The San Francisco Giants declined the 2014 options for starting pitcher Barry Zito and outfielder Andres Torres, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Giants decline 2014 options for Barry Zito, Andres Torres
Zito spent seven years with the Giants after signing for $126 million before the 2007 season.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants will pay Zito’s $7 million buyout instead of his $18 million option. Zito inked a seven-year, $126 million contract with San Francisco before the 2007 season, which was the largest contract even given to a pitcher at the time of the signing.
The southpaw did not live up to expectations with the Giants, going 63-80 with a 4.62 ERA over seven seasons. San Francisco, however, won two championships with Zito in the pitching staff, and he helped both teams with his pitching in the playoffs. The starter took out a full-page ad in the newspaper thanking Giants fans, which made Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles reflect on Zito’s contract and his time in the Giants organization:
I’ll still verbally spar with anyone who would rather the Giants have the $126 million back and replay 2010 and 2012 with new players. That’s crazy talk. The championship seasons were a messy, sprawling tapestry that were filled with beautiful nonsense, and Zito’s as big a part of it as anyone else. It didn’t work out as planned, but it still worked out.
Torres struggled as a role player in 2013, batting .250/.302/.342 over 300 plate appearances. He also spent time on the disabled list, missing the final five weeks of the year.
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