Giants Barry Zito demoted to bullpen

[Auggie]

S.F. Chronicle, 4-28-08

The Giants have a $126 million long reliever. Barry Zito is heading to the bullpen.

Zito was told the news before Monday's game, one day after he surrendered eight earned runs in three innings to the Reds and fell to 0-6 with a 7.53 ERA.

"We'll put Barry in the bullpen right now," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy after meeting with Zito. "We're going to back him off. He won't be making his next start. He'll be helping us in the bullpen."

Story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/28/SP5610D729.DTL

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. that took guts by Bochy

Zito...geez, the Giants might want to think about buying out his contract. Offer him $80 million to just walk away.

[PRETZEL]

2. He's got arm problems that he either isn't aware of or isn't saying

saw on ESPN this morning that he's lost around 5-6 mph on his fastball. He never was a hard thrower but he's in the Jamie Moyer range now for no known reason.

Something's definately wrong.

[Auggie]

3. He was tinkering with his delivery from day one in S.F.

Why any coach would allow that is beyond me. I hope the problem doesn't turn mental.

It appears he's a great guy. I hope he turns things around.

[hughee99]

4. If he's not pitching well,

he won't be "helping" them in the bullpen either, unless it's eating up innings in a blowout. The Giants' starters are pretty good, though, and with him out of the rotation, they may not get blown out too much.

[tiptoe]

5. (Pssst! Do they really think he'll be helping them in the bullpen?)

Last 6 Games
  	OPP 	W 	L 	SV 	IP 	H 	ER 	BB 	SO
03/31	@LA	0	1	0	5.0	8	4	1	1
04/06	@MIL	0	1	0	5.0	8	3	2	3
04/11	STL	0	1	0	6.0	7	1	1	2
04/16	ARI	0	1	0	6.0	5	3	5	2
04/22	@ARI	0	1	0	3.2	6	5	3	2
04/27	CIN	0	1	0	3.0	7	8	3	1

Last three starts: H + BB / IP == 29/12.2 = 2.3

He's ready! Give 'im the call!! He'll really help 'em with or without men-on-base.
:sarcasm:

[cboy4]

6. Unless he's not being honest about his health, I liken it

to the situation involving Steve Sax with the Dodgers.

Remember when the dude could not throw the ball to first base?

It was the weirdest thing I'd ever heard of.

Remember the fans started wearing batting helmets behind first!!

All mental.



Chuck Knoblauch had problems also.

Baseball's head cases often proved baffling -----> http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bbw/2001-02-07/2001-02-07-head.htm

STEVE SAX: The NL Rookie of the Year in 1982, Sax suddenly lost his ability to make throws to first base on the easiest of plays in 1983. He said he felt like a "prisoner."

As Sax worried about his grip and his arm angle, his throwing became so bad that fans behind the first base dugout began donning batting helmets.

Sax, who committed 30 errors in 1983, battled his way back to defensive respectability and went on to lead AL second basemen in fielding percentage and double plays in 1989. His career already had rebounded in 1986, when he put together a 25-game hitting streak and finished the season at .332, missing the NL batting title by two points.

[PRETZEL]

7. I actually had thoughts of Randy Wolfe

initially.

It took a long time for the Phils to finally figure out that he had serious arm troubles and once he came back from his Tommy John surgery, he became a somewhat effective pitcher again.

I agree, somethings wrong.