Vizquel and Rich Auriella [Spelling?] are the only ones I can name without checking


Doesn't Bengi Molina play for them too?