16-0: A Most Amazing Ride

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on April 10, 2013

The Giants just finished off the Rockies with a 10-nada thrashing. Zito pitched his usual “no runs allowed” game. Seriously, at this point I almost want the Giants to lose one of his starts just ’cause the streak is starting to consume me. 16-0? This is getting into *twilight zone* territory. And it couldn’t happen to a better Giant. A GREAT Giant. The sh!t this guy took from his fan base and the media was non-stop and relentless. And before the start of the 2012 season, it was certainly deserved. Before his first start shut out in Colorado last year, I wrote “Zito is completely done as a major league pitcher.” And I wrote 20+ other threads skewering him and wishing a big wave would take him away from us forever.

But this is the thing I love about Barry Zito: he never gave up. He never got complacent with the money. And he finally got it right. And by “finally got it right” I mean he is largely responsible for our most recent world series win. If he doesn’t shut down the Cardinals we don’t make the World Series. And as magical as The Panda was in Game 1, Zito’s the guy who out-pitched the supposed greatest-pitcher-in-the-world that night.

As a fan, I long ago forgave him for all his past sins. Quite easily, I might add. But it wasn’t just the World Series that he brought to us. He’s now in the midst of “THE STREAK”. Sixteen bad boys in a row.

Here’s what he’s done in his last 4 starts (post season games vs Cards and Tigers + his first two starts this year): 27.1 innings pitched. 22 hits allowed. 6 walks. 17k’s. And…wait for it…. exactly 1 earned run.

I will never understand the Giants fans who can’t forgive or forget his first five years with us. Although that number is thankfully dwindling if the standing-o he received today is any indication. In ’07–’09 the Giants sucked so it’s not like Zito losing was going to change anything in those years even if he was winning. In 2010 we won the World Series. We won it again in 2012 and never would have without his man-child performances. And in 2013, he’s un-scored upon in 2 starts.

So what, exactly, keeps the few remaining haters hating so hard on this guy? Stubbornness? Likely. He is one of the great Giants in the history of this storied franchise. I represent Flavor Nation with the highest honor we can bestow a player: Two Flaps Up. Barry, we salute you.

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twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 4:49 pm

Stop calling those who point out the facts about his last three injury free years “haters”, pal. It’s wrong and exposes the commenter as the hater. Can it.
- Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:00 pm
  
  I will never can it. And you aren’t the only one who continues to despise and doubt him. But your bedraggled crew is dwindling. How’d Dirrrrrty pitch today, by the way?
  - twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:12 pm
    
    So you are calling me a hater?
    I know how Jonathan pitched, not well. Try to stay on topic, Do you think that crowing over his struggles is cool? Most true fans wish him well.
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:25 pm
    
    How he does is of no consequence to me, he pitches for The Pirates.
  - twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 6:41 pm
    
    Then why bring it up? One reason- you know I like Jonathan and that I root for him to do well. That’s really poor.
- twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:06 pm
  
  Or at least try to get things right- those of us providing you with the facts that you choose to ignore are not being unforgiving about his past, we’re pointing out with FIP-less numbers that in the regular season he was no better in 2012 than he was in 2009 and 2010. When you’re reduced to using wins as your barometer, your argument is lost.
  Note that I’ve consistently referred to the full regular season. To his credit he did pitch well in September, and he’s received his props for his postseason- and I called each win, BTW…
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:14 pm
    
    Ha! What a fucking joke. It’s quite obvious to all why you called those wins. You were covering your ass. Already looking the fool for spending the entire 2012 season ragging and disbelieving, you had nothing to lose (or bet) with those calls. If he pitched like shit you would have had a field day with your skewering of him. Despite being wrong about your call, you always had your past roastings of him to fall back on and an “I told you so” would surely have followed.
    Predicting he pitch well was just a back handed way to jump on the band wagon and snatch a single ” I was right!” out of a year’s worth of “hmmmm, actually I was totally fucking wrong…”
  - twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:25 pm
    
