Reliever: Barry Zito
Last but not least, Barry Zito. Zito was part of Oakland’s so-called “Big Three”, along with Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. Throughout Zito’s career, he played solely in the Bay Area, earning him plenty of loyal fans.
Zito’s debut came in July of 2000 with the Oakland A’s, where he was a starter until 2006. His curveball was easily one of the best in the game at that time, and helped him to dominated opposing hitters during his tenure with the A’s.
In 2002, Zito posted a 2.75 ERA and a 23-5 record on his way to earning the AL Cy Young Award. He was a three-time All-Star, and earned praise for his consistency on the mound.
After spending the next portion of his career with the Giants, Zito returned to the A’s for the final year of his career. He spent nearly the entire season in the minors, earning a September call-up only after the roster had been decimated by injuries. In a fitting tribute, Zito and Hudson faced off on September 26, 2015, as Zito made his last start before retirement.
Zito’s rise as a young pitcher was one of the keys to the success of the so-called “moneyball” era teams, which relied heavily on solid starting pitching during the 20-game win streak. Without him, modern A’s history might look strikingly different.
Next: Bryce Harper or Manny Machado?
Who would you put on your Athletics all-time 25-man roster? In a franchise with 115 years of players to consider, there are certainly plenty of options.