Should pitchers be paid more than $10 million a season?

Question

Starting pitchers are only relevant 20% of the season and relief pitchers(dominant closers) only job is to record 3 outs or less.

With Zito's 7-year $126 million dollar deal, and considering he is healthy and starts 30 games, he'll be making more than half a million per start. This is crazy!

Answer 1

Not a chance! They are highly over paid. It is hard to do what they do but still there are people who work twice as hard as them and will never see the kind of money they make in a season their whole life

Answer 2

I agree, it's way too much for *him*. In a world of hitting prodigies, it is rare to find a pitcher that absolutely excels - there are so few of them. How do guys like Maddux, Clemens, Martinez remain 'creme of the crop' year after year and nearly everyone else is average (or in case of Zito - above average)?

There are some pitchers that deserve top dollar. These are the guys that will break a losing streak for you and give the team a momentum and confidence. These guys are also the ones that can nearly single-handedly win a World Series (or playoff series) - examples: Gibson, Koufax, Hershiser and others.

If a starting pitcher starts 35 games and goes 20 -10, but is responsible for a relief pitcher's win in another 5 games (by keeping the team in the game). That's the potential of 25 wins attributable to him in 35 starts at least. That leaves 127 games. The team now only needs to have a winning percentage of .511 (ie, win another 65 games) and they are 90-72 which is very competitive.

That's the importance of a star pitcher. They can take a nearly .500 ball club (or slightly better) and make them competitive... especially in a short series.
.

Answer 3

Johan Santana is definitely worth $10 million plus.
He's won 2 Cy Young's in 4 years as a starter.
Is 78-31 life time. Has over 1000 k's. Averages 17 wins a season.

The thought that overrated Zito is getting $18 million a year to win
14 games is ridiculous. He's getting paid twice as much as Santana to win less games.

Scott Boras is robbing MLB teams blind. First Texas with A-Rod now Zito with the Giants. Who will he knock of next?

Answer 4

Pitchers are important but not worth that much. Its too easy for a pitcher to get hurt, to throw his arm out or anything like that. They are prone to inguries, so they get less. In Barry's case he has never missed a game, Hasnt gotten hurt. Thats why the giant's are paying him so much. Because he is a great pitcher and so far has a strong frame, however time will time if his body can withstand all the games.

Answer 5

The old adage "good pitching beats good hitting" is always proven true in the playoffs. Is Zito paid too much? Maybe but without good pitching you can't win a championship.

Answer 6

wow I didn't realize it was that much per start but there are a lot of games when a team just needs a win and they not that they have a guy that can win the game for them on the mound. They are also really important in playoff games when you need a win you have to count on your starter to give your team a good shot at winning the game.

Answer 7

I haven't seen anyone, pitcher or fielder, who is worth 10 million per year and that includes my team.
If you believe that Pitching wins championships than your pitchers are more valuable commodities.

Answer 8

Pitching and defense win baseball games. Everyone pays attention to the home runs and base hits, but strong arms and quick gloves win championships. It does sound outrageous, but if you want to win invest in pitching more than in hitting.

Answer 9

No professional athlete should ever make that much money. That is completely ridiculous. It's not like they work the whole year, like regular people. I don't know how they ever got to be paid that much. It's utter nonsense!

Answer 10

There isn't any body in the world worth that much money. It's a bunch of crap if you ask me. Same goes for movie stars. It's absurd.