Yardwork: Barry Zito Somehow Throws a Shutout at Coors Field
Barry Zito came to the rescue for the win-less Giants yesterday, pitching a magical gem as he went the distance, allowing just four hits. The improbable performance by Zito vaults him into rare company with Roy Oswalt as the only visiting pitchers to pitch a shutout at Coors Field over the last 13 years.
Is Zito back? Well, until his next start I guess we can all claim that Barry has rediscovered himself by way of reinventing himself, or something along those spiritual lines. He apparently worked on a new delivery this spring — of course he did — which has him crouching more to give him a lower center of gravity. New delivery or not, the guy featured an 84 mph fastball that produced 15 pop-ups. Eat your heart out, Jamie Moyer. The Giants won 7-0.
Marlins 6, Phillies 2 — I’m heavily rooting for another Phillies loss tomorrow (they’re off today) in the interest of hilarious, widespread panic on sports radio in the city of brotherly love.
Angels 5, Twins 1 — One hell of a debut for C.J. Wilson: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K.
Yankees 6, Orioles 2 — The Yankees got their first win of the season thanks to an excellent start from young workhorse Ivan Nova. Would you like a nugget to take into tonight’s game, one that might spill over into a couple of plunkings? Here’s Russell Martin on Robert Andino, who he had apparently accused of stealing signs in the ninth inning. The two exchanged words after the final out: “Probably maybe a look that I gave him,” Martin said, smiling. “Maybe he didn’t like the way I looked at him or something. I don’t really know. Is this Sherlock Holmes? Are you guys looking for clues and stuff? That’s all I’ve got. I think he was inviting me to a sparring session next offseason, by the way. I don’t know. I’ll get his number. We’ll talk it over later.” If you’re a Yankee fan, you gotta love Russell Martin’s fiery approach.
Mets 4, Nationals 3 —
Astros 8, Braves 3 — I picked the Braves to finish fourth for a reason. The offense is not going to be there often enough to hang with the rest of the division. But losing to the Astros to go to 0-4? That’s a problem, but not a complete debacle because no one in Atlanta really gives a shit about the Braves.
Rangers 11, Mariners 5 — Yu Darvish was a roaring trainwreck: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. Thankfully, for his sake, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington* wasn’t even close to being sold out for the prized free agent’s debut. You see, Rangers fans don’t really get excited for baseball until late September when the team gears up for a homer hanky-themed, wave-inducing playoff run.
*What a catchy name for a stadium. Imagine if all teams did that? Yankees Ballpark in the Bronx, Mets Stadium in the borough of Queens, the list goes on.
Speaking of the Rangers, here’s a fan doing “the sprinkler” after catching a home run ball. Well done, big fella:

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118 Responses to “Yardwork: Barry Zito Somehow Throws a Shutout at Coors Field”
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April 10th, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Speaking of the Rangers, here’s a fan doing “the sprinkler” after catching a home run ball. Well done, big fella:
A grown ass man brought a glove to the park?
April 10th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
This is gonna be a long, long season.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
I swear I would never do it, but I came close to /dougieing this recap.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
It’s well possible with the Halladay vs. Josh Johnson matchup tomorrow night.
/drinks heavily
April 10th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Four hits for Jeter! Four hits for Jeter!
Cubs are already in midseason form when it comes to reeling the fans in just enough to think we’ve got a comeback… then blow it. Brewers had a 4 run lead heading into the ninth but their defense (which might only be better than Detroit’s) made it interesting in the 9th. I look forward to more Tony Plush moments for Milwaukee this year. Going to cost the Crew at least a couple more games this year. Castro not swinging the bat on two straight fastballs to go down looking is pretty disheartening though.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Screw that. Any weekend game in Arlington, you’re crammed in with 40,000 fat slobs like the putz who caught the homer and did the sprinkler.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:55 AM
/Beats head against desk
April 10th, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Anyone over the age of 13 needs to leave their gloves at home.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:57 AM
darvish is lucky he has that basharific lineup
no love for chisox starter chris sale? elbows and knees and oh, never mind, it was against the tribe
April 10th, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Just don’t get too close to that railing.
/too soon?
April 10th, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Astros 8, Braves 3
3-1 start feels good, but means nothing. I can tell just from watching 3 of the first 4 games this season that the Astros have been incredibly lucky. I don’t have time to look it up, but with how many runs they’ve gotten off of errors I’d imagine our BABIP is fairly high. Come to think of it, do errors go into BABIP? Probably not since they aren’t considered hits.
Nonetheless, they’ve been lucky. It won’t last.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
“Don’t take your glove to town son, leave your glove at home.”
