On Deck: Zito Returns - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

Pittsburgh Pirates (13-19) vs. San Francisco Giants (14-19) - 7:05PM Est.

The Giants tried Barry Zito as a starting pitcher for a little over a year, but it didn't work out.

The Giants tried Barry Zito as a relief pitcher, but after only eight days in the bullpen, that wasn't quite working out either.

The Giants wanted to try Barry Zito as a corpse at the bottom of McCovey Cove, but the law doesn't look highly upon such actions, so with no other alternatives, they've decided to try him as a starter one more time.

Tonight baseball's worst contract will return to the mound as a starter, bringing with him that 0-6 record, the 7.53 ERA, and that 1.95 WHIP of his.


Though I suppose if there were a team you'd want your struggling pitcher to try and get going against, the Pirates are just as good as any. The Pirates pitching staff has allowed more runs than anybody else in the National League, so at least Zito will have a fighting chance.

He'll be going against Phil Dumatrait, who hasn't picked up a win yet this season, either. Though Dumatrait is only 0-1, and is making his second start of the season after the Pirates dropped Matt Morris (who's largely responsible for all those runs the Pirates gave up). Dumatrait lasted only four innings in his first start, allowing four runs against the Nationals, but didn't get a decision.

Los Angeles Dodgers (19-14) vs. New York Mets (16-15) - 3:10PM Est.

The Dodgers don't have the New York Yankees on the inter-league schedule this season, so if Joe Torre wants to exact any revenge on the city of New York, he'll have to settle with beating up on the Mets. He's done a good job of it so far, as the Dodgers have taken the first two games of this series, and look to complete their third sweep in their last four series this afternoon.

Winners of 10 of their last 11, the Dodgers will send Brad Penny to the mound to shut down the Mets, and hopefully win his fifth straight start. Penny didn't have the greatest outing in his last start, lasting only five innings and allowing three runs, but his offense bailed him out and got the win for him.

Unfortunately for Brad, he's 5-11 with a 5.66 ERA against the Mets in his career.

John Maine goes for the Mets, who has a two-game win streak of his own going, but he's never beaten the Dodgers. If he wants to pick up his first victory against L.A, he might be better served to pitch around Blake DeWitt. The rookie has driven in eleven runs in his last seven games, including an inside-the-park home run last night.

New York Yankees (17-17) vs. Cleveland Indians (15-17) - ESPN - 7:05PM Est.

Two pitchers will take the mound at Yankee Stadium tonight who are both looking to avoid their first loss of the season. Chien-Ming Wang puts his 6-0 record on the line against Cliff Lee and his 5-0 mark.

Lee was just named the AL's pitcher of the month for April, because aside from that 5-0 record of his, he's also got a microscopic ERA at 0.96. Cliff is the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1997 to win his first five starts of the season, and do so with an ERA under 1.00. And to think, Cliff spent last season in the minors while his team did everything in their power to try and trade him.

Wang would like to repeat his seven innings of shutout baseball that he had the last time he faced the Tribe, back on April 27, a game that ended up a 1-0 Yankees victory.

Everybody Else

• Reds vs. Cubs 12:35PM
• A's vs. Orioles 3:35PM
• Braves vs. Padres 7:00PM
• Tigers vs. Red Sox 7:05PM
• Blue Jays vs. Rays 7:07PM
• Marlins vs. Brewers 7:10PM
• Astros vs. Nationals 8:05PM
• Royals vs. Angels 8:10PM
• White Sox vs. Twins 8:11PM
• Rockies vs. Cardinals 8:35PM
• DBacks vs. Phillies 9:40PM
• Mariners vs. Rangers 10:10PM