If this case were to go to court, I have no doubt that the arbitrator would award the San Francisco Giants about 90% of the $130 million they are having to pay Barry Zito.
Barry Zito is currently making an astonishing $18 million a year to be one of the worst pitchers in baseball. In his first season with the Giants, he posted very disappointing numbers, posting this stat line: 11-13/4.53 ERA/ 1.35 WHIP. He led all Giants starters in pitches per inning, taking an average of 17.34 pitches to get his three outs. Zito surrendered 105 runs last season! That's 21 more than the next closest on his team (Matt Cain, 84).
But it's a clean slate right? New year, new pitcher? Um ... no.
Yesterday, Zito picked up right where he left off last season, surrendering 4 earned runs in 5 innings, picking up the loss and surrendering a towering two-run homer to Jeff Kent. He struck out one in those five innings. Should Zito fail to ever remotely live up to the size of his contract, he would eclipse Kevin Brown as the worst deal from a team's perspective ever made. Kevin Brown at least performed his first season, going 18-6, but would go on to average only 9 wins per season for the rest of his 7 year/$105 million contract. Brown was the first $100 million man in baseball. Zito possesses the richest contract ever awarded to a pitcher in baseball.
When are teams going to realize that pitching is simply too fickle to invest that much money?! Too many times pitchers have been stars and then suddenly collapsed. In my opinion, teams should never spend more than $50 million on a pitcher at one time. Invest in young pitching, there is more than enough in every farm club in the majors.
Regardless, the Giants look like the worst team in the National League and without an effective Zito, there is very, very little hope. Quit meditating and start pitching Mr. Zito, your playing with way too much money to be performing this terribly.
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