Zee-Toe

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

12/22/2006 8:05 PM ET
Zito still searching for right fit
Free-agent lefty says the race for his services is wide openBy Marty Noble / MLB.com

The Mets evidently have made their offer -- or at least an offer -- to Barry Zito, as have all the clubs who have interest in signing the primary pitcher in the free-agent market. So, perhaps a sense of progress has developed. Or not.
Zito, himself, pretty much squelched that notion of progress Thursday when he said, "It's wide open. It's still early, very early; it's not even time for the decision-making process. I'm not just jumping in. I'm waiting for my instincts to kick in."

The former A's pitcher being courted by the Mets, Rangers, Giants, Mariners and Angels, was quoted in the Thursday editions of the San Francisco Chronicle. He characterized his dinner meeting with the Mets' four-man delegation Tuesday and meetings with other clubs with these words: "It's just like, 'Hey, how are you?' I think all those kinds of meetings go well. Everyone just smiles, says, 'Hi.'"

Meanwhile, his agent, Scott Boras, told the Associated Press the clubs pursuing Zito have made offers, and that "We're past the preliminary meet-and-greet stages."

"They're all good teams, and they're all good locations," Zito was quoted by the Chronicle as having said. "But what I'm looking for is an owner who sees eye-to-eye with me in my goal to lead a team to multiple World Series championships.

"I want to raise the bar. It's great to get to the playoffs. But I think this year, we [the A's] were too satisfied with getting past the first round, myself included. I was so fired up to face [Johan] Santana at Minnesota that, coming back against Detroit, I don't think I had that same fire.

"So I'm working on some mental stuff. I'm not going to be satisfied with anything else except getting a ring at this point in my career. I'm trying to lead a team like Sandy Koufax did, and I need an owner who shares that desire."

The Mets are not commenting on their pursuit of Zito, but chances are the pitcher's words have reached the ears of Mets owner Fred Wilpon. And Wilpon was instrumental in persuading Tom Glavine to move to the Mets four years ago. Moreover, the owner has a long-standing friendship with the pitcher whose name Zito invoked.

The Chronicle also reported Zito as refuting suggestions he is not equipped to be the ace of a staff, and speculating that some comments of that nature are attempts to suppress the bidding.

"Everyone wants to talk about how I'm not a No. 1 starter or how I'm getting worse, just so they can save some money," Zito said. "I'd expect all that. I wouldn't be surprised if teams are putting this out to their media to create a collective consciousness, saying, 'Why should he get this or that?'

"Everyone wants to buy low and sell high. But all we want is market value, and that's been set the past six [to] eight weeks. When you look at value, what's more valuable -- keeping another $20 million in the bank when you already have hundreds of millions of dollars, or getting a player of value? But let people panic, let them talk about me, say I [stink]. We'll see where the chips land."

Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[nymr83]

]McCarthy, 23, who pitched out of the White Sox's bullpen last season, was acquired along with Minor League outfielder David Paisano for Minor League pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner.

i've heard of Danks but not these other 2 clowns... could the Mets have had McCarthy for Humber and two nobodies? the papers would have loved cracking headline jokes about his last name all summer...

[Guest iramets]

"Danks, but No Danks"

[Guest KC]

Sandy Koufax? Dude has a pretty high opinion of hisself. Hey, is Barry
Jewish by any chance?

OE: nevermind

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I thought Kevin Youkilis was Greek or somethin'.

[Guest iramets]

="KC"]Sandy Koufax? Dude has a pretty high opinion of hisself. Hey, is Barry Jewish by any chance? OE: nevermind

He's applied to the Sanhedrin for permission to use the name "Barry" prior to actual conversion, and has been granted a waiver.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

="KC"]Sandy Koufax? Dude has a pretty high opinion of hisself. Hey, is Barry Jewish by any chance? OE: nevermind

No. He just has a solid sense of baseball history.

[Guest KC]

That or he's a cocky wise-ass.

