Article: Money for nothing: Zito deal among baseball's biggest busts ever

WHAT IF BARRY ZITO did the unthinkable? What if, before the end of 2013, he wins the clinching game that brings the Giants their first World Series championship since 1954?

What would Giants fans think of him then?

OK, so that's not likely the subject of the weekly Zito chatter. Instead, in the wake of another dreadful outing -- five innings, five runs (four earned), five walks -- against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, the talk likely is what it's been almost since the time that Zito inked his seven-year, $126 million contract 18 months ago.

Namely, do free-agent signings in baseball come any worse than this?

It's an interesting question to ponder. Zito has 5-1/2 years remaining on his deal -- ...

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