BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Kawakami: Let’s not get carried away with Zito’s good outing

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Kawakami: Let’s not get carried away with Zito’s good outing

Why…even Jeff Angus’ fair Game Score system went kablewie after this!

Ten strikeouts? Barry Zito had never gotten so many as a Giants pitcher, so you can understand the gratuitous round of standing ovations that christened his every move late in this game.

It was like cheering Halley’s Comet - a 10-strikeout victory by Zito might not happen again here for 76 years, which is, I believe, the exact length of his contract.

On July 5, 2008, Barry Zito, the $126 million man, actually looked like a pretty decent pitcher. Shoot off those fireworks! Strike up the band!

...Now Zito has to do what he did Saturday only about 11 or 12 more times before the end of September, and then and only then we’ll call this a non-terrible season.

Bochy credited the recent added life on Zito’s fastball, which was timed regularly at 87-88 mph by the home radar gun.

But please: That gun was suspicious only because it officially recorded Dodgers journeyman reliever Brian Falkenborg at 97 mph and unofficially had the Ball Dudes tossing foul balls into the stands at 109.

Repoz Posted: July 06, 2008 at 03:15 PM | 6 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: giants

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 06, 2008 at 05:22 PM (#2845475)

How will this affect his Hall of Fame chances?

2. Dan Posted: July 06, 2008 at 05:23 PM (#2845476)

Didn't the Giants hire Peterson as a coach? It's obviously too early to tell with any certainty, but if he's really back to hitting 87-88 MPH with the fastball, perhaps Peterson is helping him.

3. UCCF Posted: July 06, 2008 at 05:54 PM (#2845497)

I was at this game. After the first couple of hitters, my friends and I were taking bets on how many runs the Dodgers would score before they made an out. He turned it around in a hurry.

There was a real loudmouth ass of a Dodgers fan sitting right behind us, shouting through the whole game about how "his boys" needed to lay off that "junkfood junkie." When the Giants scored 4 in the 7th, he shut up in a hurry, and everyone in the section just laid into him. I'm not even a Giants fan, but this guy made me actively root against the Dodgers, at least for a night.

4. UCCF Posted: July 06, 2008 at 05:56 PM (#2845499)

Also: Chan Ho Park?

Who knew he was even still in the league? I thought he retired 4 or 5 years ago.

5. Justin 'The Cespedobear' T Posted: July 06, 2008 at 06:17 PM (#2845527)

Didn't the Giants hire Peterson as a coach?

No. The suggestion was made due to the obvious connection. But the team shot it down immediately. Maybe Zito is personally paying him consultant fees or something. Or maybe he pitched against the Dodgers.

6. mashimaro Posted: July 06, 2008 at 11:08 PM (#2846070)

Park Chan Ho doesn't throw 97mph as the gun would indicate. I noticed right away that the gun could not have been accurate.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Kawakami: Let’s not get carried away with Zito’s good outing

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics