Jayson Stark on Zito, Hammy/Volquez, and more

Read the whole article guys(http://tinyurl.com/5q3bb8) was entertaining!-it

On Zito:

Rumbling through the jungle

• Baked Zito -- the appetizer: An official of one pitching-starved team said this week: "I think I could trade for Barry Zito right now. But who the hell would want to?"

Jonny Boy is that you?

So we posed this question: How much money would the Giants have to pay of Zito's remaining $112.5 million or so to get somebody -- anybody -- interested?

"The Giants would have to eat 80 percent -- I'm talking $80-90 million," the official replied. "But they'd never do that. If that's what they'd have to eat, they might as well just let the guy keep being horse[feathers]."

A year and a half ago I  strongly wanted us to make apush and appairently we did.  He just took the bigger pay day.  Can't blame him can you.  But maybe taking a flyer on him now wouldn't be a complete waste of time,  I mean maybe we could still get a prospect back.  He has shown some great skills at times, a sick nasty curve, and he has been a durable work horse.

On the Hammy/Volquez trade:

Most even deal of the winter -- Josh Hamilton from Cincinnati to Texas for Edinson Volquez. Who got the better of this deal? Maybe nobody. Hamilton leads the major leagues in RBIs (32), and leads the AL in extra-base hits (17). And Volquez leads the NL in ERA (1.23), and trails only John Smoltz and Jonathan Sanchez in strikeout ratio (10. 1 per 9 IP). When was the last time any trade looked this rewarding for both teams?

Google that up boys, see when the last trade in M.L. history has worked out for both teams.  I'm interested and lazy so I won't.  Would volquez be doing that in Arlington?  I'd at first say no because of two things.  One, our team is horrible on defense, and secondly, we have no offense to support him and win.  (I lied, Texas is much better offensively than Cinni).  Defensively they arent that far apart(http://tinyurl.com/3u2tgx).

Now, of course offense doesn't make a pitcher pitch with a 1.23 era our have that type of K ratio, but Im sure having a good offense and defense does a lot more for the pitchers confidence.   I believe thats what he lacked in Arlington. 

I didn't want to bring up the trade, but I would have really liked to have kept Eddy V.  Of course I really like Hammy, but pitching is what takes you deep in the playoffs.  Im just really suprised that this team hasn't grasped that concept.  We will forever be known as "the team that gets by with shaky, injury prone pitching, but wow Bill, what a fantastic offense they have."  Get my point.  Any way Im pleased with this trade. There are way more risks with young pitchers than there is with young positional players.

• The next big thing?: It's 10 years ago now since the Yankees handed a $1.52-million signing bonus to a 16-year-old Dominican pitcher by the name of Ricardo Aramboles. It's believed that no Latino pitcher (non-Cuban division) has topped that bonus since. But there's so much buzz about a Dominican right-hander named Michel Inoa, it looks as if Aramboles' record is in serious danger this summer. More than a dozen teams are in on Inoa, who is already hitting 94 on the gun -- at age 16.

And I really hope JD is one of those guys, seriously bidding for this kids services.  And honestly, Im sure he is.  I think we have one of the best chances to land him to be honest.

Player of the month -- Chipper Jones
There are cases to be made for Chase Utley, Albert Pujols, Derrek Lee, Hanley Ramirez and Manny Ramirez (among others). But how can we not award this honor to a guy who hit .410, rolled up an 1.145 OPS, bombed eight homers and essentially won four games for his injury-wracked team single-handedly? The only other players to emerge from last 10 Aprils with an average this high and this many home runs: Barry Bonds in 2004 (.472, 10 HR) and Vladimir Guerrero in 2000 (.410, 8 HR).

Beastly Chipper, but no mention of Hammy here?  What?  Im flabergasted. 

Well thats it for me right now.