Best-paid plans go awry

With great salaries come great expectations. And Barry Zito isn't alone in his misery this season.

Zito became the highest-paid middle reliever in baseball history following his demotion - the San Francisco Giants will pay him $14.5 million and still owe him a ridiculous guaranteed $112.5 million - and it's already looking like one of the worst free-agent moves ever.

"I'm certainly not happy with it, by any means," Zito said after his demotion to the San Jose Mercury News. "This is the bed that I've made. I have to lay in it for the time being and I have to overcome."

In fact, the only team that seems to want him right now is the Fresno Grizzlies, the Giants' Triple-A affiliate.

The Giants aren't the only team that hasn't spent wisely so far this season. Check out these starts for players who are all among the top 21 in salaries this year.

• The Mets' Carlos Delgado ($16 million) is hitting .194 with three home runs as of April 30, and two of those homers were solo shots in the same game.
• Teammate Carlos Beltran ($18.6 million, is barely better, hitting .216 with two homers.
• The contract of the Braves' Mike Hampton ($15.75 million in 2008) finally expires after this season. He still hasn't pitched since 2005, and suffered another setback during rehabilitation on April 30.
• Seattle's Richie Sexson ($15.5 million) is hitting .207, and that's two points higher than in all of last season.
• And then there's the Dodgers' Jason Schmidt ($15.2 million), who is 1-4 with a 6.31 ERA.

So Barry, you've got company. And some time to work things out.

Photo: Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2008 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)