and stop calling me Shirley

That’s outstanding.

You know that Sabean was the negitiator? It’s totally possible that McCowin went over Brian’s head to get Zito. It’s also totally possible Brian Sabean is an idiot. But we’ll never really know.

He’s clearly the GM, isn’t he? In charge of free agent signings, trades, stuff of that ilk? And isn’t what we currently have to go on that the GM handles negotiations for free agents? I’m fairly certain that’s in his job description. So since we’ve not CLEARLY heard that Magowan personally handled negotiations with Zito, then shouldn’t we CLEARLY link Sabean to the Zito signing?

Personally, I find them both guilty. I think Magowan fudged up by most likely insisting on getting Zito, and Sabean fudged up by most likely not doing his due diligence, kicking Zito’s tires, and telling Magowan this is a dumb idea. He’s got the scouts and the people who should have seen what A’s fans and Giants fans already figured out, so he should have been able to put together a pretty compelling case against signing him.

So until one or both of them writes a tell-all book, I don’t see how either one can really be “exonerated.”

Yes, I suppose that if the GM isn’t involved in negotiating contracts, then he shouldn’t be blamed for the bad signings. Of course, it is inferrable that Sabean was involved in the contract talks, because, for example, he’s the GM and the GM usually engages in player contract negotiations. In fact, that’s one of their primary tasks. So, it is pretty difficult to categorically rule out Sabean having any role in the Zito contract negotiations. Did Magowan go over Sabean’s head? Possibly, but not likely.

Again, I’m not saying that Sabean wasn’t ordered to sign Zito, or that he was, or that it was or wasn’t his idea, or that he thought because Zito had a lot of Wins that he would be a good pitcher. But Sabean did say that he had positive reports on Zito before the signing.

It is entirely possible that Magowan and Baer told Sabean to go sign Zito to be the "face of the franchise." The PR situation at the time with Bonds, makes this scenario entirely reasonable. However, I don’t think it is reasonable to say that Magowan gave Sabean a blank check to sign Zito, though he did eventually sign off.

I’m also not exonerating Magowan for the Zito signing. He signed off on it (and if he just let Sabes do the deal without permission, then he was just negligent). As mentioned, he is not returning as managing partner, though there are reasons beyond the Zito signing that could be the reason for this, like the whole Roids thing. Of course, he gave Sabean an extension after the Zito signing, and if he was forced to step down that could be a reason, so his departure cuts either way in regards to the Zito contract fiasco.

As far as the outbidding scenario, look at press reports at the time talking about which teams were interested and what the prospective numbers are. It is still speculation, I suppose, but I’m not making it up as I go along.

This is an interesting discussion, and just to be clear, my overall point isn’t to just smear Sabean with the Zito signing. Obviously, ownership signed off on it and may have demanded that he sign Zito for more than he was worth, but the idea that he should get a pass for the deal just doesn’t sit right with me as he was very likely involved and it was/is a horrible deal.