Giants receive residual dividend from Zito signing

I didn't always feel this way, but he was worth every penny and then some. Great story.

from MLB Trade Rumors:
Quick Hits: Ramirez, Hitting Coaches, Hudson, Zito – MLB Trade Rumors:

Barry Zito‘s seven-year contract with the Giants didn’t turn out so well, but he did help them land Tim Hudson, Ryan Hood of MLB.com writes. When both pitchers were free agents last winter, Hudson called his former Athletics teammate to see what he thought of playing in San Francisco. “I said it’s a first-rate organization, from the top down,” says Zito, who assured Hudson that Giants fans had changed since the two pitchers had played together in Oakland. “Giants fans had a little more of a rep of just coming out for baseball games and not really having a die-hard presence and creating an intimidating atmosphere. It was very light. I told him 2010 changed everything.” Hudson posted a 3.57 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in 189 1/3 innings for the Giants this season. Zito, meanwhile, says he determined in August 2013 that he would “take some time away from the game and focus on family.” He did not pitch this season.

'via Blog this'

I suppose the issue of whether Zito's contract turned out well or not depends on your perspective and on what it is specifically that you value in life. If you're purely measuring W-L's versus dollars and cents, then you know what, maybe you're right, it a was a horse-shit signing. The ESPN tag line used to be be "The games aren't played on the field, they're played inside a little TV box". Well, dad-gum it, you can't measure everything in life inside an excel spreadsheet.

Moneyball be damned!!!