The San Francisco Giants have avoided arbitration with their starting first baseman, while one of their former starting pitchers is planning to return to professional baseball and will work out for teams on Tuesday.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Giants and Brandon Belt agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal for 2015. The 26-year-old filed for a $4.5 million salary in his first year of arbitration eligibility, but San Francisco countered with $3 million and eventually agreed just below the midpoint. Belt's case for a higher salary was unfortunately affected by his injury-filled 2014 campaign, during which he played in only 61 games.
The first baseman slashed just .243/.306/.449 with 12 home runs and 27 RBIs in 235 plate appearances, but he rejoined the team in mid-September and was a solid contributor during their World Series run. He batted .295 with six runs scored, one home run and eight RBIs in 17 games, including his three RBIs against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Wild Card Game that put the game out of reach for the Buccos.
Belt's one-year deal puts the Giants' payroll at $167.8 million, according to Chris Haft of MLB.com.
However, his deal wasn't nearly as big as the seven-year, $126 million contract the Giants gave starting pitcher Barry Zito prior to the 2007 season. The left-hander's deal expired after the 2013 season and he decided to take 2014 off after posting a 5-11 record with a 5.74 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 30 games (25 starts) in his final year with the Giants. He never lived up to the lucrative deal thanks to a 63-80 record with a 4.62 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 208 games (197 starts). He never had an ERA below 4.03 with the team over that span.
After a year of rest, Zito has decided he wants to pitch in 2015, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Zito's agent, Scott Boras, told Crasnick that the 36-year-old will throw for a select group of teams on Tuesday in hopes of returning to Major League Baseball. It's unknown who will attend his workout.
Although Zito was left off the Giants' 2010 World Series roster, he rebounded during the 2012 season and contributed during that World Series run and went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in three starts against the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers.
It's possible the experienced left-hander finds a new home in 2015.
