MLB Playoffs 2010: Why the San Francisco Giants Can't Give Up on Barry Zito

I was watching ESPN's "30 for 30" on the 2004 Boston Red Sox miracle comeback against the New York Yankees in the ALCS earlier tonight, and I realized something about our San Francisco Giants and their overpaid, but ironically worthless, pitcher Barry Zito.

In 2004 the Red Sox had a highly paid starter who was a 20-game winner two seasons prior. However, the fellow in question had a miserable 2004 campaign, far worse than even Zito's 2010 season. This guy on the Sox was a disaster, walking scores of batters all season and giving up hit after hit.

His 2004 stats: 224 hits and 71 walks in 182.2 innings, which works out to a 1.61 WHIP and an awful 5.42 ERA. The only reason this pitcher had a 14-12 record that year and not something like a 6-22 he rightfully deserved was because, of course, the Sox scored an ungodly amount of runs that year. Still, anyway you slice it, this guy was a walking gas can.

For comparisons sake, Zito's 2010 numbers are 184 hits and 84 walks in 199.1 innings, for a 1.34 WHIP, and a 4.15 ERA. He was 9-14. Of course his run support was a fraction of what that Red Sox pitcher enjoyed.

Anyway, Sox manager Terry Francona made it clear he had no use for this terrible pitcher in his ALDS rotation, preferring to go with unproven Bronson Arroyo as his third starter and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield if they needed a fourth game.

Still, he kept his fifth guy, who had a reputation for being even flightier than Zito, on the 25-man roster because you never know. He wound up coming in for relief in the 10th inning of Game Three against the godforsaken Angels, and he got the W when David "Big Papi" Ortiz hit a walkoff homer to sweep good-for-nothing Anaheim.

Due to rainouts, injuries, blowouts, and emergencies, he wound up starting twice in the ALCS. In Game Four where he was so-so but wound up with a no-decision in a game the Sox won to keep their season going. Then again in Game Seven on two days rest, where he gave them a masterful six innings at Yankee Stadium to get the win as Boston came all the way back from an 0-3 deficit to shock the Yanks.

A week later this same pitcher once again started a Game Four, this time in the World Series, and again he pitched incredibly and got the win, as the Sox officially ended their 86-year championship drought.

Of course by now you know this mystery pitcher is Derek Lowe, who just so happens to be starting Game One of the NLDS for the Atlanta Braves against the Giants.

Does Zito deserve to be one of the 25 on the NLDS roster? Going by the past two months, probably not. But Tim Lincecum was probably the worst starter in baseball during August and the Giants didn't give up on him and that worked out okay I think.

For all his warts, Zito still has that knee-bending curveball and he has a history of pitching well in the postseason, even if it was a lifetime ago. Even though he's been awful these past two months, he was one of the best pitchers in the league before the All-Star break.

Wins in April and May count just as much in the standings as those in September, and Zito delivered a number of fine performances when Jonathan Sanchez was still finding himself and Madison Bumgartner was working out the kinks in Fresno.

While he's undoubtedly making far more dough than he deserves, I'm of the opinion that the Giants wouldn't have made it to the postseason without Zito's contributions and that manager Bruce Bochy would be well served to keep him on the roster, even if it's for emergency long relief duty.

You want to keep Zito mentally engaged and still feeling like he's a part of the team, so he'll be feeling better about himself when called upon.

The postseason always brings out unexpected heroes. If Lowe did it in 2004 then Zito certainly can in 2010.

You never know.