APOr maybe not quite so top-notch. Cain is, by all accounts, the real deal. Morris is more problematic, coming off two injury-muted seasons. As for Zito, he won 73 percent of his games with a 3.04 ERA though his Cy Young season of 2002. In the four seasons since, he has won 54 percent of his games with a 3.86 ERA.
But this deal is less about cold, hard data than it is about perception. Turns out you can buy a lot of the latter for $126 million.
Perception: Adding Zito, the winter’s highest-profile free agent, validated the post-2006 season claim of managing partner Peter Magowan that Bonds would no longer be the sun around which all Giants players, coaches, managers and executives revolve.
Perception: Even though Magowan couldn’t bring himself to cut ties with his wag-the-dog left fielder, lavishing him with an intensely criticized one-year incentive-laden contract that could swell to as much as $20 million, adding Zito demonstrates the franchise is positioning itself for life after Bonds.
Perception: By stretching payroll past their previous self-imposed limit, the Giants identified themselves, for now, as a franchise that will spend big-boy money in pursuit of a championship.
|
By staying in the Bay Area, Zito kept in touch with a fan base that understands he is a pretty good-but-not infallibly great pitcher who makes every start and usually gives his team a chance to win. As a bonus (as if he needs one), Zito will be able to play sidebar to Bonds’ top-of-the-front-page pursuit of Henry Aaron’s career home run record. For one season, anyway.
That’s known as a win-win. And if the Giants actually win on top of that? Hey, a round of mandarin Danish toast for the house.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
HardballTalk headlines |
Interactive |
Slideshow |
Unbreakable records in baseball A look at the most unbreakable records in baseball including Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters. |
Slideshow |
The top tools of baseball You hear a lot about the tools of baseball, but who are the best hitters, fielders and pitchers? We break it down. more photos |