Don't forget about the Mets though, who were ready and willing to deal Lastings Milledge for him.
Don't forget about the Mets though, who were ready and willing to deal Lastings Milledge for him.
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann
I recognized that sorry about a year ago in ficticious play seams to translate real here too
What story?
I'm usually pretty good at deciphering sheepster, but I can't figure that one out...
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann
At the time, as a Giants fan that didn't want them to sign Zito, it felt to me like they did so because they felt they had to do something. It seemed more about the PR of signing a big contract than about making the team better. I know Sabean is no genius, but I really feel that the ownership forces (one way or another) him to do certain things, either that or he is just a yes man alltogether.
I'm one to own up when I thought a team should make a move and they did and it didn't work out. I say that because I hate monday morning QB's.
Is there anyone that actually thought that contract was good when they signed it? His performance was fading with Oakland prior to the big contract, and this is no surprise. Very dumb move by the Giants, and thats not Monday morning because I thought the same when they made the signing. I think the Giants overbid themselves.....who else was offering that kind of coin for this guy?
where do you get those stats from Ohm's? I couldn't fine them on baseball reference but I could be blind
The regular stats are from B-R.com, bit I did the /BFP ones myself in Excel. Really easy, copy, paste, hits/BFP, etc...
I will admit that I was on the fence about Zito when the Giants made that deal. It wouldn't be the first time that a change of scenery has helped revitalize a guy's career, after all. It's easy to say now, but I did immediately have reservations about the length of the deal. The cost I could see as justifiable at the time. He's a pitcher, he did win a Cy Young, and he's a lefty, so the initial price was at least a justifiable gamble for a year or two... a seven year deal says that you're not gambling though, it says that you know that the guy is going to perform. Zito has proven that he's unable to do that now, which makes the Giants look like idiots.
The Mets were almost ready to deal for him too though, so it's not as though giving him that sort of deal is completely whacked. Just poor judgment in my opinion, based mostly on desperation since the Giants have to know how much trouble their franchise is currently in.
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann
It was a bad deal especially in the context of the Giants being an aging team and being on the cusp of having to rebuild. It's not as though they were "one player away" from winning the big one. They have come to the realization now that rebuilding is what they are faced with, but they are saddled with that ridiculous contract for 5-6 more years. Zito would have made more sense at least for the Mets, although it would still have been too much even money for them.
True
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann
You're 100% right about the length of the deal. I don't think the Mets would've come anywhere near that length. Minaya has mentioned many times that the owners will rarely approve deals in excess of three years because they can't insure those deals. Insurance on these high priced long term deals can't be bought and is something many don't realize.The Mets were almost ready to deal for him too though, so it's not as though giving him that sort of deal is completely whacked. Just poor judgment in my opinion, based mostly on desperation since the Giants have to know how much trouble their franchise is currently in.
In my opinion, deals longer than 4 years are pretty much always dumb. You're better off biting the bullet and either paying more or getting a lesser talent for a few years than being saddled with some monster contract for 5, 6, or 7 years. Those contracts never pay of at the end.
...of course, they usually pay off for the first couple of years. usually.
lol
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann
To put things in perspective, the Mets inked Johan Santana to a shorter deal for a slightly higher average annual value.
That is how bad the Zito deal is.
Seeing you highlighted 'never' I figured I'd jump in and point out some longer than 3 year deals that have worked in recent years. I believe these were all longer than 3 yrs;
Manny Ramirez
Alex Rodriguez
Mike Mussina
Greg Maddux
Todd Helton
Vladimir Querrero
Pedro Martinez (6 yrs with the Sawx)
Griffey Jr. (mariners 6 yr deal)
Albert Pujols
Barry Bonds (possibly best value deal ever, 6 yrs for like 40 someodd million)
Aramis Ramirez
Chase Utley
Pretty much all of them could have been signed for shorter terms for more money... and then after the 3rd year, resigned probably for less.
A-Rod, ManRam, Pedro, and Bonds are the obvious exceptions, but their exceptional players. Not everyone has the chance to even sign that caliber of player in the first place, so the regular rules don't apply regardless.
Edit: Add Pujols.
You insist that there is something a machine cannot do. If you will tell me precisely what it is that a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that! -J. von Neumann