A Defensive San Fran. baseball writer dumps on--who else?

(Using a meaningless device dreamed up only to enhance hate and envy, not real analysis--that would take some time, and it's not easy):

"Zito will take the place of Jason Schmidt as the ace of Giants staff. Schmidt, who made $10.5 million with the Giants last season, went to the Dodgers, where he will earn $12.5 million next season. He threw 3,469 pitches in 2006, making $3,027 per pitch. Maintaining that pitch count in Los Angeles will net him $3,603 per pitch.

• Closers, the elite relief pitchers who generally don't make an appearance until the ninth inning, on average would be expected to make more per pitch.

San Diego's premier veteran Trevor Hoffman made close to Zito's projected rate last year: $4,870 per pitch based on 924 thrown. But his annual salary was just $4.5 million.

• New York star Mariano Rivera easily topped that, racking up $9,439 every time he delivered the ball. He did that 1,106 times and the Yankees paid him $10.5 million.

Before Zito, the largest contract ever for a pitcher was Mike Hampton's $121 million. The $14 million-a-year Atlanta Braves pitcher was hurt last year, but based on his 1,015 pitches in 2005, that works out to $13,793 for each pitch."

From the San Franciso Chronicle, 1/2/07, by Karen Petterson