If you are failing to thrash Barry Zito when he faces you on the mound, you should feel ashamed. If you are getting absolutely dealt on by Zito, well, life's not good for you. The Dodgers got toasted by Barry on Saturday, in what was his best start of the 2008 season.
The Giants snapped the Dodgers' four-game winning streak and moved four games back of National League West-leading Arizona. The bigger story line, however, seemingly always is the fate of the $126 million man.
Zito was as aggressive in the strike zone as he has been all season, pouring in 73 strikes in 109 pitches, hitting a season-best 89 mph on the radar gun and locating a late-breaking slider throughout. After a first-inning hiccup that had the fans booing, he was dominant from the second to sixth innings, facing the minimum, allowing only one hit - which he erased with a pickoff - and striking out eight.
"Sometimes you want to make the fans happy, but you can't want it too much or you'll start pressing," Zito said. "You just have to let things happen, be yourself out there and not try to be anything more."
Zito went seven innings, striking out ten Dodgers as the Giants picked up the win. Is Zito back? I doubt it. I really do. But the game log is kind of looking up, no? Sure, he got smacked around by the Cubs but his start against the Indians (one earned, no walks) looked similar to the Dodgers outing.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.
Florida Marlins (44-43) at Colorado Rockies (37-51) - 3:05 PM ET
As if 18-17 wasn't enough, the Rockies and Marlins played a 12-6 game proving once and for all that the humidor is dead Coors Field can still play host to some Nintendo games ... and that the Marlins pitching staff needs to step it up if they're going to hope to remain in contention for the N.L. East. The Marlins turn to Mark Hendrickson, who started out the season pitching like their ace but has been positively awful his last seven starts (37 earned runs in his last 34 innings). Not the guy you would expect to bounce you back from giving up 30 runs in two games. As for the Rockies, hey ... if they have another run in them, they're only six games back in the N.L. West so that division can still be had. Speaking of which ...
Sanchez, who was named the National League Player of the Week on Monday, said he and Lincecum made a friendly bet as to who would have more strikeouts at the end of the season. Sanchez said it was more of a joke, but now it appears a dark horse has entered the race with Cain on the verge of getting his 100th strikeout.
"We're all having fun," Sanchez said. "[Lincecum] strikes out a lot of people, but I'm close. I have to strike out 12 more, but he's going to start again before me."
Again, quite a shame that the Giants didn't have the foresight to, you know, not raid Shady Acres for the rest of the roster; they could actually be pretty freaking good if they had some offense (-43 run differential).
Still though, they're somehow only five games back (I know, right??) of the lead in the NL West and as long as they have pitching this stout, it's kind of hard to count them out of it. Then you remember that they employ Barry Zito. And you start to count them out. Fun story though.
Barry Bonds's 756th home run has been celebrated by some and denigrated by others but visitors to the Baseball Hall of Fame won't be able to see the ball he blasted into the stands either way. Talks between Marc Ecko, the clothing entrepreneur who bought the ball at auction, and officials from the Hall have come to an impasse, leaving one of baseball's most infamous artifacts without a place in Cooperstown.
"The owner's previous commitment to unconditionally donate the baseball has changed to a loan. As a result, the Hall of Fame will not be able to accept the baseball. Should the owner choose to unconditionally donate the ball to the museum at a future date, we would be delighted and of course, accept his offer."
The vast majority of items in the Hall's collection were donated for perpetuity. The Hall already has Bonds's batting helmets from the record-breaker and only makes exceptions when nothing else is available.
Originally, the Hall was queasy about the plan to put an asterisk on the ball. If it were so branded, though, it would help tell the full story of Bonds and the home run record. Regardless of what you think about Bonds, the ball and the homer are a big piece of baseball history and should be exhibited in the game's museum.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.
New York Yankees (43-37) at New York Mets (39-40) - 3:55 PM ET
Now that the dual stadium doubleheader is done, the Yankees and Mets can go back to the normal over-hype that the Subway Series entails, and not have to worry about the added pressure of police escorts between stadiums and such. But here's some worry: Johan Santana, who matches up with Andy Pettitte today, is 7-6 with a batting average against of .249, and a WHIP of 1.22. Not bad. But consider that Santana has never had a half a season, whether it be before the all-star break or after it, where his BAA and WHIP have been nearly that high. So even by Santana's first half standards, it's been an off half-year for Johan. Stuck near .500 after 79 games, the Mets could use the second half Santana to make an appearance at Shea today.