    I have provided you with the facts of how he pitched in each of those years, pal. You continue to be the fool for ignoring them. I was right all year, Only a true fool with his head in the sand would so stubbornly refuse what the facts show- it was his third best regular season as Giant judge by how *HE* performed.
    I’d bet you won’t and haven’t even looked at the proof.
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:30 pm
    
    I could give a single fuck about any stat you want to provide supporting your embarrassing, stubborn hatred of Zito.
    here are the only 2 stats I care about:
    7.2 innings pitched. 0 earned runs.
    5.2 innings pitched. 1 earned run.
    2 epic, never to be forgotten, post season wins.
    Oh, and I also value the FACT of the team going 16-0 over his last 16 starts. Why? Because I don’t give a fuck about xFIP or any other stat you care to dredge up. I care about the 16 fucking wins. I know you were doing a slow burn during each and every one of those wins, eh Twin? It must have devastated you. But dude, don’t sweat it, at some point this year the team will lose when he pitches. And he will have shitty outings this year, like all pitchers do. On those days, the blog’s all yours! God knows how long you’ve been waiting to scream, “See, I was RIGHT!!!!!”. But how about you leave the Pro-Zito posts alone, especially on the days he fires off a gem. It’s not a good look for you, dude……
  - twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:31 pm
    
    What you do have? ERA? WHIP? Quality starts? ERA+? Here’s what you have other than wins, which you spit on for everybody else- you have- NOTHING…and stop with the hate crap- it’s getting personal, please. Everything I posted about his 2012 is completely supportable.
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:33 pm
    
    well, I’ve got a World Series win that wouldn’t have happened without him. Some Giant fans actually care about that just a wee bit more than anything else.
    Oh, and the team has won 16 games in a row when he pitches. I kinda care about wins, too. For fantasy play? Of course not, I’ve stated that many times.
    But for my team?
    Fuck yeah I care about those 16 wins. I’m surprised you don’t.
snarkk said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:38 pm

Next few games in Chitown could be brutal, especially for regulating the pitchers. The weather looks horrible over Thurs and Fri at minimum…
- Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:42 pm
  
  weather is stupid. Those of us who choose to live in California, it’s all we have to fall back on. 🙂
  - snarkk said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:47 pm
    
    I like the ability to drive to and from snow; not live in it.
    As for the Zito, two years ago I would never have guessed he’d do what he did last post-season. I don’t know if the current goodness will continue, but he’s figured something out. More cutters, a wife and no hot/cold running chicks, Zen, I dunno. It’s probably the darndest thing I can think of for SF as far as a player turnaround goes in all the years I’ve been a Giants fan. I’ve thought a little about it, and nobody else I can think of comes close from being in the toilet for so long to being at the mountain-top in that Cardinals playoff game 5, and the WS game win. If Zito can explain it, I hope he gives the answer to Lincecum…
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:51 pm
    
    agreed. I’m 40 minutes away from the ocean, 4 hours away from Tahoe. Honestly, I’d prefer if it was 2 hours 40 minutes away from the ocean, 2 hours away from Tahoe. And while the weather would get a little worse in the Summer time, the cost of living would go down dramatically.
  - twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 6:15 pm
    
    If he keep this up, it will be his 3rd straight excellent April, not counting the injury year. In 2012 he only won one but he pitched very well-1.67 ERA, WHIP under 1. In 2010 he was 4-0 1.53 ERA WHIP under 0.9…what he’s never done as a Giant is put two good months back to back. Hearing the truth about howhe has pitched shouldn’t engender such hate towards the poster. AGAIN- this is about his full refgular seasons, his 2012 postseason excellence has never been disputed. As to why I picked him to win those postseason games- he *was* pitching well in September and he’s had postseason success before.
twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:45 pm

Try not to not to make up what I think. I raved over and over about his postseason. But there are more players than Zito who made getting to the WS possiible.
- twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 5:54 pm
  
