Poor Barry Zito.

Despite all the moolah, and the bad signing move by the Giants, you gotta feel bad for the guy.

Last fall, when those of us in the XFL were drafting--and having the auction around Halloween each year is part of what makes that format interesting for all involved--I bid $10 and became the proud owner of the Z-man.

I knew he was not the pitcher who won his Cy Young a few years back, but I also knew he was smart, that when on he had impeccible control, and that despite a fastball that barely cracked 88, with his change and devistating curve, he had what it took to destroy batters.

So, in the NL, in a basically pitcher friendly park (even if I knew his team sucked) I thought he was a decent gamble.

As Jason Grey and I were facilitating drafts at the NFBC, I was kind of stunned that Zito was a late-round selection, if that at all. In fact in one of the auction leagues Jas and I worked, I was trying to contextualize how Joe Saunders pulled $2 to Zito's $1.

I mean, look at their 2007 numbers, and though Zito's were not that good, they were not that much worse than Saunders' and, well, Barry had at least a track record.

Well, shows how much I know. Zito has pretty much been sitting on my bench since the second week of the season in the XFL, and though I will not drop him (hope springs eternal in the fantasy universe) I also have no intention to activate him until he gives me a serious reason to.

The other night, Diane and I were having dinner with STATS Dean Peterson, and he told me about his NL only format, where they played 4X4 using strict original roto rules. Which means you could not dump a player unless they were on the DL, or sent down. Or, you traded him, and who on earth would swap for Zito?

My first response was, "God, I bet Barry Zito's owner is dying." A nod is all Dean could muster, noting mercifully that it was not he.

But, I do have to wonder. Again, Zito is a very bright guy. I have spoken to him a few times. He is well read. Like me he is a Yoga disciple. Like me he is  a guitar freak. I guess, like me, he is a bit of a free spirit.

I wonder, with that talent, what happened? Years ago, off his Cy Young, Tony Blengino and I made a bet. I claimed Zito would be around long after Ben Sheets' career was over, and ultimately, my bet logic broke down to two words: situational  lefty. Tony claimed Zito was no more than a Doug Drabek clone. In hindsight, he may well prove to be right.

I am not certain I will lose this bet, because those two words always loom. I mean look no further than names like Tony Fossas or Steve Kline, guys with not nealry the talent of Zito, who knocked around for years facing a batter here and there.

The, look at Tim Wakefield, who the other day struck out a Diamondback with a 74 MPH fastball he set up with his knuckler, proving that velocity does not always go as far as knowing how to pitch.

I mean, knowing Zito, his skill set, and his intelligence, I have to think that if anyone has a chance to be the next Jamie Moyer, it has to be Zito.

So, if I can see this, why cannot he? Like I said.

Poor Barry Zito.