Unfortunately for the Giants fan in this clip, "not burying your head in your jacket like an ostrich" outweighs "not acting like a professional while in the announcing booth" in the scale of things things you don't do at a baseball game. So instead of chastising Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper for mocking a fan, it's probably best to embrace their artistic creativity with the teleprompter.
Unless, of course, this was a Barry Zito start. Then the fan would be totally excused for attempting to hide his face/smother himself with his jacket.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.
Florida Marlins (36-31) at Tampa Bay Rays (39-28) - 6:10 PM ET
All right, so I'm having a conversation today with a buddy of mine and we're discussing the fact that it's June 14th, and both the Marlins and Rays are still relevant in the conversation of baseball. I'm sure that neither of these teams are content with just being in the hunt in mid-June. But the question is, are either of these teams capable of being in the race all the way through? Could both teams be there at the end? Regardless of what your feeling is on this, it will be fun to see a Florida interleague game with some juice ... even though both the Marlins and the Rays have more intenserivalries out there.
P.S. If I had to choose one team there at the end, my money's on the Rays. But that's if you put a gun to my head.
I understand that temperatures were at record highs this weekend. So, taking some time off of work or finding the shade was a good thing for everyone. But that doesn't make the Giants needing time off to rest their old bones any less humorous.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy will likely give some of his veterans a rest for Sunday's afternoon game with the Nationals since Washington's extreme heat and humidity will be a factor.
[...]Bochy said it's likely that Omar Vizquel and Ray Durham will sit while Burriss and Travis Denker should get a shot at starting while the older guys take a break.
By all means, sit them down. The last thing we need is someone collapsing on the lawn at AT&T. Still, when you consider Brian Sabean's penchant for inking veterans, it becomes pretty hysterical that his team has to sit several players because it's too hot for baseball. Which is played every year ... in the summer.
(Karmic aside: I should probably mention that the air conditioner just broke in my office. But you're still old, Giants.)
Brian Sabean, ever tactful, made an error in judgment following this year's MLB draft by pointing out that Bengie Molina, enjoying one of his best offensive seasons for the surprisingly not terrible San Francisco Giants, was on his way out. Or at least he used a statement about sunsets that reflected on Molina's contract status and made the catcher upset.
Sabean said that [Buster] Posey 'is on the fast track and Bengie's clock is winding down.' On Friday, Sabean clarified he was referring to the end of Bengie Molina's contract after 2009 and the uncertainty of the free-agent market, not on Molina's career. Still, Molina did not like to hear that.
'I respect whoever they pick,' said Molina, who turns 34 next month. 'I understand they don't have too much catching down in the system. I'm not upset or anything like that. The only thing that really hurt my feelings was when he said my clock was running down.
'It hurt my feelings because I came here to work hard every single day. I give them everything I have. I've got to talk to him first and see what he meant before I say anything else. I'd like to know, because if I'm not in their plans for the future, then what am I doing here?'
To say that something like this out of Giants camp, and stemming from Sabean's mouth, is surprising would be a lie. Particularly when you consider his obsession/affinity with veterans and how poorly Posey really fits into his long term gameplan for the Giants organization.
You know, because of his upside and potential and everything.
While some panicked fans in Boston are making a desperate call for Barry Bonds, today marked a reminder why he's yet to garner any interest around the majors. He appeared in court today to officially file his "not guilty" plea to 14 counts of perjury and one obstruction of justice charge. None of this is new, but the first time the prosecution presented their charges against Bonds, the judge ruled the charges were too vague, ordering them to go back and be more specific.
If you're already tired hearing about Bonds and his legal problems, well, I have some bad news: this is just the beginning. We're now one step closer to an actual trial, and there's a good chance we'll still be complaining about all of this come 2009.
Until then, Bonds is apparently still working out in hopes that some team out there will be desperate enough to sign him. You can't rule it out, but if it hasn't happen yet, I'm guessing there's probably a better use for his time. I've heard knitting can be fun.
If you are failing to thrash Barry Zito when he faces you on the mound, you should feel ashamed. If you are getting absolutely dealt on by Zito, well, life's not good for you. The Dodgers got toasted by Barry on Saturday, in what was his best start of the 2008 season.
Interesting tidbit -- tonight, after 
Barry Bonds
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