Keith Law ranks Zito #15 at best of free agents for '07

Sweet, lets resign Z.  5 years 3 mil?

But I like Law. I think he is right about Zito. If you allow more walks than every pitcher in baseball except Daniel Cabrera and throw 86 that doesn't bode well for your long-term success. I'm in the minority here, but from a subjective standpoint I don't think Zito pitched very well this year (nor do I think Chavez fielded very well this year). He's been very "hit-lucky" the past two years and I think he's going to be a Zito '03 type guy on his best day. Say waht you want about Law, but the man is bold.

I completely agree with Law.  Maybe not about some of the players above Zito (though I can see his points) but I think his analysis of Z is pretty spot-on.  I doubt Boras will agree with us though.  

Another Boras candidate I really like and think he could be a good signing became a FA.  He would certainly fit in under our injury-plagued, defensively gifted strategy: J.D. Drew.  He, along with Bonds, could be great additions of LH bats.  Thomas is of course number 1 on my wish list but we need some MAJOR improvements on offense.  

I think Zito rated maybe A LITTLE worse than he shouldbe. I wouldn't put Meche ahead of him, but I would put Mussina, Lugo and Pettitte, and even Lilly ahead of him although I'm sure Zito will command way more than all of those guys. Honestly, I'd rate him maybe a spot ahead of Meche. Comparing him to Meche, they are each the same age (28), and last year Meche had more strikeouts gave up fewer walks and fewer bombs. When you consider that Meche has better control and more velocity, I don't think it's ridiculous to say he will be better than Zito going forward. Of course, Zito has had very good BABIPs and it may be possible that that is a repeatable skill for him, and that alone might nudge him ahead of Meche.

Zito just didn't get signed by anyone because Boras asked too much for him?   I'd laugh..

Zito's obviously better than Lilly or Meche, and Keith Law knows that.  He's only writing this so he can have a follow-up article that reads, "Wow, look how much that team paid for Zito when they could have gotten Lilly for much less."  Just write to Keith Law after Zito has a better year and remind him of his crappy article.

I would like to see a list of number three, four and five starters to see how Zito stacks up. My guess is that his numbers are better than all of them except one or two. The number four and five spots are revolving doors on a lot of teams. Cut Zito some slack.

The A's have been playoff contenders the last few years with him at number one, with an offense in the back half of the league in most categories batting behind him. As far as I can tell, Zito has been a top twenty pitcher in the American League for the last six years and his numbers have been pretty consistent over the last three years with fewer Ks and more walks than previously (at what looks to me to be about one per game less/more).

I'm having a hard enough time finding glorified reasons to wear my Zito T-shirt now that he won't be in green and gold. This #5 starter dribble is not helping.

You can make the argument that he is not a #5, but he clearly is not a #1 either, and someone is going to pay #1 money to him and be disappointed.  
Boros does that, he always suckers teams into paying too much money for players.  Fortunately it is not the A's.

Everybody knows Keith Law is really smart, but he's really fucking dumb too.  He makes at least one mind-numbingly idiotic observation a column.  He is not spot on here.  Barry Zito has four top 10 ERA finishes in his first six years.  Name one fourth starter who has come close to that.  His lifetime ERA+ is 127.  He's as durable as any starter in baseball.  Gil Meche and Ted Lilly have sub 100 career ERA+.  In fact, Meche has never once been a league average pitcher in a season in which he pitched more than 85 innings.

I agree, Zito has a better reputation than he actually pitched. Watching from a far, you marvel at his curve, and his past, but looking closely like we have, he's overated, but he's going to cash in soon.

obviously has had the much better career, but you're fooling yourself if you believe '01-'02 Zito in any way resembles'07-'11 Zito. Even from '03-'06, Zito has been a solid #2 guy, but going forward I think he is a 3 or 4 like Law said.

The only way this article makes sense is if it is taking into account what it will take to sign the players.  There is no mention of that, so I'll take it as not being a factor.

Anyone who feels that Meche/Lilly are better than Zito should not be writing about Baseball for a living.  Meche has never had a season as good as Zito's worst year.  

Lilly is a good alternative for Zito, but at two years older, never having topped 200 innings (Zito has averaged 223 since 2001, Lilly 171 since 2003), and simply not being quite as good, he cannot be considered better.

ranked higher than Zito.  A lot more bang for your buck, I say.

He has seen that Zito will never regain Cy Young form and he will only go the way of Hudson and Mulder. That is why Beane did not value Zito enough to give him a good deal.