[ad_1]
Barry Zito returned to the mound — though it wasn’t exactly the same bump he pitched from during his 15-season MLB career.
On Saturday, Zito made his debut with the Savannah Bananas, the Georgia-based exhibition team, leading them to a 4-2 win over the rival Party Animals.
The 45-year-old pitched for two teams over his career — with the “Moneyball” Athletics (from 2000-2006) and Giants (2007-2013) — and created quite the MLB resume, winning the AL Cy Young award in 2002, earning three-time All-Star nods, and securing a 2012 World Series ring — San Francisco’s second title.
He returned to Oakland for his final season in 2015.
In his career, he averaged a 4.04 ERA, 1,885 strikeouts, and 1,157 earned runs over 433 games.
Zito fit right into the Bananas’ “World Famous Baseball Circus” environment, bringing his baseball acumen and a guitar.
Zito, well known for his musical talents — he learned how to play shortly after he signed with Oakland in 1999, keeping up with the habit during team travel — strummed his guitar and sang while coaching third base.
“Got to play that geeeetar,” he wrote on his Instagram story. “@thesavbananas THANK YOU!”
Zito gave up a run in the win, though the Bananas play by their own unique set of rules.
Two years after retirement from the majors, he released his first EP, “No Secrets”, which landed at No. 15 on the Americana/Folk album Billboard chart and No. 39 on the Country Album list.
He credits baseball for helping him transition into music.
“When you’re performing for an audience, you’re really singing to give people an emotional experience,” Zito told Billboard in 2017. “But when you’re playing baseball, if there’s 50,000 people watching or two people, I really don’t care because I’m still in this competition and in battle with somebody. So, it’s not as much about the fans when you’re on the field competing. But when you’re performing, it’s all about the fans.”
Saturday’s game took place in Nashville, Zito’s home, and was only one stop on the Banana Ball World Tour — meaning his return to the mound was likely a one-and-done.
[ad_2]
Source link