Zito Actually Signs (With S.F.)

[G-Fafif]

Like he's Soriano or something.

Link

[Guest Edgy DC]

Onward.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Seven, One-twenty-six? Holy cats.

sometimes the best deals are the ones... blah blah blah.

Wow.

Now what?

[Frayed Knot]

"Free-agent left-hander Barry Zito and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract, according to baseball officials. "

Whoa!!!


"The contract surpasses Mike Hampton's eight-year, $121 million deal signed with the Colorado Rockies after the 2000 season"

And didn't THAT turn out to be a good idea

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Wow again.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Now we try to remind ourselves not to get too attached to our favorite prospects.

[Centerfield]

Wow. That is a ton of fucking money.

[DocTee]

Glad the Mets didn't sign that one...

[Guest Edgy DC]

About a half mill a start.

If he stays healthy for seven years.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Well, I can't blame the Mets for not trying to top that one.

Are there any free agent starters left who are worth a damn?

Maybe, as Edgy hints, there's a deal to be made, but now I won't be surprised (or satisfied) if we go into the season with Glavine, Hernandez, Maine, Perez, and Williams/Pelfrey as the starting rotation. My sense is that that would leave us with a stress-free October in 2007.

And is there much of a rivalry between the Giants and the A's? If there is, the Athletics fans have to be hating this.

[DocTee]

There's agood deal of rivalry in the Bay-- the Giants get all the headlines, the A's get all the titles. One billboard, which appeared by the Bay Bridge exit nearest the Giants stadium welcomed visitors with a reminder:

"while they were building a ballpark, we were building a winner" Go A's

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

7 years? Wow!

[soupcan]

So...is that the market rate for a top flight starter now?

Scary.

[Guest Edgy DC]

No, that's the market rate for a durn good starter with a fine off-speed stuff and not much velocity who had his best season four years ago.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Damn, is that a lot of money. Imagine what an ACTUAL ace would have gotten in this market . . .

Well, I don't mind going to battle with what we've got, but I imagine Omar will be trying to swing a deal or three with our prospects. Anyone know what pitchers are on the block?

[Guest KC]

The lower end of the top flight starters in my eyes. (OE: answering soup,
I type slow and the phone rang)

I had to let this sink in for a few hours and I'm still happy the Mets didn't
take one up the ol' poop shoot in terms of years (and the money is sicker
too that most expected) and just let him go even though at times it was a
foregone conclusion he was ours eventually.

[Frayed Knot]

]Anyone know what pitchers are on the block?

Well there's that Randy Johnson guy ...




Zito turned down Texas's offer - which was for a reported 6yrs @ $80 or so - before accepting SF's.
Kinda makes you wonder who SF GM Brian Sabean thought he was bidding against.

[Frayed Knot]

]Imagine what an ACTUAL ace would have gotten in this market?

The way these things work .. probably not a whole lot different than what Ztio snagged.
He may not be an ACTUAL ace but he is the Ace du Jour on account of being the best available on the open market right now. Kind of like the old 'One Eyed Man in the Kingdom of the Blind' thing.

Had there been a Santana type as a FA also then HE would have been the prom queen and likely walked away with Zito money while Barry would have had to settle for Miss Congeniality and a lesser portion of the pie.
The other $100+mil pitcher contracts didn't involve the best pitchers in history either; Kevin Brown was at least close to the best when he signed (although was older), but Hampton was arguably not as accomplished then as Zito is now. Yet no one else busted above the contracts those two signed until just now.

[Guest silverdsl]

Good for the Mets for not trying to out-do the Giants on this one. That's crazy money, and Zito will have to be outstanding, not just good to live up to the expectations that come with that kind of a contract.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

He'll probably kick all kinds of ass. Made a ton of $$, didn't need to leave home, going to a nice big ballpark. Figure the Giants will someday regret it, but geez. Good day to be a lucky rich slowball-throwing bastard.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: No, that's the market rate for a durn good starter with a fine off-speed stuff and not much velocity who had his best season four years ago.

I agree with Edgy's assessment.
Sounds like they should be testing the SF GM for drugs, too. And in his case, I'm not talking about steroids.
That's a lot of scratch to pay for someone with Zito's record over the past few years.

Later

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I'm just glad the Mets aren't on the hook for that contract. No way Zito is worth that type of commitment in both dollars and years.

Omar will need to work some magic for the team to get a true front line starter. I just don't believe the Mets will open the season with a rotation of Glavine, Hernandez, Maine, Perez, and Pelfry/Williams/Soler/Humber. It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming months. I expect a true ace will likely cost the Mets Milledge, an arm (or two), and some serious cash.

[Guest cleonjones11]

Rockin' Doc wrote: I'm just glad the Mets aren't on the hook for that contract. No way Zito is worth that type of commitment in both dollars and years. Omar will need to work some magic for the team to get a true front line starter. I just don't believe the Mets will open the season with a rotation of Glavine, Hernandez, Maine, Perez, and Pelfry/Williams/Soler/Humber. It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming months. I expect a true ace will likely cost the Mets Milledge, an arm (or two), and some serious cash.

Zito is worth the money. It aint my money

[Guest iramets]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Seven, One-twenty-six? Holy cats. sometimes the best deals are the ones... blah blah blah. Wow. Now what?

Match this up with your previous contention that "Meche is rarer than Bannister, accounting for him getting more (how much more is determined by the market. He's worth what he gets." A little skewed, wouldn't you say? Meche is worth is salary, because the market knows what it's doing, but Zito is an overpriced plane wreck, where the market is totally fucked up..

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Don't put words in my mouth.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

iramets wrote: Zito is an overpriced plane wreck, where the market is totally fucked up..

Is that what "wow" means?

Wow!

(Oops!)

[Guest iramets]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Don't put words in my mouth.

Okay, how do you distinguish your views on Meche's contract and Zito's? Seems to me you were okay with the market's justice in one, far from okay in the other.

If you don't think the Royals were simply paying the going rate but the Giants have made a ruinous deal, which is what I take you "blah blah blah' to mean, could you distinguish the two points of view, please?

[Guest iramets]

On second thought, don't bother. I'm just busting your chops.