Odds and Ends: Bonds, Zito, Bush

Today's link compilation.

• Dusty Baker spoke to Barry Bonds on the phone a few weeks ago, and came away feeling that Bonds does not miss baseball.
• A mere ten million bucks, a team can eat that.  But, as Andrew Baggarly says, "They don't make mouths big enough to eat the roughly $112.5 million that Barry Zito is guaranteed."  Zito could be exiled to the bullpen.
• Dave Bush went unclaimed by the other 29 teams because with option waivers, the team can pull the player back if claimed.
• Jim Callis tosses out some options for the Astros with the 10th pick, noting that the team is likely to adhere to slotting guidelines.
• Peter Abraham runs through the available catcher options for the Yankees now that Jorge Posada is DL-bound.

Comments

[ARusonis]

I'm guessing Humberto Quintero would also be available to the Yanks, and he probably would only cost a mid-level prospect.

[bignatsfan]

The Yanks could probably snag either LoDuca or Estrda from the Nats...or Nieves, who's been hot lately and was once with the Yanks as Mussina's catcher, but I think the Nats want to keep Nieves. Lo Duca and Estrada could probably be had pretty cheaply though.

[Darin]

I like the comment at the end, on what to do with a catcher since Molina and Posada are signed past this year....well move Posada to the 1st/DH spot that will clear up a bit when Giambi's gone. It's not ideal, but his bat would carry him at that position (assuming no big decline occurs).

The Yankees really need to think long and hard about signing a 1st basemen in the offseason, since they have guys like Posada and Jeter that will probably have to move over there eventually.

[Darin]

I meant to say think about NOT signing a 1st basemen....they should focus on that terrible (defensive) outfield.

[GoBoSox420]

Zito in the bullpen

hahahaha

It's funny because it's probably the best option

[Not Joe Morgan]

If you believe in RZR the Yankees OF is decidedly not terrible.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/thtstats/main/?view=fielding&league_filter[]=1

[yanksfan]

Defensive stats are great. There's so many of them. You just have to pick the one that says what you want.

Yankee outfield problems - Abreu is scared of the wall, and Johnny Damon has no arm. Which is entertaining, considering he was signed due to Bernie Williams not having anything left in his arm.

The Yankees do need to think about their outfield though, as Abreu's contract is up after this season, and Damon's and Matsui's run out the year after. I think Abreu is the only one who stands a chance of getting resigned, and that's only if he'll take a short contract.

[04Forever]

who knows, maybe zito becomes an amazing relief guy.

oh wow, look at that pig soring through the sky!

[thered86]

I gotta' agree with the first comment on this page: Quintero's a great option. The Astros have been messing with that guy's emotions for a couple of seasons now, and he's certainly a big league calibre type player who should be on a major league roster (great D, great arm). Plus, God knows the Astros could use a few top notch prospects.

[bjsguess]

If Posada is relegated to a DH/1B role then his value is awful. A 270/20HR guy barely deserves to play one of those positions for a crummy team.

Throw in the fact that this is the Yankees and that he will be making $15m/year and this is just flat out awful.

[DonCoburleone]

It's been pointed out on here before, but Dave Bush used to be a closer in college. Now maybe I'm wrong about this, but the Brewers bullpen is not exactly a group of worldbeaters is it? Wouldn’t you rather have Dave Bush coming in for the 8th inning of a tie game over Derrick Turnbow? I just don’t get it, are the Brewers really that set on keeping Bush a starter?

[FineHamAbounds]

hahaha... Zito to the bullpen,and let's see if he becomes the next Dennis Eckersley!

[Stephen Peele]

Maybe the Giants should let Zito surf.

[Sesshomaru]

My opinion about Zito is that the Giants ruined him. I remember when he first went to the Giants, the first thing they wanted to do was change his mechanics. Change his delivery. I mean, why would you do that? The guy was fine the way he was. He was good for 220 innings per year, why in the world would you change his mechanics and delivery? They ruined Zito themselves because they are foolish. If Giants' fans want Zito to return to form, they need to pray that they let Zito go back to his old delivery and mechanics. I bet you he turns it around then.

