If you were to ask me before the season, "should the giants trade 10 year veteran Barry Zito who is due $18,500,000 this year for Johan Santana who is due $20,144,707 this year?  The answer would have been a resounding yes!  The last two years it has been " while Zito stumbles, the giants burn."  But Zito who is 4 inches taller, weighs 7 pounds more,  and is exactly 10 months older, looks to be comparable if not better than Santana so far this season.   Of course not even half the season is over, but history tells us that both are second half pitchers.   Most would have said before the year started that Santana is a power pitcher while Zito is a finesse meister.  Lets take a look and see if we can differentiate the two this year.  

 Lets look at stats and some expanded stats, and see just how comparable these two, ten year veterans are this year. 

                             games   GS    CG   QS   SHO    IP    H    R     ER     HR    BB    SO  K/9       W    L    Whip   BAA    ERA 

Santana                 15         15      0      9       0        98   89  37   36      8       31     62   5.69     5     4     1.22    2.43    3.31

Zito                        14         14      1     11     0         95   77  34  33       7       35     63  5.97      7     3     1.18    226    3.13

                              K/BB       Pitches     P/PA      P/IP      GB      FB     G/F    Run support

Santana                 2.00         1553         3.83      15.8     122    182    0.67      4.50

Zito                        1.80         1449         3.74      15.3     122    165    0.74      4.64

To me these numbers are astounding.  I thought going into the season that Santana's numbers would be superior.    As the season is not yet half over, that may still be the case, but if the season progresses as it has so far,  which team got the better deal the giants at 18.5 mil or the Mets at  20.1 mil.   It seems as if Barry Zito rarely has that deer in the headlites look anymore.  And the boy from Vegas, seems to be at least on par with or perhaps better than the lad from Venezuela.   Who'd a thunk it?