Oliver Perez makes more than Ryan Zimmerman is he better? Elite starters make more than elite relievers but Matty Capps made 3 times as much as Livan. It's all about leverage.
It means that Ryan Zimmerman resigned when he was still under team control for a very long time. Elite closers have entered free agency and they don't get paid as much position players and starters because they aren't as valuable. It also means that Livan as opening day starter is a joke