Barry Zito: 'Joy of competition' brings him back to game
MESA, Ariz. - Barry Zito pulls up in his car Thursday morning, and already dressed in full uniform, strolls into Sloan Park, an hour ahead of the rest of his teammates.
He walks across the field, stops and asks the security guard for directions, and makes the long trek to the visiting clubhouse, alone in his thoughts.
Two hours later, for the first time in 18 months, wearing his No. 75 jersey and socks hiked high, Zito was back on the mound, pitching in a game he wondered would ever happen.
He was home again, back with the Oakland Athletics, where his illustrious career began.
"It was awesome seeing him out there,'' says Athletics reliever Tyler Clippard, who plays catch with Zito every day. "I mean, it's just so cool. When you see a guy with the career he's had, a lot of guys would just rest on those laurels, saying, 'I had a good run, accomplished a lot, and now I'm going to shut it down'.
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"But he comes in here, and he's working harder than anybody. You see that competitiveness in him. You can tell the drive is back.''
The man who had it all, and is now fighting to resurrect his baseball career, is now the featured attraction in the coolest story this spring.
Certainly, this isn't about the money. He made $144 million in his career, and signed what was the richest pitching contract in history, a seven-year, $126 million deal from the San Francisco Giants.
It's not about the fame. He won two World Series championships with the Giants.
It's not about the glory. He won a Cy Young award with the Athletics.
It's simply about being back on that mound, and proving you can still get hitters out.
"The money and rings and all of that other stuff is great,'' Zito told USA TODAY Sports, "but I missed the game. I missed the competition, man. Competition is everything. That's why we do this.
"Everybody talks about all of these things that pitching can get you, but pitching is not a means to the end. Pitching should be the end.
"I missed the joy of competition.''
So there was Zito, pitching in a competitive game Thursday for the first time since Sept. 29, 2013, and wearing the A's uniform for the first time since 2006. Who could blame the Chicago Cubs from doing a double-take, facing a guy they idolized back in junior high?
"Pretty cool, it's Barry Zito,'' says Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, 25. "I mean, I grew up watching him. We all respect what he's done in this game, and respect him even more what he's doing now.
Zito, who turns 37 in May, looked at times like the vintage Zito of the Oakland days. He retired the first five batters he faced. He mixed in an 85-86 mph fastball with late life, a 72-75 mph curveball from a higher arm slot than the past, and a flat changeup.
Then, came the bad Zito of San Francisco days. He hit Chris Coghlan with an inside pitch. And Mike Olt followed by slamming a changeup over the center-field fence.
Final line: two innings, two hits, two runs, no walks and two strikeouts.
"It was definitely fun to go compete out there,'' said Zito, who felt the rush of adrenaline as he took the mound. "Stuff felt pretty good. I did a lot of things I wanted to do today.
"All things considered, I thought I was alright.''
Zito realizes he's a longshot to make the team. They aren't giving him a rotation spot out of nostalgia. He's got to beat out younger kids with stronger arms and brighter futures.
Zito isn't asking for anything but an opportunity, and now that he's in camp, the A's say they will give him every shot to make the team.
"To see what he's doing,'' Cubs veteran catcher David Ross says, "is so good for baseball. To see how good he was, and to come back to a team he was on, you love stories like that.
"I think when you retire or stop playing, you have to remove all doubts whether you still want to play. He'll be able to answer that question at the end of spring training, whether he has enough left or not.''
It was a question that gnawed at Zito's soul all last year. Sure, he struggled in San Francisco. He never came close to living up to his record contract, going 64-80 with a 4.62 ERA.
Yet, he was on two World Series championship teams, and any true Giant fan likely forgave his many grim outings for two that will never be forgotten.
A 72/3 inning, shutout performance in the 2012 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, with the Giants trailing the series 3-1. And a winning performance in Game 1 of the World Series that followed, kick-starting a Giants sweep of Detroit.
Then, after a 25-start 2013 campaign that was as forgettable (5-11, a 5.74 ERA) as his previous years on that side of the bay, he was gone.
Only he knew for sure it wasn't for good.
"I lived a quiet life,'' Zito said, "but I never retired. I always planned to come back. I kept working out. I rode some waves. We had a baby. It was good to be away, but I missed it.''
It really hit him during the playoffs, Zito said, watching the Giants win the World Series. Those were his teammates the last seven years. He watched most of their playoff games, and was glued to the TV for Game 7, watching the Giants win their third World Series in five years.
"We missed him too,'' says Giants starter Tim Lincecum. "Now, seeing him over there in his A's stuff, it's kind of nostalgic. I couldn't be happier for a guy who's done all of the right things, on and off the field, to now get another chance to play a game he loves so much.
"I'm really proud of him. I know I'm pulling for him. Really, I'll pull for him the rest of my life.''
Zito, who will earn $1 million if he makes the team - his lowest salary since 2003 - hasn't even considered his options if the A's cut him loose. He doesn't know whether he'd be willing to go to the minors, or even go to another team.
"There are a million things that could happen,'' Zito says, "all I know is that this is where I want to be. And I'm not ready to give it up.
"We got our whole lives to live after baseball is over, you know what I mean?
"So why leave when you're not ready?''
Maybe, he's just getting started.
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