[Frayed Knot]

Not sure that I buy the angle about this trade being a signal that Texas is less likely to pull off a Zito signing. Heck, I'd probably put out those vibes if I were them too -- 'Hey we love you Barry, just not $100mil worth so we'll do this instead!' -- but all they've really done is trade their own hot pitching prospect for another one about 1-year more advanced which could be looked at as a sign of telling the world (and Boras/Zito) that they're ready to compete NOW!!!! and aren't going to wait around for hopeful maybes.

What this could do for those in the Zito market is take away a trade option. McCarthy was seen as someone ready to join the rotation this season possibly making one of the Contreras/Vazquez/Burhele group available. Danks, who I guess the ChiSox see as having a better upside than McCarthy, is probably at least a half-season or so away from contributing meaning that GM Kenny Williams is now probably less willing to deal away one of his vets.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm not sure we should feel our team was outflanked that somebody else moved on Brandon McCarthy. He seems like a younger, less accomplished version of Aaron Heilman.

The interesting thing about this trade is that it maybe gives an idea of what Heilman's real value is on the market.

[Frayed Knot]

="Edgy DC"]I'm not sure we should feel our team was outflanked that somebody else moved on Brandon McCarthy. He seems like a younger, less accomplished version of Aaron Heilman.

Less accomplished as far as less ML time for sure, but probably considered higher ceiling-ed as well. I doubt Heilman could net us a John Danks-type prospect for instance.



Anyway, BP's Will Carroll chirps in with the latest rumors:

- in the wake of the Brandon McCarthy deal I’m hearing from trusted sources that Texas is all but out on Barry Zito. They came over the top on the Mets, but weren’t able to make that stick.

- Those same sources are hearing that the Mets aren’t the shoo-in we all thought, but that Seattle and San Francisco have made credible pitches as well. Zito may actually prefer the San Francisco offer, though it is shorter than the others (4 years.)

- Zito’s former teammate Mark Mulder is also popular, with Arizona, Cleveland, and, yes, Texas as rumored destinations.

- There are also several trades in the works, including the long-rumored Randy Johnson to Arizona deal and one three-team deal that has three BIG names. I’m going to tease you with the last one because it’s close enough that reporting it just might jinx it.

Hmmmmmmm.

[soupcan]

="Frayed Knot"]one three-team deal that has three BIG names. I�m going to tease you with the last one because it�s close enough that reporting it just might jinx it.

What an asshole.

Not you FK, the guy that wrote that.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Try that in another field of journalism.

An arrest may be made with three BIG members of Congress going down for selling secrets to the enemy, but I'm going to tease you because I don't want to jinx it.

[Frayed Knot]

On his next blog entry he elaborates a bit;

... While I can’t give specifics on the deal, there are still at least six teams involved in some discussions centering on Atlanta. The Braves are in full dump mode, trying to get something for Andruw Jones, trying to find Jones’ replacement on the cheap, and working more on the bullpen. Leo Mazzone isn’t there to build a bullpen out of dreck anymore. So how does this all work together? Why trade a young player like Andy Adam LaRoche if they’re trying to control the payroll? Why deal Jones right now rather than at the deadline? The team is determined to find a solid bullpen and think they can do it with a series of deals that include LaRoche, Mike Gonzalez, Andruw Jones, and several CF candidates that I’m told include Rocco Baldelli, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Markakis. The deals appear to also have some other big names like Tim Hudson, Mark Teixeira, and Dontrelle Willis on the periphery. The three team deal that seemed close over the weekend doesn’t seem so close now as the complexity has increased. Remember that John Schuerholz is normally a slow worker, so quiet on this front doesn’t mean that nothing is happening.

[nymr83]

]Try that in another field of journalism.

I've said this before in other threads, sports writers get away with more crap than any other journalists.

]The Braves are in full dump mode, trying to get something for Andruw Jones,

i don't see a contender with a young centerfuelder to give back that isn't already set in center for years to come, willing to take on the contract ad resign him for at least beltran money, and willing to give the braves a young CFer and more.