April 10th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Here I was thinking Kevin Durant was too skinny.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
who he had apparently accused of stealing signs in the ninth inning
it’s part of the game. do a better job hiding your signs
April 10th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Excellent caption Hernia.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Great caption btw.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
The New York Mets remain undefeated. I repeat, the New York Met remain undefeated.
And now we do the Dance of joy.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Chris Sale’s first start towards Cooperstown was a rousing success
Saw they’re hitting something like .153 through four games…they love this team here in Cleveland!
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
How come the orange text doesn’t blink for me?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Are you kidding? This is MLB’s biggest black eye of the last 20 years.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
In light of Braun’s start, I think me may have a grace period of a week or so without “PED-withdrawl” or “lack of lineup protection” articles.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
it’s part of the game. do a better job hiding your signs
The 1951 Giants agree.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
You lost on two walkoffs by the Pirates. You should be dead from alcohol poisoning by now.
/didn’t watch any of it
April 10th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Are you kidding? This is MLB’s biggest black eye of the last 20 years.
This is sarcasm….right?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Wrong. Everyone knows it’s what Ozzie said about Castro.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
I’m in love …
There’s an actual baseball aspect to this, by the way: one-time Reds minor-league outfielder Motorboat Jones, still my favorite baseball name of all time.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Yeah, was mocking what TBL said about spygate before the SB.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
I know it works in Firefox.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Stadium looked pretty full to me. Maybe not a sellout but still a good crowd.
And most of the hardcore Braves fans live just outside the radius of actually going to games. That’s where the real fans are.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
He’s listed at 6’6″ 180lb and that might be 20lb generous. He’s almost two dimensional.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Cant bring a glove to a ball park? I’d rather bring a glove to a ball park than join a softball team trying to recapture lost glory. You non glove people are dull assholes. “Just fill out a scorecard..”
April 10th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Hideo Nomo. Coors Field Legend.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
No blinkage in Safari.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Yeah, was mocking what TBL said about spygate before the SB.
Thought so. My perceptions are a little rusty right now. Haven’t been around much the last two weeks.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
That sound you hear from Toronto is the sad moaning from those longing for the days of Frank Frank
April 10th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
No kidding.
Best Rangers games I’ve ever been to ended up being when I had good seats amongst the crowd but chose instead to sit by myself on the home run porch.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Oh I see how it is.
Boston’s bullpen pitched a scoreless 4 innings. Aceves has a definable ERA! Doubrant looked decent! Whoever is going against me this week in fantasy has Santos!
April 10th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
I know it works in Firefox.
Yes it does. It’s beautiful.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Some reporter tweeted a pic last night. Upper tier was emptier than Paul Bearer’s soul.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
No links to Zito’s wife?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
It tells you something about Zito’s resurgence that even MLBN was shocked and surprised by it.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Meanwhile Hector Santiago is 2/2 in save opportunities…Savvy Kenny has returned to glory
April 10th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Many could share the same name: Taxpayer Albatross Under the Guise of Urban Renewal Stadium
April 10th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
No blinkage in Chrome either. But I checked my Firefox and it works.
Kenny Williams wins another trade
/sample size about as defined as Aceves ERA
April 10th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Attendance was 42,000.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Now you know what it’s like to be a Royals fan here.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
I’m really freakin nervous for Bard/Drabek tonight
April 10th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
I’ll take 2.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Lot of no-shows? Who knows. Perhaps the vengeful reporter photoshopped it.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Pretty sure that’s me.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
It’s an April school night for godsakes.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
I used to think the same thing until I broke my ring finger trying to catch a foul ball at a Dodger game…
April 10th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Not a Ranger fan, but this appears to be a cheap shot. Unless I misread the box score, they drew another 42K last night, 85% full.
The Astros, A’s and Indians combined drew something like 37K last night.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Nah, there are a couple of areas in that ballpark that are notoriously empty. It was a good crowd. Not a sellout. But still a good crowd. Per a previous comment, I’ve seen plenty of games in that place where the stadium was 1/4th of that.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Are you kidding? This is MLB’s biggest black eye of the last 20 years.
if you use technology, i change my mind. he was accusing a player. if you can steal signs while on the field, using your eyes and brain, wtf is the difference between that and reading a coverage pre-snap?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I think I’m going to sit Bard. That 18/16 K/BB ratio from the Spring makes me think he’s still got some kinks to work out. Even if the Jays are off to a slow start on offense.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
SC takes offense to this.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Lot of no-shows? Who knows. Perhaps the vengeful reporter photoshopped it.
Conspiracy!
