Free agent left-hander Barry Zito is moving on from the San Francisco Giants after seven mostly disappointing and always inconsistent seasons. He finishes his tenure with a 63-80 record and a 4.62 ERA over 208 games (197 starts) and 1,139 and one-third innings.
He also leaves town $126 million richer than when he entered in 2007.
Life is fair, isn't it?
Part of the money Zito earned during his time with the Giants was invested in his 7,116-square-foot home set atop a private bluff in Kentfield, CA. And now that his life seems to be going down a different road — which he hopes leads to a new home ballpark — he's ramping up efforts to get a return on said investment.
According to Realtor.com, Zito actually began shopping the home back in May 2012, asking for an astronomical $11.495 million. Not surprisingly, the home didn't generate much interest at that price. In fact, nearly two years later Zito still can't find a buyer despite cutting nearly $2 million off the original price. It's almost as if there aren't many people who can afford a mansion or have the desire to keep it up.
That's a problem for Zito, but just like in baseball, when the planned approach isn’t working, you have to make adjustments on the fly. So that’s exactly what he did in January, relisting his home as a luxury rental with a price tag of — gulp — $28,500 a month.
Well, that's not really all that enticing an offer either, but since he's already got our attention we might as well take a better look at what he’s offering here.
From Realtor.com:
Set high atop a private bluff, the Tuscan-style spread known as “Villa Della Pace” has four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, indoor-outdoor living spaces and a guest house. Inside, high-end finishes run throughout the home and range from teak-framed doors to walnut and limestone flooring to a grand foyer with vaulted ceilings.
Leading away from the athlete’s home, a private terrace opens onto a serene, backyard setting complete with marble-lined courtyards, various patios, a fireplace, a hot tub and a swimming pool overlooking Phoenix Lake and the rolling green hills of Mt. Tamaplais.
That view, by the way, is marvelous. Take a look.

As is the landscape.

This is one giant pool, too.


Unfortunately, there are no indoor shots of the home. But let's be honest, with that view and a sweet pool, is there ever a reason to go inside anyway?
Maybe we can get a decent price just to rent the backyard.
BLS H/N: Hardball Talk
- - - - - - -
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
Follow @Townie813