How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part twenty-eight tells us about much-maligned starting pitcher Barry Zito.
Barry Zito was born on May 13, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated from University of San Diego High School in 1996, and began attending college at University of California's Santa Barbara campus, where he was named a Freshman All-American. He next went to Los Angeles Pierce College, earning all-state and all-conference honors, before again switching schools to pitch at University of Southern California. Here, he was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year in 1999. After having been a fifty-ninth round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1996 and a third round draft pick in 1998 by the Texas Rangers, Zito finally signed in his third draft, when he was the ninth overall selection in the first round of the 1999 draft, selected by the Oakland Athletics. In 1999, he pitched at three levels of the Athletics' minor league organization, beginning in the Class A Advanced California League with the Visalia Oaks, before a promotion to the Class AA Texas League to play with the Midland RockHounds, and then a promotion for a late season start in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League with the Vancouver Canadians of British Columbia (which was their final season in Vancouver). Throughout the season, Zito compiled a 3.16 earned run average in thirteen starts, while striking out ninety-seven in sixty-eight and one-third innings. The Canadians relocated to Sacramento in 2000, becoming the River Cats, and Zito began the year with them, pitching to a 3.19 earned run average with ninety-one strikeouts in 101 and 2/3 innings pitched, before a promotion to Oakland on July 22, 2000. He won his major league debut, and pitched in twelve major league games in total, posting a 2.72 earned run average as well as seventy-eight strikeouts in ninety-two and two-thirds innings. Zito struggled early in the 2001 season, but went into high gear in August and September to end the season with a 3.49 earned run average, 205 strikeouts, and 214 and 1/3 innings of work. He pitched in the postseason as well, starting Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, taking a hard luck loss by allowing just one run over eight innings while striking out six. The Yankees won the series 3-2, and made it to the World Series before losing 4-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2002, Zito had a star-making season, making the first All-Star team of his career. At the end of the year, he had an impressive 23-5 record with just seven no-decisions (five of which the Athletics won anyway), and a 2.75 earned run average with 182 strikeouts in 229 and 1/3 innings. This earned him the league title for wins, as well as the American Cy Young Award for the best pitcher as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America. His one postseason start in the American League Division Series did not go as well as his regular season, an ugly six inning win against the Minnesota Twins in Game 3, striking out eight while allowing three runs. Zito regressed noticeably in 2003, ending the year with a 3.30 earned run average and 146 strikeouts over 231 and 2/3 innings. He made his second consecutive All-Star Game, and pitched in two postseason games against the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series. In Game 2, Zito got the win, but he lost the decisive Game 5, allowing the Red Sox to advance. He ended with a 3.46 earned run average and thirteen strikeouts in thirteen innings during the two postseason appearances. Zito's 2004 season was a microcosm of the Athletics season, with another large regression, to the point where it looked like his talent was fading. He ended the year with a 4.48 earned run average and 163 strikeouts in 213 innings, while Oakland missed the playoffs for the first time since he joined them on a full-time basis. Zito rebounded a bit in 2005, pitching to a 3.86 earned run average and 171 strikeouts in 228 and 1/3 innings of work, but again Oakland missed the playoffs. He continued his resurgence in his walk year, 2006, and was the American League starter in the All-Star Game, his third. He ended the season with a 3.83 earned run average and 151 strikeouts in 221 innings pitched. During his time in Oakland, Zito's durability as well as his reliability made him a very valuable pitcher, as he never missed a start and frequently produced at a better-than-average level. After seven years in Oakland, Zito needed a change, hiring big name player agent Scott Boras. He was rumored in deals to the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, but was not traded, instead going to free agency. Here, he managed a then-record $128 million, seven-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. Zito was on his way across the bay for 2007 and beyond. It took hm three starts to get a win, and he struggled for much of the year, thought to be under enormous pressure due to the size of the contract. He possessed a 4.53 earned run average with 131 strikeouts in 196 and 2/3 innings pitched. August was an interesting month in particular for him, as he pitched in relief on August 5th