[pinetarhand]

If I remember correctly, Zito changed his delivery himself. He thought it added velocity, but after he stunk it up, they told him to change it back.

[Darin]

Sesshomaru,

They didn't ruin him. Zito pitched in '07 like he had with the A's in '06 (for the most part). The problem is the Giants are idiots and paid Zito like he was going to pitch like he did in 2002 over the course of that entire contract. A year later, he just doesn't look good. It has nothing to do with the mechanics, because last year, he wasn't horrible, he was just average and clearly not worth that rediculous contract......but hey, we all knew that the day it was signed.

[Sesshomaru]

Oh, I thought it was the other way around. In that case, the Giants should demand that he goes back to his old mechanics. I agree though that contract is ridiculous and it's equally ridiculous that he would want to change his mechanics.

[la16]

Bonds doesn't miss baseball? Baseball doesn't miss Bonds.

As for Zito, I was shocked last year when the Giants gave him that insane contract. He had an awful final year in OAK and carried that over to SF. Such talent in his early years, what happened?

But being a Dodger fan, I have to say LOL. :p

[scribbletone]

"He had an awful final year in OAK and carried that over to SF. Such talent in his early years, what happened?"

What happened is that his fastball needed to be able to push 90 MPH in order to keep hitters off balance. But now his fastball is falling flat around 85 MPH, and the difference between the speeds of his fastball and his offspeed stuff has diminished. Now he's just a light throwing guy who simply doesn't have that insane ability to pitch without great stuff, a la Maddux and Moyer. There were signs of his decline even before he signed with San Francisco, and thats why he never warranted a deal even close to what he got. Until Zito can get that fastball back to 89-91 MPH, he'll continue to be practically a non-asset.

[John Difford]

Posada won't play first/dh regularly. posada just said the other day that hes a catcher and he doesnt want to play any other position. i think the yankees will want to keep him happy and they don't have a much better option anyway.

[Stephen Peele]

Buster Olney is reporting that the Giants are indeed moving Zito to the bullpen.

[k4lnamja]

Sesshomaru

Do you do research or do you just talk out of your butt? The Giants NEVER wanted Zito to change his delivery. He said, after he signed, that he wanted to change his delivery/mechanics. Management then said, "no way, we didn't sign you to an overrated (i added that) contract to all of a sudden change your mechanics/delivery". He agreed and look what happened. He's always blowed and will continue to do so.

Get your facts straight

[k4lnamja]

la16:

You can laugh all you want because I am too. Brian Sabean is the worst GM in the league and he gets an extension?! Just out of curiosity, how is pierre/jones/schmidt doing for ya? Not well, right? Zito's contract is essentially the same as those 3's.

[AriGoldisaG]

"He had an awful final year in OAK and carried that over to SF." - la16

la16, can I just ask are you Sesshomaru in a different account? Because Zito had a great final year in Oaklnad in 2006. 16-10 with a 3.83 ERA, his best numbers since winning the Cy Young in '02. Zito needs to find himself again. Maybe go for little surf, spark up a joint and take a breather.

k4lnamja, you're right, la16 needs to just shut up, Colleti has made some pretty big busts down there too. I'm glad that the Giants didn't replace Sabean with Colleti, Colleti is an idiot, home grown by Sabean. But he's not as bad as Sabean. Maybe the Giants should look at the A's (MY REAL FAVORITE TEAM) who openly admitted they were re-building and look: They're winning!!! Maybe McGowan should hire A's current assistant GM David Forst or old A's assistant, and former dodger GM Paul DePodesta. At least they come from good stock in: Billy Beane!!!

