Worst contract in sports history?
Written by: Brainiac
That may well now belong to Giants pitcher Barry Zito, he of the $126 million GUARANTEED deal.
Zito was banished to the bullpen on Monday, and for good reason: the left-hander has lost his first six starts this season and has a 7.53 ERA that jumped considerably after Zito was tagged for eight earned runs in a 10-1 loss Sunday to Cincinnati.
The 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner with Oakland, Zito lasted just three innings against the Reds and was booed frequently by the crowd at AT&T Park during his shortest outing of the year.
A three-time All-Star and San Francisco’s opening-day starter this season, Zito is only the third pitcher since 1956 to go 0-6 before May, joining Texas’ Dave Stewart (1984) and Detroit’s Mike Maroth (2003).
Left-hander Pat Misch will replace Zito, at least temporarily, in the rotation; Zito will be available to pitch in relief when the Giants begin a series at Philadelphia on Friday, Manager Bruce Bochy said.
“I'm obviously very disappointed," Giants owner Peter Magowan said. "Barry is too. Neither one of us signed up for this, frankly.”
Apprised of Magowan's disappointment, Zito shrugged.
"Yeah, and the sky's blue," he said.
The Giants can’t make him a closer - his fastball tops out in the mid-80s and he’s too wild. So meet the most expensive reliever in history.
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