April 10th, 2012 at 12:12 PM
In light of Braun’s start, I think me may have a grace period of a week or so without “PED-withdrawl” or “lack of lineup protection” articles.
was the crowd on him last night? no fedex hats thrown on the field?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Manny Parra and Tim Dillard doing work last night.
At least Veras looked all right. Roenicke won’t send him out for 79 games this season either.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Having a foul ball come at you is one of the most surreal things I’ve ever had happen to me. I missed the catch, it bounced off my seat, I got booed. It wasn’t even a tough catch. I was in the upper deck.
I also got shit on by a bird during the same game. Was not my day.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
I used to bat cleanup for team “no glove” but now that I have a kid and want to take her to a game and sit down near the field, I feel like I should have a glove so that I can protect her if need be.
Without kids, no glove for sure.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
I make sure to keep score at every game I go to. Even taught the ladyfriend how to do it on Opening Day. Only took like 2 innings for her to get the numbers right on the position players. That 3-2-1 double play looked really odd the first time through.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Hope it didn’t ruin the argyle.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington*
The Arlington bit is part of a deal with the city of Arlington, which got furiously raped by GW Bush’s ownership group in building and maintaining the park. That city has some signifcant debt still on that place and it was opened in 1994.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Two hands man, two hands.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:16 PM
The one time I scored a game the Cubs batted around and fucked the whole sheet up…never again
April 10th, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Meant to quote JCK’s comment there. Whoops. Also not a glove wearing to the yard. But I won’t chastise you if you wear one.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:17 PM
The Astros, A’s and Indians combined drew something like 37K last night.
Houston has some the biggest fairweather baseball fans outside of Florida. If they start the season out 20-5, then the crows will start to seep in just in time to see them put out a 15-30 stretch.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:17 PM
sale looks like his ast minor-league stop was the Dachau GasDogs
April 10th, 2012 at 12:18 PM
It’s the guys who wear a glove who have no chance of a ball coming anywhere near them that crack me up
April 10th, 2012 at 12:18 PM
If the Cubs have a collective bullpen ERA of under 5.50 this year I will be thrilled. The Gashouse Gorillas can’t get anyone out.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Just tell me that none of you wear headphones in to the game to listen to the radio broadcast.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Braun.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Hideo Nomo. Coors Field Legend.
remember that thing you could do with names, where you type it in and the computer thinks you mean something else, like spellcheck? Hideo Nomo was Hideous No More and Hershiser’s was funny too.
/Walking Underwear
//guess who
April 10th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
The Arlington bit is part of a deal with the city of Arlington, which got furiously raped by GW Bush’s ownership group in building and maintaining the park. That city has some signifcant debt still on that place and it was opened in 1994.
I can beat that. Harris County, where Houston is, still owes virtually the entire balance of the bonds issue in 1989 to tear out the Astrodome’s scoreboards and replace them with 15,000 new seats for the Oilers.
/fuck Bud Adams
April 10th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Without kids, no glove for sure.
I caught a foul ball at the first MLB game I took my son to see.
/Team Epic Father
April 10th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
When I was unemployed in 2009 and going to day games alone I did.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
I got one foul ball in my life, but the dude 4 rows behind me dropped it and it rolled behind everyone’s seats. For some reason, it didn’t feel right.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
I see this a lot more in AA. I cant hate, sometimes I’d love for the stadium announcer to tell us more crap. Like the other night in Reading, there’s a guy on first and the guy at bat lays down a bunt. Easy enough, but I look away and then look back on the field and the guy who went to 2nd is back on 1st and there’s one out. Must have been some kind interference, but I have no idea. Thats when I envy headphones man. Well, look at me ramble.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:22 PM
No links to Zito’s wife?
if those are real, that is perfection
April 10th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
This is fun. Did Jake Peavy make the Sox team?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Now that I think about it, maybe I should adopt headphones for the TV broadcast. The new guy for the Royals is the worst color man I’ve ever heard. Apparently, we got him from Anahiem. Fuck you, Anahiem.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Only time I wished I brought a glove to a game was at a minor league game when I sat down the line with my two daughters under 5 and thought, damn, a line drive might kill them. Always sat back in the seats after that game.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Great contract for the Tribe.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Just tell me that none of you wear headphones in to the game to listen to the radio broadcast.
