Stats: Baseball-reference.com/z/zitoba01.shtml
He can’t hold a candle to the Goth Girl, but Barry Zito’s curve will some day be ruminated upon by Oakland barflies with the same confidence, nostalgia, and vigor as those fogies on the other side of the bay now speak of the perhaps-steroid-fueled home runs of that other Barry. The starting southpaw has such control that he can send batters fanning their way back to the dugout, cursing themselves for swinging too soon at that outside change-up. He’s an incredible lefty, and in only four years of play has racked up more than 611 strikeouts with an earned run average of 3.25, and a Cy Young award in 2002. All this for a mere $1.1 million a year.
Readers’ Pick:
Corey Duffel
Skateboarder, Walnut Creek