after an injury to help relieve the stress on an overworked bullpen. Two days later, he earned his first run batted in (having been in the American League, he did not have to hit except in interleague play) in the same game as fellow Barry Bonds' 756th home run. Looking for a rebound in 2008, Zito got the opposite of that, struggling mightily and even being sent to the bullpen in early May. He couldn't figure things out all season, ending with a 5.15 earned run average and 120 strikeouts in 180 innings. Zito was better in 2009, returning a serviceable level of pitching, but the Giants did not do themselves any favors by giving him low run support in many of his starts. When it was all over, he had a recognizable 4.03 earned run average and 154 strikeouts in 192 innings of work. Zito looked to be regaining his form in 2010, but ended the season in a slump, seeing his numbers inflate to a 4.15 earned run average and 150 strikeouts in 199 and 1/3 innings pitched. The slump alarmed the Giants management, and he was not named to the postseason roster. This exile left San Francisco with a rotation of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Madison Bumgarner, a well-oiled machine that efficiently worked past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers to win the World Series. While not on the roster, and therefore not officially a World Series Champion, Zito received his first World Series ring for his regular season contributions. The 2011 season as a mess for Zito, as he suffered his first major league injury in his right foot while attempting to field a ball, and made his first disabled list appearance. From April 16th to Jun 28th, Zito was out healing the injury, and he made his rehabilitation appearances with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the Pacific Coast League. In three games, he owned a 2.53 earned run average in twenty-one and one-third innings, before returning to San Francisco. He lasted a month before suffering another injury, and then while rehabilitating this injury with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, he suffered a setback. He finally returned for four starts in September to close out the season. His playing time became sporadic at the major league level due to the emergence of Ryan Vogelsong, who returned from Japan and excelled in the fifth-starter's role. Zito finished with a 5.87 earned run average with thirty-two strikeouts in fifty-three and two-thirds innings during the fractured (no pun intended) season. Looking to be a sunken cost with his massive contract and equally-horrendous statistics, Zito changed his pitching approach in 2012. The results were admirable, with his first start being his first shutout in nearly nine years. He was able to keep his spot in the rotation when Vogelsong came back from the disabled list, and was effective in a majority of his starts. At the end of the year, he had a 4.15 earned run average, with 114 strikeouts in 184 and 1/3 innings. Still, he was unable to earn the respect of Giants fans, and was faced with further negativity when he was named the fourth postseason starter ahead of the struggling fan favorite and former staff ace Tim Lincecum. The fans became even more restless after his start in Game 4against the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Division Series, which lasted just two and two-thirds innings. The Giants held on to win the game and the next one to win the series, but when Lincecum picked up the win out of the bullpen, the fans were nervous. Zito did his best to prove them wrong in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, with the Giants season again on the line. Pitching against Lance Lynn of the St. Louis Cardinals, Zito had one of his best games of the year, seven and two-thirds innings with just six hits and one walk allowed, as well as six strikeouts. He was the inspiration behind one of the biggest Twitter trends in history, the #RallyZito hashtag. The Giants official Twitter feed created more rally-pitcher hashtags in the next two games, and the results were the same, as the Giants came back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series and advance to play the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Zito had proven his worth to San Francisco, after six years of average-to-miserable results, and they were willing to forgive him if he could help them win the World Series. In Game 1, he did just that, earning the win by allowing only one run in five and two-thirds innings, with seven baserunners allowed. The fact that he won was big enough, as the Giants worked on short rest while the Tigers were able to align their rotation as they wished. This meant Zito dueled with one of the game's best, Justin Verlander, and got the better of him. Three games later, the Giants had swept the Tigers in the World Series, and the monkey the fans of San Francisco had placed on Zito's back had been lifted. He earned his first official World Series title, and while he will likely part ways with the Giants in the coming years, Zito looks to continue the success he found in the postseason for 2013 and beyond.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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