Barry Zito: He Threw Them a Curve

Anyone who loves to put up with the twists and turns of ABC’s Lost is going to love the career of San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito.

Those who can put up with the ludicrous, confusing, and impossible moments to comprehend what Lost offers, well you’re going to love watching Barry Zito pitch.

You know, when Lost first started it was cool. It was a show about survivors of a plane crash and how they would survive on an island. Now, the show has taken turns that every fan who watched the first season couldn’t imagine, and leaves everyone who still watches an episode scratching their head and asking, "huh?"

Well, minus the time travel and scientific stuff, welcome to the career of Zito.

What in the world happened to Zito? Here’s a guy who was one of the most dominate pitchers in the American League during his time in Oakland, won a Cy Young, and was part of Oakland’s “Big Three”. Now, he’s one of the highest paid pitchers in the game who was designated to bullpen duty last season.

I’ve always been a huge Zito fan. He’s just like Boone from Lost. Like Boone, Zito was the guy everyone talked about. He was good looking and talented. Ever since Boone died in the show, seemingly so has the career of Zito.

I used to hate when the Red Sox played the A’s and Zito was pitching because his curve ball was ridiculous. It was the definition of a true 12-to-6 hook. It froze even the greatest hitters.

Zito capitalized on his success in Oakland, and signed a seven-year $126 million contract with the Giants. He was supposed to be the ace of a staff who never recovered after Jason Schmidt got injured. Instead, he has turned out to be one of the biggest busts imaginable.

If Zito was struggling outside the West Coast, I might be able to comprehend it. However, his lifestyle is perfectly suited for the West Coast, especially in California. He is extremely laid back, loves to surf, and enjoys playing the guitar.

I can’t put my finger around the events that led to the downfall of his career.  He claim’s that it’s the pressure of such a big contract:

“If I wasn’t making so much money, the fans would show a little compassion,” Zito told me this summer. “But the money gives them no leeway to be sympathetic. When someone becomes successful or rich and famous, people perceive that person as being different. But I’m the same guy I’ve always been.”

Even if the contract comes with pressure attached, it still doesn’t explain the fact that his stuff went from way above average to bad. Here’s a guy who dominated the AL, and went to a weaker league! He gets to face the pitcher every nine batters, yet his ERA has ballooned and his record is just 21-30. Those aren’t the type of numbers you want from a guy making $126 million.

If he imploded this bad in San Francisco, then those who ballyhooed for Zito in Boston, Chicago, and New York should be pretty happy he turned them down. Even in San Francisco, I don’t buy the pressure of the contract excuse. 

He’s a guy who played with Barry Bonds and his quest to break the All-Time Home Run record (legitimate or not, that’s for a different day). To say he was under pressure from fans is Zito just trying to deflect the blame off of himself. 

Nobody came to the park and wondered how good Zito was going to pitch tonight.  They only wondered if tonight would be the night Bonds would become the home run king.

You can’t blame Zito’s success on the ballpark in Oakland either.  While it's true that McAfee Coliseum is no hitter’s paradise, AT&T park is no bandbox either. 

In fact, the two parks are located right across the bay from each other, so it’s not like Zito can’t go to the same places that made him feel comfortable in Oakland.

Whatever the case, Zito is too good to be this bad. He should really consider looking in the mirror and realizing he’s wasting the extreme talent he has been given.

There are pitchers with better mentalities out there who, if they had Zito’s stuff, would be aces of staffs. Zito is still young and has time to figure it all out, but the clock is ticking.

If Zito steps up his game this year, the Giants are a serious challenger for the Dodgers in the NL West. If that’s the case, you’re looking at a rotation that sends out last year’s Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Zito, and Randy Johnson. 

If Zito struggles again, I think it’s time for the Giants to own up to their mistake and give Zito the boot. Perhaps then he will realize just how far his career has fallen.

Just like Lost likes to bring dead characters like Boone back in flashbacks, hopefully Zito will have a flashback of how good his career used to be. Here’s to hoping he becomes dominate again.