What’s Up With MLB Free Agents?

So Gil Meche signed for $55million… the guy had 11 wins and a 4.48 ERA last year!!!  Now he’s making $11million a year to pitch for the Royals.  The Cubs are giving $10 million a year to Ted Lilly, who is a career .500 guy with a 4.60 ERA!!!  Has pitching gotten this bad?  Has hitting gotten this good?  How do these average players get these huge contracts?  Two years ago, if the Brewers signed Ted Lilly, everyone would say he’d make a great #3 guy.  Now he’s worth $10 million a year?  This is insane.  Then there is Barry Zito, who had a “good” year with 16 wins and an ERA slightly south of 4… all the talk has him getting $100million from some team.  It’s just out of control.  I’m afraid of what will happen when the next GOOD pitcher comes up for a new contract.  When Willis or Zambrano or whoever else has their deal expire, it will probably make A-Rod look like a bargain.