Postgame Wrap: Barry Zito, Fourth Starter

I think it’s pretty obvious what the main story is coming out of today’s game.

If Ryan Theriot can continue slapping singles in key spots Barry Zito pitched a good game, which is not something that you would expect if you’ve seen Barry Zito pitch in the last six years. He got a little roughed up in the first, but settled down and controlled the game, pitching through errors and keeping the ball down. He mixed his pitches well, fooling batters with his curve and slider, and locating his slowball on the outside corner regularly. In the ongoing Barry Zito quandary, we’re 2-0 in the “Could be a serviceable pitcher” column versus “Complete and utter disaster,” so that’s progress.

The notion that Barry Zito could actually be a decent fourth starter seems pretty far-fetched, but hey. Ryan Vogelsong happened, so anything’s possible.

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Quick Pregame Thoughts

Just some thoughts before the Home Opener:

-Brandon Belt is not in then lineup for the fourth consecutive game. Three of those four games have been against right-handed pitchers, so it’s not like Belt is just sitting against lefites. Bochy has found myriad reasons to sit him- Schierholtz needs a start, Pill needs a start, Belt is pressing- even after committing to him in the preseason and saying Sunday that Belt would start on Wednesday. Bip Roberts mentioned on CSN’s pregame that Belt is “at the end of the bench” because he removed himself from the lineup after going 1-10. Bip intimated that Belt lacks the mental part of the game, despite having all the tools to be a productive hitter. The longer this saga goes on, the harder it is to believe that there isn’t something truly wrong with Belt’s makeup.

-It is fitting that Matt Cain starts his second home-opener in his career, just two weeks removed from his contract extension. Cain will remain the longest-tenured for the length of the contract and nobody is happier about that fact than I am. I famously asked my grandmother for a Giants jersey in 2007, and narrowed my list down to Matt Cain and…wait for it…Noah Lowry. Whew. Dodged that bullet. Cain remains my favorite Giant and should bounce back form a rough first outing.

-Brian Wilson will not pitch today, but it has little to do with his ankle. He simply threw too many pitches in the last two days and it is too early in the season to start putting strain on important arms.

-I love our park. Home openers rule.