  Obviously, I understand that you admire Zito, that’s why I chose the gift I did. But calling me a hater for pointing some undeniable facts about how he’s performed is out of line. I always root for the Giants, saying I don’t is utter bullshit.
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 6:06 pm
    
    Zito starts are probably your favorite. If they win you get to celebrate the win. If he pitches like shit and they lose you get to skewer him on the blogs. That’s a win-win, right?
    Although its been a while since he didn’t pitch a gem, even you must be forgotten that long, lost happy feeling
twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 6:32 pm

If any pitcher pitches poorly. I say so.
What I’d almost forgotten is how you become hateful when I disagree with you. That’s what I’d forgotten. There’s nothing you can refute factually, so you shoot the messenger.
twinfan1 said, on April 10, 2013 at 6:51 pm

Well, I’ll leave the rest of the night to others. I *do* know that many here do like the guy. Unlike last year, I’m not going to be trashed for hours about a perfectly legit opinion. Have a nice night, everybody.
- Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 7:04 pm
  
  enjoy your night as well, Twin.
PawlieKokonuts said, on April 10, 2013 at 7:15 pm

Weather: we may have rain mixed w/ snow tomorrow. #Buildscharacter.

My honest personal Zito history in brief: I stayed “with him” longer than most simply because of the win against the World Champion Phils I witnessed on a Sunday in 2009 at AT&T (he either had a hit or a successful bunt; foreshadowing! Ryan Garko debuted; ugh). Then after that fateful game vs. the Padres, I bailed. And THEN I jumped on his 2012 bandwagon, with utter glee, culminating in WS Game 1.
PawlieKokonuts said, on April 10, 2013 at 7:17 pm

I had not realized there was a new thread when I posted this earlier, so I am copying it here:

Need proof of ESPN’s disrespect of the San Francisco World Champion Giants? At 9:12 p.m. ET at ESPN’s MLB home page, here are the lead stories:

Goat’s head sent to Cubs owner at Wrigley
CEO Ryan to remain with Rangers | Durrett
Rangers to place LHP Harrison (back) on DL Video
Red Sox put Lackey on DL Video | Ortiz to rehab
MLB creates task force to increase diversity
Jays rally from 5 runs down to stun Tigers Video
Moore, Rays edge Rangers in chilly Texas Video
Westbrook shuts out Reds as Cardinals roll Video
White Sox 2B Beckham (wrist) out vs. Nats
Red Sox’s record 820-game sellout run ends Video
Law: Re-evaluating three potential aces Insider

SO. We have . . .. never mind. It speaks for itself. Not one fecking word about Zito or the Giants today. I rest my case. ESPN douchebags.
- Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 7:54 pm
  
  here’s the one I see: (not sure if there’s some IP address regional stuff going on but regardless…) “Headley takes BP, pleased with Progression” jumps in front of “Giants win Behind Another Zito Gem”?
  
  CEO Ryan to remain with Rangers | Durrett
  Goat’s head sent to Cubs owner at Wrigley
  Braves now 8-1 after second straight sweep
  Headley takes BP, pleased with progression
  Harper homers; Nats top White Sox | Reax
  Red Sox put Lackey on DL | Ortiz to rehab
  Rangers to place LHP Harrison (back) on DL
  MLB creates task force to increase diversity
  Red Sox’s 820-game sellout run ends | Blog
  Phillies use five-run 1st inning to drub Mets
  Law: Re-evaluating three potential aces
  - PawlieKokonuts said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:27 pm
    
    I thought of that; it may track me, but if so, “it” [as in the Internet moles and robo-cyber sleuths] would know I’m a Giants fan, right? Here’s ESPN MLB heds a few mins. ago — still no Zito or Giants, here at least, or at least on my laptop:
    
