Barry Zito worked with Tom House this winter, and House believes Barry can be a good pitcher for a long time:

“The skepticism is well-deserved,” House said by phone from Los Angeles. “In any sport you’re only as good as your last pitch, catch or throw. But I’m a firm believer that in today’s world you can pitch into your 40s. Barry is 33. From what I know about him physiologically, there is no reason he can’t be like Jamie Moyer and pitch into his 40s. What he has to do is optimize what he has as he goes through the aging process.

“I’m always optimistic. I think he’ll be just fine. He might not be a Cy Young again, but he definitely can continue for the next 10 years.”

Barry pitched well on Saturday. If he turns into a lefty junkballer, that fine with me. Pitchers like that have know success in this business.