[MFS62]

An article in today's Daily News opines that the Yanks are trying to trade Randy Johnson to free up some money to go after Zito.

Yesterday I heard that the Yanks and Red Sox were the only MLB teams to pay any luxury tax last year, and the Sox "only" paid $500,000. (The Yanks paid millions, but I don't remember the exact amount).

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that the Rangers have given Zito a weekend deadline to accept their offer.

"We've made a very strong offer. If we don't have agreement with his agent by this weekend, we will pursue other alternatives."
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels also confirmed that deadline, writing, "That's accurate. End of the week."

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nymr83 wrote: ]The Braves are in full dump mode, trying to get something for Andruw Jones, i don't see a contender with a young centerfuelder to give back that isn't already set in center for years to come, willing to take on the contract ad resign him for at least beltran money, and willing to give the braves a young CFer and more.

Thus the three-way nature of the deal.

[nymr83]

if you're the braves, what young centerfielder in the game today would you take back as the major (but not only) part of an andruw jones package?
i'm having a hardtime finding a guy.
Wily Mo Pena and a decent pitcher maybe?
I'm sure they'd take Grady Sizemore, but the Indians probably wouldn't even do that straight up.
Curtis Granderson, along with a second player of at least the same caliber?
Rocco Baldelli? though what the Rays would want out of it in a 3-way i'm not sure

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't know. Can Matt Holiday or Alex Rios play center?

Assuming somebody else of value is coming along, it may be somebody not yet established like Lastings Milledge.

Somebody like Milledge, not Milledge, though.

[metsmarathon]

since you mention it... could a andruw jones / lastings milledge / dontrelle willis trade be feasible, or is that just crazy talk?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

It could only work if the Mets contributed more than Lastings Milledge, or if they got back someone other than Jones or Willis.

[Guest Edgy DC]

metsmarathon wrote: since you mention it... could a andruw jones / lastings milledge / dontrelle willis trade be feasible, or is that just crazy talk?

I see a fourth team needed and another prospect or two in the mix from the Mets.

[Guest cleonjones11]

Ze-to will be A MFY so lets look elsewhere

[metsmarathon]

well, that's it i guess. time to look elsewhere. cleon sez so.

[Guest Edgy DC]

On November 23, cleonjones11 wrote: Zito will do well in the National League...He will be a Met...

[Guest Edgy DC]

And the Yankees close with Igawa 24 hours before the deadline.

Five years, $20 million. I don't know why he (and Matsuzaka) don't just tell MLB to stick it.

What a rip. He's not even getting Roger Cedeño money.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Son of a fuck...

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061228&content_id=1768001&vkey=hotstove2006&fext=.jsp

]The Rangers have been told that Barry Zito is signing elsewhere. One source said that the Rangers expect Zito to sign with the San Francisco Giants. The Rangers offered Zito a six-year, $84 million contract. They also added a vesting option for $15 million for a seventh year with a $4 million buyout. The option would have kicked in if Zito pitched 200 innings in the sixth year of the contract. But apparently it wasn't enough to lure Zito to Texas. ... Zito -- who resides in San Francisco -- has pitched for the Oakland Athletics his entire career and apparently has chosen to remain on the West Coast. The Mets, Mariners, Angels and the Yankees were all interested in Zito.

Chrissakes, I hope "source" is wrong.

[Centerfield]

Well, there are two statements there. One is that a source told the Rangers that Zito is signing elsewhere. That's fine.

The other is that the Rangers believe he will sign with the Giants. That's fine too...we assume the Rangers have no inside knowledge of Zito's intent.

Plus, it benefits Zito to circulate he'd sign with the Giants in order to get his price up. Not worried yet.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Six years at $14 million per is a lot to walk away from. The possibility of a seventh is... by golly.

I may be kinda OK if he gets that much and more from a team not named the Mets. As usual, it's not the money but the years.