    CEO Ryan to remain with Rangers Video | Durrett
    Goat’s head sent to Cubs owner at Wrigley
    Braves now 8-1 after second straight sweep Video
    Headley takes BP, pleased with progression
    Harper homers; Nats top White Sox Video | Reax
    Red Sox put Lackey on DL Video | Ortiz to rehab
    Machado’s HR lifts O’s over Red Sox Video | Reax
    Rangers to place LHP Harrison (back) on DL Video
    MLB creates task force to increase diversity
    Red Sox’s 820-game sellout run ends Video | Blog
    Law: Re-evaluating three potential aces Insider
  - Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm
    
    yes, it would (i think). Yahoo runs stories daily on my main page (not the sports page) that are filled with Giants and/or baseball news.
dirtnrocksnomo said, on April 10, 2013 at 7:57 pm

I’d like to thank Zumiee for being on site to ensure the win, series sweep and Zito tying the Giants franchise record of 16 wins in his start. Great work Zumiee. Way to be a pal. 😉
- Bozo said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:46 pm
  
  Hear, hear!
salty said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:09 pm

Interesting take from the Merc on Zito, the 18m option etc…
http://tinyurl.com/cbm4gqk

Another good day for Zito. Hope he can sustain it this time. Heck, Jamie Moyer won 17 at age 34 and 20 at age 38 topping out at 80mph. This is Zito’s longest good stretch encompassing Sept/postseason and now April. Plus he had a good ST :). Just feels different this time. We’ll see.
- Flavor said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:54 pm
  
  I wrote one, maybe 2 blog threads last year about the good economic sense it would make for the Giants to pick up the Zito option. Maybe I’ll try to find the thread later and re-post.
Alleykat said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:14 pm

To me personally,I’m so impressed of what Barry Zito has overcome over the years of ridicule and abuse to get where he is now.
I’m not even going go into his pitching(which has been outstanding )but his hitting of all things.
He works harder then any other Giant pitcher at the plate.Dude didn’t know a Fungo bat from a real bat when he joined the Giants.Understandable coming from the AL with the DH and all,but with his dedication and determination he has become a decent hitter,hell he’s 3-4 .750 right now ferchrissakes and is their best bunter to boot.Yeah,Yeah he won’t pop one out like Cain or Bum on occasion but he makes more contact consistently.
Even Boch mused that being able to consistently find the left- side hole may have something to do with his bat- speed.God I love Bochy his dry humor at times is hilarious!
Then he gets serious :”It’s all about competing Bochy said.”It doesn’t matter what your doing in this game-pitching, swinging the bat, playing defense, its all about competing and he’s as tough a competitor as I ‘ve been around. With all he’s been through, to be doing what he’s doing now and last year shows how tough this guy is.”
- snarkk said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:58 pm
  
  I totally agree and have said so before about Zito’s bunting. As everyone knows, I’m a bunt fan. And, Zito is the best bunter on the squad, better than the fast guys. His technique is sound. He rarely bunts at shit pitches that would result in pop ups or foul bunts. That comes only from work, since he was in the AL before and had no need to use those skills. His slap hitting to LF is quite sound, too, since he knows he likely can’t pull the ball. I wish to hell all the other Giants pitchers would take bunting as seriously as he does…
paulinasia said, on April 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm

t seems Timmy will keep us guessing this season, from start to start. Yesterday, he viewed video after the 5-run 2nd inning, saw a flaw, and corrected it. That’s tremendous that he was able to do that. We’ll see if that carries forward to his next start. On the other hand, maybe it is just a focus thing. Somewhere in his comments about that 2nd inning, he again said something along the lines of “I should’ve been more competitive” in that inning. Bochy used those words to praise Zito after this game, implying that Barry is “competing” on every pitch (Buster kind of said the same thing). Zito does indeed seem to have figured it out. Not sure why Timmy seems to lose his “competitiveness” on occasion, if that’s in fact what is happening, but if he can continue to adjust a little flaw when it surfaces, and if he can regain that focus he had in 2010 (remember the look on his face in the clinching game 5 of the Series, as he came off the mound after the 7th or 8th?, laser focus), then he’ll be fine. He did so well out of the ‘pen in the playoffs, when he HAD TO focus in a short stint, it makes me wonder if he’s just kind of lost the thrill and motivation that it takes to pitch 7 or 8 or 9 innings. He’s gotta be feeling a little pressure, this being a contract year. Maybe that will help his focus rather than make him press.
unca_chuck said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:27 pm

