Good Heavens, It Pays to Be Left-Handed

It's that time of year, if you are a follower of Major League Baseball. Teams are in the process of firming up their 2012 rosters. That means they are shelling out massive wads of cash. The Giants, of course, are right there with the rest. But they are shackled by a fiscal albatross. Barry Zito, a left-handed starter, is still under contract for next season. He will be paid close to $20 million for his services. Unfortunately, his skills have been fading dramatically. In 2011, he faced just 107 major league hitters. If he duplicates that workload next year, his payout would be about $187,000 per batter. At roughly 10 pitches per guy, that's $18,700 per offering. Maybe it's time to Occupy Barry Zito.