By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

photo credit google images Barry Zito A’s pitcher

ANAHEIM–September 30,2015. This is the day Barry Zito came to the mound, for what was probably his very last start, as a 37 year old left hander facing the Los Angeles Angels .As the game began the Angels had won 7 games in a row and were the hottest team in baseball, during the home-stretch last week of the season.

Zito did well. He went four innings, gave up four hits and two runs, both via Homerun, in the third Mike Trout’s #41 and in the fourth David Freese #14. In his previous start only went a couple of innings against his ex-team, the Giants,as he faced his old teammate with the A’s Tim Hudson,(who also came to the mound and lasted a cup of coffee) but today Zito doubled his previous start work as he completed four frames.

The Athletics beat the Angels 8-7, stopping the seven game winning streak by Angels manager Mike Scioscia’s team, who as of today with four games left at Texas to end the season could still be in the division or make it as a wild card. Barry Zito did not get a decision but his farewell was very good. After the game, he said he was “content”with his outing.

He once had a seven year deal with the San Francisco Giants, worth $126 million dollars. Today, it is considered one of the worst contracts ever in Major League Baseball. Well, not bad for him, but bad for the team. So bad that in 2010 when the Giants won their second of three World Series during the last five years, he was left out of the postseason; but he showed a lot of class, saying then he didn’t deserved to be on the roster, because he didn’t pitched well.

Barry Zito sat 2014. In 2015 got a contract with the Athletics and pitched at AAA Nashville, came up in September, with so many injuries on the A’s pitching staff and got a shot to pitch at Oakland Coliseum against the other team he pitched for during his career.

Barry Zito’s best season was in 2002(the year the Athletics won 20 consecutive games, an American League record)with a 23-5 and 2.75 ERA and won the Cy Young Award although he had some decent years with the A’s after that, nothing came close to that 2002 season. He pitched for the A’S from 2000 to 2006, then the Giants signed him for a 7-year contract from 2007 to 2013, he won 63 and lost 80 for the Giants, his best season for the Orange and Black was in 2012; 15-8 and a 4.15 ERA

He was controversial especially during his time with the Giants, because he never lived up to his expectations. In the end, I believe Barry Zito showed a lot of class and professionalism.

I called his last game on the mound.

I hope he enjoys his retirement.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s, the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and does News and Commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice.com