Of the
Oakland Athletics' "Big Three" pitchers who dominated the team's "Moneyball" era, Barry Zito was perhaps the finest. The youngest of the group, which included Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, Barry was the first to win a Cy Young Award, edging out Pedro Martinez for the 2002 AL trophy. Barry's freewheeling, devil-may-care attitude has made him a star, but his incredible curveball is a big part of what makes him a success in MLB. His offbeat persona and pitching prowess draws comparisons to David Wells, though Zito's career holds more promise than Boomer's, perfect game notwithstanding.
Music runs deeply in the Zito family. Barry's dad composed and arranged for Nat Cole for 15 years, his mother was a singer and Barry's sister, Sally Zito, is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. Barry himself plays guitar and has been known to heckle fellow teamates with songs in the locker room.
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