[AA]

Um, K4lnamja, as a Dodger fan I am no Ned Colletti cheerleader but I really don't think you can compare him to Sabean of late, given that he at least had the guts to hang on to the young guys who have produced for the team. Schmidt showed no signs of being damaged goods in 2006 before he signed with the Dodgers. Jones may have been a mistake (it is still early, and he is at least a major defensive upgrade) but he is only signed for 2 years, not 7. As for Pierre, we all know that was a panic job and it would have been better to sign Lofton to 2 years at less than half the price, or even snap up Gary Matthews before the Angels did, but 64 steals and an average over .290 is a lot better than a decimated farm system and an inability to compete.

As for Zito, I really think you have to look at the guy like Matt Morris. I really doubt he signed that contract thinking he would have such a sharp decline in ability. He is actually a very nice guy in person and loves the game. Also, while his 2006 season wasn't amazing, it was a lot better than people give him credit for. In fact, his ERA was blown up by 8 poor starts and he still managed to keep it under 3.90 and eat up >220 innings.

As far as the bullpen goes, I think it would probably be a bad thing. Zito is a rhythm pitcher who is historically weak early on in the game. What they need to do is break down his mechanics now vs. a few years ago and have him start getting more aggressive. Then again, the more the Giants lose, the happier I am.

[wcw]

You'll be happy this year: that lineup is just awful.

As for Zito, there's one and only one mistake here: the contract. It was indefensible the day it was signed, and would have remained indefensible if Zito had maintained his expected level of production (2006ish for a few years, followed by an ugly decline). That the decline has come early just highlights what an awful job Sabean has done when it has come to free-agent acquisitions and contracts for veteran players.

Thank heavens for Dick Tidrow and Barry Bonds, or this team would have been this awful long before now.

[bravesbeast]

Sesshomaru

Do you do research or do you just talk out of your butt? The Giants NEVER wanted Zito to change his delivery. He said, after he signed, that he wanted to change his delivery/mechanics. Management then said, "no way, we didn't sign you to an overrated (i added that) contract to all of a sudden change your mechanics/delivery". He agreed and look what happened. He's always blowed and will continue to do so.

Get your facts straight

Posted by: k4lnamja | April 28, 2008 at 07:36 PM

K4lnamja:

You are the one who needs to get YOUR FACTS straight.... the guy came back and admitted he had heard wrong, so all you are doing is making a fool of your self.....

Anywho, the braves and Yankees could be a match. We have Bryan Pena and Corky Miller at the ML level, and Fasono and Clint Sammons at triple A. I am sure some trade could be worked out for the yankees to get one of those guys as a catcher and trade some retread arm who can at least throw strikes at the major league level.

[la16]

At least LA didn't give their bonehead GM an extension. Didn't SF give an ext...nevermind.

I know LA has their bad signings (nomar, pierre, schimdt, jones, loaiza.) but the topic was about zito. NOT LA. So forgive me oh great ones for not commenting on the home team's signings. Didn't know I had to.

And I totally don't have to shut up. :D

[start_wearing_purple]

Zito's been overrated for a while now, especially for his price tag. His k/9 has been trending downward, his WHIP has been trending upward, he consistantly has been easy to take out of the park, etc. Even if you just look at his last couple of years in Oakland, sure he had a sub 4 ERA, but his dropping peripheries screamed danger. Giants have made their bed and I get to still laugh at their investment. Really some of these riddiculous deals GMs are handing out (Zito, Pierre, etc) you just have to wonder how panicked they really are.

[start_wearing_purple]

One more things... with Yankees and catchers. This maybe radical but what about a prospect swap with the Rangers for Salty? Rangers need young pitchers and they still have Teagarden in the minors. Say Kennedy and something for Salty and something? I doubt it would happen, but it would make sense for both teams.

[Not Joe Morgan]

"Yankee outfield problems - Abreu is scared of the wall, and Johnny Damon has no arm."

Seriously, how often does a team's RF have to run full speed at the wall or their LF have to make a big throw? Abreu is fine but not specutacular in right and Damon has been getting to most everything in LF. You might be the only Yankees fan I've come across since the Damon to LF move that's worried about their OF defense rather than IF.

(RZR is pretty simple; balls in zone played. Sure different trajectories and variances in judgment make it less than perfect, but as a general tool its fine.)