This ought to be a … hmm … what’s the next step down from Fanshot?

With Buster Olney’s article and all, I say we sign C.C. for let’s say, 6/140 mil with option year, then flip Cain and Zito’s contract (we eat half, like 50 mil) to one of those two-pitcher starved teams like the Yanks, Cards, Brews, Astros, Rangers to fill our many holes in the infield. If we get rid of Zito, that’s like getting C.C. at a half-price discount. Of course we lose Cain, but what’s less painful to watch for the next few years: Zito and Cain (losing 1-0 games) or C.C. and Pucetas/Lowry/Prior and shiny new infielder?

This is to illustrate a point of a broader note. I think Beane isn’t totally nuts for trading for Holliday. The game is such that young impact players are being locked up long term and more teams have FA money to spend so it’s getting tougher and tougher to land impact players. If you have a chance at getting one, better jump on it. The problem with the Giants is that they give impact money to mediocre players. Anyway, the point is that getting C.C. might seem crazy given Zito’s contract. But it gives the flexibility of wheelin and dealin. If no one’s willing to take Cain and Zito’s contract in 2008, then there’s worse things than for the Giants to go into 2009 with the best rotation in the league. Even if we fall out of contention, if Cain improves (as well he should), and in the name of Allah, Zito gets better (miracles can happen), a bunch of teams would be lining up to trade for our pitching at the trade deadline. Even if we can’t move Zito, we can always move C.C. Say the Yanks are 2 games back of the Sox, can you imagine the prospect load we can get for C.C.?