Today's post was in the can long before Barry Zito made his first start. It would have helped my case if Zito pitched well, but I'm sticking with the theme:
I'm glad the Giants signed Barry Zito. I love that he's on the team, and I love that he's a part of this team's future. Let me count the ways:
1. He'll get better. He just needs to learn to pitch with an 85-mph fastball. The curve and change are there, so he just needs to spot his fastball better. Zito's approaching wily veteran status; he'll receive his spot-his-fastball-better tonic after the post-ceremony party.
2. He'll stay healthy. When a player has good health in his youth, it usually means he'll continue with similar luck through his thirties. Even if Zito is a league-average pitcher, he'll have value for the next five years. But I think he'll be better, as....
3. He's a former Cy Young winner. That's a pretty exclusive club, and they don't just hand those things out. The only difference between that Zito and the current Zito is about four miles per hour. That's it. How much difference can that make? He'll learn to overcome his velocity and control problems.
I've been wanting to come out against the Zito-grumblers for a long time. He had a down year last season, but so what? He'll be back, and y'all will look pretty silly when Zito is a 17-game winner in 2012. The salary won't be a concern, as the Giants will develop enough good position players to keep payroll down.
I'm not worried at all.
edit: Take the first letter from every word in the title. You can't stop that kind of cleverness; you can only hope to contain it. So, so, clev...zzzz....nnkx...zzzz....