Bronxbombers
06-15-2006, 08:58 AM
From the start of the season, there has been talk of where impening free agent and A's ace Barry Zito will be traded to before the trade deadline. Rumors have had him going to the Mets, Yankees, and Phillies among other teams. However, the best place for the A's for Barry Zito to be after the trading deadline is in Oakland and not any other city.
When the rumors first started circulating, the A's were selling Zito for a hefty price tag, asking for top prospects like the Mets Lastings Milledge. Over time, the price tag has not been lowered at all; in fact, it has only been raised higher with the thin pitching market. The A's are unlikely to lower their demands, especially considering the team's situation. Right now the A's are at 34-31, coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees and a win the last two nights against the Mariners. They are only .5 games behind Texas and are on a 6 game winning streak. They have a very good chance to win the division and enter the playoffs due to the fact that no standout teams are in their division. However, the chances that they make the playoffs will be severely increased with Zito at the helm, leading the A's rotation.
The A's pitching staff is in pretty bad shape right now. Rich Harden has been on the dl more than the team this year and is out till shortly before the All Star break. Joe Blanton, who took big strides last year, has taken a big step back this year with an era in the 5's. Esteban Loaiza, who was supposed to be a good back of the rotation innings eater, has struggled. The A's need Zito to play well and pitch like an ace if they want the division. Their hitting is below average, with only Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez sticking out as All Star caliber players. Their only hope is to win with good pitching and Barry Zito can provide them with it.
Now, no team is going to pay what Barry Zito is worth to the A's. To the A's, Zito is an ace and trading him will severely lower their chances of making the playoffs. However to the Mets, he will be a #3, and to almost any other team will be a 3 month rental, given the market for free agent pitchers nowadays. No team in their right mind would be willing to trade a top organazaitional prospect, which is what Zito is worth to the A's, for a 3 month rental and middle of the rotation guy.
One can argue that Zito will be a free agent this offseason,and Beane will almost certainly not pay the big bucks needed to keep him an A past this year. In that case, the A's should take whatever they can for Zito, even if it is two midling prospects. This argument is completely offbase though. If Zito were to sign with another team, the A's would get one or two compensatory picks for him. Billy Beane certainly knows how to use these picks, Nick Swisher was a compensatory pick from the Red Sox after Damon signed with them as a free agent. With these two picks, Beane can get the equivalent of what he would get for Zito in a trade, and still keep him for the playoff run.
Barry Zito is instrumental in the A's making the playoffs this year. With Zito at the helm, the A's have a good shot to take the division from the Rangers and do decently in the playoffs with Harden pitching again. What is best for the A's is to keep Zito for the remainder of the season and take the two compensatory picks that they willg et for him
When the rumors first started circulating, the A's were selling Zito for a hefty price tag, asking for top prospects like the Mets Lastings Milledge. Over time, the price tag has not been lowered at all; in fact, it has only been raised higher with the thin pitching market. The A's are unlikely to lower their demands, especially considering the team's situation. Right now the A's are at 34-31, coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees and a win the last two nights against the Mariners. They are only .5 games behind Texas and are on a 6 game winning streak. They have a very good chance to win the division and enter the playoffs due to the fact that no standout teams are in their division. However, the chances that they make the playoffs will be severely increased with Zito at the helm, leading the A's rotation.
The A's pitching staff is in pretty bad shape right now. Rich Harden has been on the dl more than the team this year and is out till shortly before the All Star break. Joe Blanton, who took big strides last year, has taken a big step back this year with an era in the 5's. Esteban Loaiza, who was supposed to be a good back of the rotation innings eater, has struggled. The A's need Zito to play well and pitch like an ace if they want the division. Their hitting is below average, with only Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez sticking out as All Star caliber players. Their only hope is to win with good pitching and Barry Zito can provide them with it.
Now, no team is going to pay what Barry Zito is worth to the A's. To the A's, Zito is an ace and trading him will severely lower their chances of making the playoffs. However to the Mets, he will be a #3, and to almost any other team will be a 3 month rental, given the market for free agent pitchers nowadays. No team in their right mind would be willing to trade a top organazaitional prospect, which is what Zito is worth to the A's, for a 3 month rental and middle of the rotation guy.
One can argue that Zito will be a free agent this offseason,and Beane will almost certainly not pay the big bucks needed to keep him an A past this year. In that case, the A's should take whatever they can for Zito, even if it is two midling prospects. This argument is completely offbase though. If Zito were to sign with another team, the A's would get one or two compensatory picks for him. Billy Beane certainly knows how to use these picks, Nick Swisher was a compensatory pick from the Red Sox after Damon signed with them as a free agent. With these two picks, Beane can get the equivalent of what he would get for Zito in a trade, and still keep him for the playoff run.
Barry Zito is instrumental in the A's making the playoffs this year. With Zito at the helm, the A's have a good shot to take the division from the Rangers and do decently in the playoffs with Harden pitching again. What is best for the A's is to keep Zito for the remainder of the season and take the two compensatory picks that they willg et for him