Zito is no longer a good pticher. Why bring in another underperforming, overpriced player?

Don’t micro-mange the budget and try to get the most for the spent money. That may be the right thing to do for running a corporation, but it’s not the right hing to do for running a competitive baseball franchise.

Soriano is not a cancer. He’ s a good teammate and he doesn’t need to be shipped out like Bradley. If the team decides that they no longer feel he can benefit this team, then take the write-off. Don’t bring in another issue, even if he’s only slightly less of an issue. You only have 25 men that can be on a roster and only 5 starting pitchers. Get the guys out there that can win the most games, not the ones that are the least worst financial decisions. That’s a formula for mediocrity.

It might not make either team noticeably better, true, but at least it would change direction for both of them.

Another bad contract swap, really, but here’s the good part from the Cubs’ viewpoint: Position players play more often, and that gives Soriano more chances to hurt the Cubs with his brutal defense, complete lack of anything resembling speed, and propensity for either home runs or outs, with little if anything in between.

It would clear LF up so Blake DeWitt could play there full-time!

I know it was discussed on the Giants site…this is possibly the third year now in a row.

It won’t happen, but I’d do it. It saves 7.5M and means the roster spot would be open a year sooner. Zito is younger and will probably be a little below average for the duration of the contract…you could probably expect an ERA in the 4.5-4.2 range. Not a bad option for an inning eater at #5.

Soriano’s value is relatively high (for him) right now. I say pull the trigger. If nothing else, you’ll be out from under the contract a year sooner.

Zito is still a good teammate, and a legitimate innings eater who has never had an arm injury. He would be a big help to some of the Cubs’ younger pitchers — particularly if Demp is traded. The only caveat is that Zito has a vesting option for 2014 based on innings pitched. (Cot’s info) Since Zito usually pitches 200 innings, his $18M for 2014 be guaranteed — unless he gets released in 2013. It would also give Tyler Colvin half a season to show whether or not he is an everyday player.

OTOH, Brian Sabean would be an idiot for doing this. Sori is a low OBP fly-ball hitter, and Phone Co. Ballpark is where fly balls go to die. Sori also makes Pat Burrell look like a gold-glove OF. It also takes away his SP depth, since the Giants don’t have a good SP prospect in the high minors.

Maybe both guys would benefit from a change of scenery?

Sure Soriano is overpaid and makes mistakes, but I still like the guy and I think I’d rather have him than Zito.

I guess it depends on how you define “decent”. If the standard is TOR, then, no he certainly hasn’t been decent.

But his fangraphs page shows Zito posted a WAR over 2.0 each of the last two seasons while sporting an ERA close to 4 (FIP & xFIP were a little higher, but not damningly so… and seeing as Zito’s actual ERA has outperformed his FIPs each season of his career, I’d say you could call it a pattern). Certainly he hasn’t started well this season, but he’s made three starts.

I’m not saying I would surely do the trade. And you can certainly make a case that Sori has more value, but I don’t believe it is accurate to say Zito hasn’t been “decent” in a long time.