Barry Zito really worth $126M?

Question

Barry Zito just agreed to a 7 year-126M dollar deal with the giants. Is he really worth more than 100M?

Answer 1

There is no one on earth, regardless of what they do for a living that is worth $18.4M a year.

Answer 2

No he isn't worth it over the length of his contract. He will pitch better in the National League but he is suseptible to injury because of his high pitch counts.

There is benefit in signing Zito that it is an attempt to show future free agents that the Giants are trying to win after Bonds retires. If the Giants are not at least semi-competative in the next few years then they will have difficulty attracting future good players. Even this year, the Giants could not convince Pierre and Gonzalez to sign with them instead of the Dodgers. The only way they were able to sign Zito was to vastly overbid the Mets by $48 million who seemed to be the only other serious team. It will be harder and harder to attract premire players the more the Giants continue to slide farther down in the standings.

The Giants farm system is almost depleted and had only one player listed in the top 50 prospects on the official minor league site. What makes it worse is if they choose to use Lincecum as a reliever, which would lessen his impact. Unfortunately the Giants traded away Liriano, Bonzer and Nathan who along with Cain and Lowry would have made the young Giants pitching staff the best in baseball.

Also unfortunately this week for Giants fans, Baseball America ranked the Dodgers (#2), Rockies (#3) and Diamondbacks (#4)as three of the top four minor league organizations. So in the coming years, these three teams should be loaded. This did not include the Padres who did win the division last year.

If the Giants can't develop their own star players which it looks like the farm system can't, and if the Giants can't attract them as free agents as they couldn't do this year, they will be in big trouble.

Zito's signing is a drop in a bucket towards those goals.

Here is what Rob Neyer had to say about Zito on ESPN:

"The only thing this deal does is make the Giants look ridiculous. Granted, Zito's ERA will get a boost from the National League and the Giants' home ballpark. And this one isn't as dumb as the Mike Hampton deal with the Rockies. But based on the facts at hand, this looks to me like one of the dumber free-agent signings ever. Zito just isn't very good."

Answer 3

First answer Probably Not, but when you think about the Fact Jason Scmidt is making 16m a year for the Dodgers and he is 33 and always getting injured then maybe Zito is worth 18m a year since he pitches alot of innings and has never been on the DL and he is in the prime of his career. If guys like Ted Lilly and Gil Meche are making about 11m a year then Yes Zito is worth 126m over 7 years

Answer 4

Barry Zito would be an idiot not to accept that money deal, but no he doesn't deserve that much money. He deserves a deal for say 7-year- 75 million dollar deal. He only deserves about 11 million dollars each year. He does NOT on any of his injured manners deserve 18 million dollars a year! Plus, that is the biggest deal ever offered to a pitcher in MLB history! The Giants do NOT need to make that kind of move.

Answer 5

no longer 126 mil, yet i think of 7 years is positive. I in simple terms think of the pitchers that are worth $18,000,000 anually over 7 years are Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano, and Chris chippie. i think of that individuals will see the likes of Jake Peavy, Roy Halladay, and Ben Sheets (while his extension is up) get exorbitant contracts simply by fact of Zito. to no longer point out Brandon Webb. for sure, he's no longer worth 126 million funds, yet Scott Boras has pulled off miracles in the past.

Answer 6

i think Barry Zito is not worth 126 mil. but in the giant's eyes i assume he is. however, i think Zito will be weaker in the SBC Park (Giants Stadium) because the park itself is turning into a hitter's park due to the higher gusts of wind.

Answer 7

If Ted Lilly can get 40 million and Gil Meche 55 million then why not Zito. He is due for some arm problems anyway.

Answer 8

In today's market yes. Blame the team owners who are willing to pay $40 mil for 4 years for someone like Ted Lilly.

Answer 9

Nobody is actually "worth" their contract. He happens to be such a hot commodity because this particular year there was a definite lack in quality starting pitching. Once 2nd and 3rd tier pitchers such a Gil Meche get ridiculous contracts, it automatically drives his value up. Plus, his agent Scott Boras is notorious for getting his clients to sign for much more than their worth. Being a Mets fan, I was hoping they would sign him, but I'm glad it wasn't for 126 Million..

Answer 10

Zito will dominate the weak hitting in the NL.

Answer 11

No way! He's good but not that good, especially as of late. I know good pitchers are rare but thast doesn't mean you need to give away the farm to get them.