Zito back in the rotation

[Steve Jeltz]

Zito will return to rotation tommorrow at Pittsburgh.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8084964/Zito-will-return-to-rotation-for-Giants

[BenHertz]

But he was doing so well in the bullpen.

0 runs, 0 BB, 0 Hits

[Steve Jeltz]

And 0 appearances out of the pen. I don't know what Bochy is thinking. Zito was earning every dollar of his contract by sitting in the bullpen.

[riredsox]

Is Zito in a slump, or is he officially a bust? So far for SF, he has an 11-21 record, and is winless this season.

[west coast orange and black]

steve jeltz: 0 appearances out of the pen. I don't know what Bochy is thinking.

the giants had 3 choices:
send zito down to the minors and see if could work out whatever the zip is going on;
keep him in the rotation and see if...;
place him in the bullpen and have him pitch in non-pressure/mop-up situations.

the giants opted for door #3, largely because they had 2 days off in a short span, and could forego a fifth starter - zito's spot. however, the giants were involved in tight games, several of which went into extras, and zito was not summoned.
zito was put back in the rotation because (a) the schedule now necessitated a fifth starter, and (b) the giants could no longer depend on game situations dictating their use of zito.

[west coast orange and black]

riredsox: Is Zito in a slump, or is he officially a bust?

in a few weeks it'll be 8 months of zito in black and orange.
3 more of the same and the giants'll publicly use "bust" and "failure".