The reported deal between the San Francisco Giants and Barry Zito is, well, mind-boggling. Seven years for $126 million, $18 million a year, with a vesting option for an eighth — and the Giants and Mr. Zito will be watching the playoffs from their living rooms. That’s a lot of cash for a curveballing pitcher whose walk totals have grown over the last few years and who has been shockingly erratic for a top-of-the rotation guy.
That said, the Zito signgin appears to leave the Mets a bit short in the rotation — especially when matched up against the Phillies (who, when all is said and done, remain the Phillies).
So what to do? I think that Mets GM Omar Minaya has played this thing correctly, keeping his money rather than handing big checks off to the likes of Ted Lilly and Gil Meche (maybe the worst contract in an offseason of insanity — perhaps, as my friend Bill says, the owners should submit to drug testing).
This is what Mets fans are looking at:
- A pair of ancient pitchers — Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez.
- A reclamation project with serious upside, but no guarantees — Oliver Perez
- A surprise who probably should be traded while he has some value — John Maine
- A couple of kids with huge upsides — Mike Pelfrey and Philip Humber
- And, if Mets brass goes this way (and I think they should) — Aaron Heilmann.
It’s an interesting mix and the team could do worse. But I’d like another arm. The question is whether the team should part with Lastings Milledge and Heilmann — yes for Dontrelle Willis, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Zambrano (you get the picture); no for almost anyone else. Milledge and Maine? For Jake Peavey or someone on that level. Milledge straight up for Rich Harden? Probably. For Dan Haren? Probably not. For Joe Blanton? Are you kidding?
The key is not to panic.
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Hank Kalet 