By:
Rick Eymer
03/03/13 6:20 PM
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Barry Zito made believers out of a pair of former teammates as he tries to build on the success he rediscovered last season.
Zito pitched three shutout innings, Brandon Crawford had three hits and the Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 on Sunday.
“I felt a lot better than I did the last time,” Zito said. “My focus was better, my timing was better and I was making more pitches.”
Read More
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Barry Zito scurried from drill to drill on Day 1 with a smile and a pep that showed he’s a new man heading into the final year of his mega contract.
He even seemed to enjoy the simple process of shadow throwing, with only a towel in hand and no ball, as Giants pitchers and catchers began spring training on a gorgeous, cool day in the desert at Scottsdale Stadium.
Read More
For years, this was the season frustrated Giants fans had counted down to. The final year of the albatross of a contract Barry Zito signed prior to the 2007 season.
All these years later, it’s still tough to mention Zito in any sentence without also bringing up the hefty $126 million deal he inked.
And as Zito piled up disappointing year after disappointing year, it seemed inevitable his Giants tenure would be over the second the clock struck midnight after this season.
Read More
It’s that time of year for sportswriters. A week after Santa does it, we make a list and check it twice to find out which stories from 2012 were, well, naughty or nice.
Only this time, let’s leave out the naughty. Negativity feels out of place around New Year’s Day. Thus, we’ll stick to the pleasant memories that stood out. A decade from now, the following likely still will bring smiles to the faces of those involved and witnesses thereof.
Read More
Pablo Sandoval is the World Series MVP and Marco Scutaro delivered another clutch October hit, driving in the series-deciding run in the 10th inning of Game 4. But make no mistake, the Giants won the 2012 World Series the same way they won it two years ago: on the strength of their pitching.
Read More
To those unfamiliar with the managerial genius of the Giants’ Bruce Bochy, the decision to turn to Tim Lincecum with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night might have seemed a tad overzealous.
Sure, Lincecum has been dynamite out of the bullpen this fall, but it’s not like the wheels were falling off for Ryan Vogelsong. He likely could have gotten the same fly ball to right field and at least started the seventh.
Read More
Barry Zito’s performance in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series was a good reminder of how inspiring baseball can be.
In a few short weeks, Zito has gone from being The City’s biggest sports goat to an Orange October hero who outdueled baseball’s best pitcher in the first game of the Fall Classic.
Read More
Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols, and now, Pablo Sandoval.
Those are the only four players to hit three home runs in a World Series game, a list the San Francisco third baseman joined as the Giants beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Wednesday at AT&T Park to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Read More
Barry Zito was left off of the postseason roster in 2010 and he probably wouldn’t have started Game 5 of the NL Championship Series had Madison Bumgarner not had a rough outing in Game 2. But today, Zito will get the chance to do what every young pitcher dreams about: Start Game 1 of the World Series.
Read More
From the moment he signed the big contract, there was resentment.
From the moment he first exited a game early, there was ridicule.
From this moment on, there will be respect.
Sure, some of that respect will be of the begrudging variety. But it will be there. Always and forever.
And for Barry Zito, that will always and forever be quite enough.
Read More
URL: http://www.sfexaminer.com/topics/barry-zito-0?page=1%2C0%2C0%2C1
