RickCann'd

Willie Randolph's long goodbye may soon be coming to an end.

How is that Giants related, you ask? Well, it isn't really. However, the SI piece linked above raises the possibility of pitching coach Rick Peterson also being relieved of duties.

Peterson, you may recall, was the longtime pitching coach in Oakland, and it was under his tutelage that Barry Zito blossomed into a 23 game winner.

Now I'm not saying the Giants should fire Dave Righetti and hire Peterson, should he actually become available, for the benefit of one historically overpaid pitcher.

But I am saying that the Giants should fire Dave Righetti because he's a lousy pitching coach, and that they should hire Rick Peterson because he's a much better pitching coach.

(Although Peterson may get canned, let me point out that he has had a number of successes as a Mets coach, including the resuscitation of the career of Oliver Perez and the development of John Maine.

I don't hold it against him that Omar Minaya never gave him adequate personnel. Minaya's probably going to fire Peterson so the owner Fred Wilpon doesn't pin blame for the Mets' pitching woes on a suddenly vulnerable Minaya.)

And yes, he may actually be able to help Barry Zito. MLB Trade Rumors got this from Jayson Stark:

Stark talked to an official from a "pitching-starved" team. This person said the Giants would have to eat at least $80MM of Barry Zito's remaining $112.5MM if they want to trade him. One scout suggested Zito's only chance at revival is a reunion with Rick Peterson.

Feel free to pick apart my sweeping unfounded assertions.