It is not a fun time to be Barry Zito these days. The San Francisco pitcher has had little to smile about this season, posting an 0-7 record and 6.95 ERA through seven starts, one of the worst opening performances in franchise history. The situation is further compounded by Zito's $126 million, seven-year contract, a contract that has some pundits calling it "one of the worst free-agent signings in history."
While it is still too early to lump Zito in with the likes of Kevin Brown or Carl Pavano, his presence in San Francisco has been unimpressive. At 11-13, the 2007 season marked Zito's first sub-.500 effort, as well as the worst ERA (4.53) of his career. His 2008 numbers have both management and fans alike scratching their heads. Where has the old Barry Zito gone?
On paper, Zito's numbers are atrocious and there is no question that he has not pitched up to his standard this season. However, in evaluating his performance, there are several contributing factors that must be considered.
The Giants organization is currently in the process of rebuilding their team in the post-Bonds Era. With a few exceptions, the Giants team is composed of older veterans and young rookies. Zito is one of these exceptions. At 29, and with five years left on his contract, Zito is expected to play a key role in the development of a winning ball club. As with any rebuilding process, there will be growing pains, and as the past couple of years have proved, very few wins. For now, Zito can only grin and bare it as the younger players develop.
Furthering Zito's troubles is the Giants unproductive offensive, which has averaged just over two runs a game for their starting pitchers. When Zito starts, the offense is even worse. The Giants have only scored 9 runs in his seven starts, giving him little room for error. One would be hard-pressed to find any pitcher in Major League Baseball with a winning record on such little support.
But Zito refuses to place blame on anyone but himself. Always the consummate professional, he takes full responsibility for his level of play.
"Obviously, I'm hurting the team right now," Zito said, after his sixth loss of the season. "I just have to keep grinding and fighting. For me, this is an opportunity to stick it out and toe the line."
And that is exactly what Zito will have to do. He will have to "stick it out," take his bumps and bruises, and hope to improve with his young Giants team.
While some have already relegated Barry Zito to "has-been" status, he has the talent, dedication, and the poise to turn his season around. He is a notorious slow starter and this season takes the cake. However, with a few adjustments, Zito can and will start winning games.
To start, Zito needs to focus not on the velocity of his pitches, but on varying the speeds of the pitches he has. While the Hank Steinbrenners of the world drool over the 100 mph fastball, anyone with a little baseball intelligence knows that speed differential and movement combined with good location give major league hitters the most trouble. Greg Maddux, who just notched his 350th win, is a shinning example of how effective pitch selection and good location can be. Zito has never been a hard thrower, but in losing some velocity on his fastball, he must work harder to hit his spots and keep the ball down.
Zito must also work on limiting walks. Through his first six starts, the pitcher had 15 walks in 28 and 2/3 innings. Zito should be more effective once he finds the strike zone on a consistent basis. Fewer walks would also allow Zito to pitch later into games, something he has struggled to do this season.
In his most recent start, Zito showed signs that he may be coming out of his slump. Although he lost the game, Zito pitched five innings, allowing just two runs on two walks and five strikeouts. He kept the Giants in the game and pitched effectively enough for the win. His next start will be a true test when he faces Roy Oswalt and the hot Houston Astros. A good showing in this game could go a long way in helping restore Zito's confidence and set him on the right path.
The beginning of the season has been a disappointment for Barry Zito. Despite the poor start, the negative media, and being demoted to the bullpen for a 10-day stretch, Zito, in his typical laid-back style, has stayed positive. "In life, you can't just give in," Zito said. "Throwing in the towel and giving up, that's not part of who I am."
Zito believes that his struggles have provided him with an important lesson. "It's a new challenge and that's good," he said in a recent interview. "There's a lot of growth and strength that comes out of these things."
With an attitude like that, how could you not help but to root for the guy? Here is one writer hoping to see Barry bounce back soon.
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