Yeah, I think everyone was ready to just cut Zito, eat the millions, and move on, back before the 2011 season. You have to wonder where the front office stoood on that. There was the argument that he wasn’t even 5th spot material.

It’s just uncanny that his resurgence coincides with Timmy getting weird. It is a concentration thing, or that’s what it seems like.
- unca_chuck said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm
  
  That being said, Timmy’s about 1-2 more starts from making up the 2 weeks he missed in ST.
  
  Will it all fall into place?
eddacker said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:39 pm

I got my Zito love on and this says it all:
But for my team?
Fuck yeah
And, for me, it could not have happened to a nicer guy.
eddacker said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:51 pm

As a proud father I would be amiss if I did not remind Barry that this picture was taken 09 August, and we all know what happened after that.

😉

2 winners (dad’s eye view)
- zumiee said, on April 10, 2013 at 11:15 pm
  
  It ushered in a golden age!
zumiee said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:51 pm

Beautiful day at the ballgame today. Perfect weather, and pretty much a perfect ballgame. Zito not only pitched very well, but contributed very well with his bat. He got more than one standing ovation, and lots of people were doing the extended arm, bowing at the waist “we’re not worthy” wave.
Lots of cool things were happening with the offense, but three of the coolest were seeing Scutaro, Posey, and Torres getting their swings locked in. The Giants scored 9 runs yesterday while giving Posey a day off, and scored 10 runs today while giving Sandoval a day off. Pretty darned cool.
Even my ballpark meal was perfect. A Cajun turkey sandwich from a vendor at the ballpark called King Street Carvery.
The first issue of Giants magazine is excellent, with a photo of Posey and his wife from the parade, with black, orange, and white confetti falling all about them. The middle of the magazine has a scorecard in it, and I filled that in during the game. Lots of fun filling in a scorecard during a 10-0 game! It was cool watching lots of the Giants’ batting averages on the scoreboard go up during the day. The Rockies’ pitching staff arrived at just the right time. (grin)
I sent BF an email with a photo from my day at the ballgame, for the Flap Photo Bucket.
zumiee said, on April 10, 2013 at 10:58 pm

Dirt, thanks for the kind words on the Post of the Day. I did what I could. (grin)
eddacker said, on April 10, 2013 at 11:03 pm

Zumie, another good luck charm around the Giants stadium. Thanks, mate.
zumiee said, on April 10, 2013 at 11:10 pm

Tulo had a pretty frustrating day. He almost got thrown out of the game after the top of the first inning for arguing a called strike three. He and the ump went at it after Tulo had started walking out to his shortstop position. The ump finally walked towards him and shouted something that was the equivalent of “Zip it!” and Tulo finally toned down.
And then proceeded to throw the ball away trying to throw Pagan out at first. It was a tough play, but a good throw would have gotten Pagan out.
Later in the game, Tulo forgot how many outs there were, and started running off the field with 2 outs, got almost to the first base line, and had to turn around and run back to shortstop.
And to top it off, later he dropped a pop up, which allowed another Giants run to score.
- Flavor said, on April 11, 2013 at 5:04 am
  
  That sounds like a guy with major concentration issues—or a major hangover. I always wonder about where guy’s heads are at in a day game knowing that they might have been up all night partying. Back in 2011 when Miggy Cabrera was boozing heavily his day/night splits were 75 points off (during the day).
snarkk said, on April 11, 2013 at 12:02 am

Looks like Blade had the Rocks pegged.
Their pitching is major suckage…