Paying Giant Dividends: Zito and Rowand Earning Their Keep

When Barry Zito signed his $126 million deal with the Giants in December of 2006, everyone thought it was too much money. Zito was the third starter of the A's Three Aces, and the only one NOT to be traded away, with Tim Hudson going to the Braves and Mark Mulder to the Cardinals.

The consensus was a gross overpayment on San Francisco's part. When he didn't perform up to expectations, going 11-13 with the highest ERA of his career (4.53), critics deemed him a failure in contract negotiation by Giants brass. 

When the Giants proceeded to sign Aaron Rowand a year later to a seemingly similarly bloated contract, a five year deal worth $60 million, it seemed like deja vu for Giants faithful.

The Giants had just decided not to re-sign Barry Bonds, and the offensive ...

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