Remember when the San Francisco Giants signed Barry Zito to that immediately disastrous long-term deal and it wound up working out? Does it only matter because it did?
The A’s paid Zito $18.24 million across 7 seasons for a 3.55 ERA (4.17 FIP) in 1,430.1 innings pitched — about 24 wins above replacement. The Giants paid Zito $126 million over 7 seasons for a 4.62 ERA (4.61 FIP) in 1,139.1 innings pitched — about 6.5 wins above replacement. But then he pitched 7.2 shutuout innings in Game 5 of the NLCS when the Giants looked dead and buried (#RallyZito) and he outdueled — and out-hit — Justin Verlander in the World Series.