Not gonna hate. I don’t do this but when an old-timer would pull out the transistor radio and tune in the radio, that’d be okay provided they kept it nice and low.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Assuming he doesn’t ever help his team win then this statement would matter, but law of averages says that he will probably contribute quite a bit more than he detracts.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
at a denver zephyrs game in 92, mile high stadium, i busted my ass to beta a bunch of kids to a ball hit in an empty section. i was on fucking vacation, so the booing crowd only stoked my relaxing fire
April 10th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
Ugh. So glad they got the win and Bard can relax just a tiny bit. Doubrant is going to remind me a lot of early Lester… high pitch counts, high walk rate. Nice to see him get it together in his 8th (really) year in the organization.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Reds are apparently preparing to give Phillips a 6 year deal. Votto won’t be able to cash a paycheck past 2016 if that happens.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Holy shit. 5/$21?!? Carlos Santana must have let a seven year old relative negotiate that contract.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Always sat back in the seats after that game.
people flinching behind the net will never not be funny
/we all would
April 10th, 2012 at 12:28 PM
I think my glove hate stems from the first game I ever went to when I was 6. Sat in the bleachers with my dad at Wrigley and left my glove at the fucking game.
Had to sit in right field to watch Andre.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
I once caught a foul ball in my beer cup. Lost a lot of beer. It was damn sad. Ended up giving the ball to a little kid with a hot mom.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
He’s a disaster defensively. Almost ran into Hart last night (Corey probably had a better line and more momentum to make a throw home, too), lost 2 balls in the lights and got picked off trying to steal 3rd.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
What did the hot mom give you?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Thanks, Denver, for shipping us your shitty AAA team.
Love, New Orleans.
/ Actually, love the Zephs and their stadium, but they should be the Pelicans
/ Oh, and we still are waiting for Utah to give us back the name “Jazz”
April 10th, 2012 at 12:32 PM
A nice smile and thank-you, and nothing more.
I had a lot more beer after that.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:32 PM
I shrug at taking on unnecessary long-term liability to buy one FA year, and that’s a club option I don’t think that is included in that published number. On the plus side, he’ll be almost 32 for 2018 season so I guess they buy his prime and bid him adios.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Best was at Camden Yards in the standing area above the right field wall: A guy wearing full Orioles uniform, complete with batting glove on one hand, actual glove on the other, and cleats. Instant legend.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:34 PM
It’s an adventure at times, but mostly alright. The CS at 3rd was tough, but the Brewers won that game because of aggressive baserunning.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:36 PM
I don’t see it. Is that 4/21 plus like $12M club option for 2017?
So Santana would have made min/2/5/11 through 2016 anyway? You all think much more? It’s a nice deal, but the Indians now have to guarantee a lot more money than going year-by-year. It’s not THAT good.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Did the mom lick the beer tasted ball?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:37 PM
I think they won because they were playing the Cubs. You get to our bullpen before the 7th and it’s pretty sure a stone cone lock for a win.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
April 10th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
They locked up probably the best (if not now, soon) catcher in the game, the face of their franchise and did it for less than what you’ve already doled out to Carl Crawford. For Cleveland, it’s a great deal.
Stop it.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:42 PM
What the fuck does one have to do with the other. They had him locked up for 4 already, instead of 5. I’m just asking what the marginal savings for guaranteeing the contract was. How much was he making the next 4 years? Don’t be such a fucking idiot for once, please.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:43 PM
I’m sure if Crawford would have taken 4/$21, the Sox would have done that instead.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Isn’t there an Ichiro guy in Seattle that does this?
April 10th, 2012 at 12:44 PM
It means they gave less money to a player entering his prime than you did to a player exiting his. And for less of a term too.
And language, please.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Here is this apple. Please compare it to this orange.
Free agency vs. club control are two vastly different things. I’d expect this argument from TBL, not you.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
/gives up
//slams door
April 10th, 2012 at 12:52 PM
did i hallucnate or did i see valentine have papi try to steal second?
papi looked pretty quick actualy
April 10th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
I enjoyed that you added “please” to the end.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Stop being such a tremendously stupid dickface, please. Yeah, I’m liking this “please” thing.
April 10th, 2012 at 12:58 PM
i tell the kids, don’t say shut up. say shut up, please
April 10th, 2012 at 1:06 PM
the only type of sign stealing frowned on by baseball players is batters looking back while catchers call pitches. the majority of coaches and players encourage stealing signs during the game, but that’s not to say a team won’t take offense or retaliate when they feel their signs are stolen.
it’s another one of those unspoken rules in baseball that are confusing to anyone who hasn’t spent a considerable amount of time in or around the game.
April 10th, 2012 at 1:36 PM
“He apparently worked on a new delivery this spring — of course he did — which has him crouching more to give him a lower center of gravity.”
a bit more detail on that: this spring he had 45 baserunners in 19.1 innings of pitching, and had one game that was so bad that he was lifted and had to finish up his pitch count in the bullpen. the giants basically gave him 2 minor league starts before the season to modify the new delivery and figure something else out. i’m withholding judgement for the time being…