Giants - Reportedly have Signed Zito

San Francisco Giants - Have reportedly come to terms with P Barry Zito on a 7-year, $126 million contract.

When I see the “7-year, $126 million contract” I think that I’m looking at some NFL contract in which a team gives this amount to their QB but it consists of like $3 million a year, an $8 million signing bonus, and a $80 million roster bonus if the player’s on the roster in 2050 or something that everyone knows will never come to pass.  But this is a real money contract.  For Barry Zito.  A pitcher who, after his big K rate drop following 3 years with ERA+s of 174, 125, and 169 has put up 105, 116, 116 and that’s with generally a really nice outfield defense behind him (though the Giants are much improved over the last few years in that department).

It’d be hard, but I could justify this if I were the Mets.  The Mets, see, are a team with an actual future in which it’s worth playing a nice payroll chunk out for a dependable, good, non-elite pitcher.  The Giants, on the other hand, have no future.  You can’t pay Barry Zito $18 million a year if you have to pay retail for practically every single member of the team.  Paying this much retail for nearly a decade of Barry Zito, for the Giants, is about as practical as paying $900 for a PlayStation 3 on eBay to give to Ariel Sharon for his birthday.  Except in this case, with $126 million, I’d have enough to buy a PlayStation 3 for every person in baseball who has more brain activity than Brian Sabean, a category which includes, coincidentally, the aforementioned Israeli politician.

Did Jason Schmidt simply refuse to deal with the Giants or something?  I’d give Schmidt 3-years, $60 million long before I would give Zito this contract.  Look for the Giants to join the Yankees as the only team in baseball history to pay more than $2 million per win, and I’m not talking about the Giants spending $160 million anytime soon…

2007 ZiPS Projection -  Barry Zito
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            W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA
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Projection 14  11  34  34  216  196   96  25  96 165  4.00 
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Opt. (15%) 18   9  34  34  225  189   82  20  90 178  3.28 

Pes. (15%)  9  12  28  28  175  172   95  26  87 128  4.89  
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Top 3-Year Comps: Wilson Alvarez, Luis Leal