Of all the preseason wishcasting -- of all the what-ifs that were spread around the aging hitters who flailed in 2009, like Renteria, Rowand, Huff, Sanchez, etc... -- there’s something we missed. What if Barry Zito has a good year? After two abysmal years to start the $∞/∞-year contract, I was pleased as punch to watch Zito kinda sorta help the team on the field last year. And this season, I’m just hoping for Zito to maintain his nondescript-yet-useful thing, helping out in the middle of a rotation.
But what if Barry Zito has a good year? He didn’t get the big contract because Peter Magowan accidentally sorted his spreadsheet of free agent targets by name (Z to A) instead of projected WAR -- well, maybe, now that I think of it....that’s a pretty good theory...but, no, Zito got the money because he was a good pitcher in a vacuum of great pitchers, and the Giants needed to throw some cash around. He wasn’t great, but he was good.
A good Zito. Not a healthy, average innings-eater. But a good pitcher. Not worth the money, of course. Never will be. But good? I’m not saying it’s especially likely, but after a performance like tonight’s, it’s hard to imagine how I left this particular bit of irrational optimism off the list.
Great game. And Brian Wilson is pitching like he's ticked off that he hasn't gotten an extension yet. So, shhhhhhh. Let's keep that a secret.