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Barry Zito News & Rumors

Giants' Barry Zito to get married this weekend
December 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito is headed to the altar. The three-time All Star pitcher and his fiancee, 25-year-old actress Amber Marie Seyer - a former Miss Missouri USA - plan to be married this weekend at a private ceremony in Marin County, according to his publicist, Kathy Jacobson. Jacobson had no word on whether the couple had signed a pre-nuptial agreement, but she did say they planned to split their time between the Bay Area and Los Angeles during the offseason."
Time for SF Giants to end the Barry Zito charade
August 16
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Bruce Jenkins
"It's time for the Giants to end the Barry Zito charade and cut him loose over the winter. Do it for his sake, for crying out loud. With the possible exception of Alex Smith, there isn't an athlete anywhere who so desperately needs a change of scene. Not that he'd suddenly become a world-beater, but can you imagine Zito's sense of relief if he donned a new uniform next spring? -- "Oh, but you can't just eat that salary." Of course you can. What, you'd rather keep that black cloud over the organization for two more years? The money's gone, anyway. Can't get it back. Do the man - and yourselves - a favor. -- The Giants have a home showdown against Arizona from Sept. 2-4, and there's a chance"
Bochy: Barry Zito expected to be sidelined for 'a long while'
August 15
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito is expected to be sidelined for "a long while" in the estimation of Giants manager Bruce Bochy after the left-hander sprained his right ankle in the third inning of a rehab start for Triple-A Fresno on Saturday. "I saw a picture, and it's pretty bad," Bochy said Sunday. "It's very swollen. It looks like there's a baseball in there." Zito took an awkward step while coming off the mound to back up home plate after giving up a single and had to be helped off the field. Although the Giants weren't desperate to get Zito back, losing the struggling left-hander depletes their depth of starting pitching. Dan Runzler is the only other option on the 40-man roster should the Giants need"
Barry Zito injured in rehab start
August 14
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito, making a rehab start for Triple-A Fresno on Saturday night, had to be helped off the field after incurring a leg injury. It was not immediately clear if he reinjured the foot he first sprained in April. Former Chronicle NFL writer David White, who was at the game in Fresno, said Zito hurt himself as he allowed a third-inning RBI single. Zito started to move off the mound to back up the plate but stopped in pain. After the runner scored, the trainers ran out to get him. Zito reportedly left the dugout on crutches. Zito was not set to return to the Giants anytime soon. Jonathan Sanchez, who took Zito's spot, is scheduled to start again in Atlanta on Tuesday night after two"
Barry Zito helped off the field in Fresno
August 14
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Giants left-hander Barry Zito was helped off the field by trainers after sustaining an apparent injury to his right foot during a rehab start at Triple-A Fresno on Saturday night. Zito is on the disabled list for the second time this season because of the foot, which he sprained in April while fielding his position. The $126 million left-hander has struggled in nine starts for the Giants this season, going 3-4 with a 5.62 ERA, leading some to wonder if his second D.L. stint was legitimate."
Zito set to begin rehab assignment Sunday
August 6
MLB.com
 
"Giants left-hander Barry Zito is set to begin his second rehab assignment of the season Sunday with Class A Advanced San Jose, manager Bruce Bochy told The Associated Press on Friday. Placed on the disabled list Tuesday retroactive to Aug. 1, Zito will pitch four or five innings for the San Jose Giants. Zito pitched well in three starts after returning from the DL in late June. But he struggled in his three most recent outings, eventually getting shut down with a recurrence of the right mid-foot sprain that sent him to the DL in April. The move cleared a spot in the rotation for Jonathan Sanchez to return."
Giants put Barry Zito back on disabled list
August 2
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The Giants temporarily forestalled the Barry Zito quandary Monday by placing the left-hander on the 15-day disabled list with what the club termed a reoccurrence of a right-foot sprain. Jonathan Sanchez, who has been out since June 24 with left-biceps tendinitis, was activated and will take Zito's spot on the roster and in the rotation. Sanchez will start Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. Manager Bruce Bochy said Zito fouled a ball off his foot during his only at-bat in the Giants' 9-0 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday. Zito said it may have reinjured the ligament that forced him onto the disabled list April 17, causing him to miss more than two months. "I felt it when I went to"
Barry Zito to go Sunday - no guarantees after that
July 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito will take his next turn in the Giants ' rotation Sunday, in the series finale against the Reds, but manager Bruce Bochy hinted that Jonathan Sanchez could come off the disabled list and replace Zito in the rotation next time. Bochy said he might fit Sanchez into the rotation on Friday, which would be Zito's spot. The staff wants to see how Zito does Sunday and how Sanchez comes out of his most recent rehab start for Triple-A Fresno, which was Wednesday. But the pendulum seems to be swinging Sanchez's way. Asked how he will manage six starters for five spots, Bochy said, "It comes down to who we feel is throwing the best. We'll have to do what we did in the postseason. Somebody"
After two rough outings, Barry Zito's next start is up in the air
July 29
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The Giants are on the hook for two more years and nearly $50 million with Barry Zito. But his spot in the rotation is clearly on a start-by-start basis. Although Zito continues to prepare for his next assignment Sunday in Cincinnati, the Giants are listing the game as "to be determined." And they are being cagey about it. "We're just leaving it open," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's all." Bochy said Zito is healthy and the left-hander seemed surprised at the confusion, saying he planned to throw his usual session off a bullpen mound on Friday. Zito has gotten knocked around for 14 runs over his last two starts, derailing momentum from the three consecutive victories he posted"
Barry Zito's struggles leave Sunday start in doubt
July 29
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The thought of Barry Zito pitching in Cincinnati's bandbox ballpark Sunday has left many fans uneasy. Manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti might feel the same way. The Giants have listed Sunday's starter as "To Be Announced," and Bochy confirmed that his decision is up in the air. He also confirmed Zito is healthy. Zito's numbers at Great American Ball Park are anything but. In four starts, he has allowed 15 earned runs over 20 innings, with 12 walks and 15 strikeouts. Plus, Zito is coming off two poor starts, against San Diego and Philadelphia, that yielded 14 runs in 10 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs in seven innings against the Phillies on Tuesday when asked to pitch"
Barry Zito will return to rotation against Phils
July 24
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Bruce Bochy and his staff elected to skip what would have been Barry Zito's start against the Brewers on Friday night, but Zito will return to the rotation Wednesday to face fellow lefty Cole Hamels in the second game of the series in Philadelphia. A foot injury kept Zito on the disabled list for two months. He returned June 28 and made three excellent starts; he went 3-0, allowing three earned runs and 13 hits in 21 innings. His first post-All-Star-break outing was a stinker in San Diego - eight earned runs, including two homers, in 3 2/3 innings - prompting his temporary exile from the rotation. On Saturday, Zito admitted he wasn't thrilled about losing a start, but he didn't grouse"
As SF Giants' schedule falls, so might Barry Zito
July 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Ron Kroichick
"Barry Zito did himself no favors with Saturday's stinker of a start against the Padres. The schedule doesn't help him, either. The Giants have Thursday off after a three-game home series starting tonight against the Dodgers. Thursday would be Zito's turn to pitch, so they could skip him Friday night against Milwaukee to keep Matt Cain and the other starters on regular rest. Manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged that he and pitching coach Dave Righetti are talking about who might start Friday night. Bochy suggested the decision will hinge, in part, on how the next few games unfold. It's no stretch to picture the Giants skipping Zito and going with Cain, Ryan Vogelsong and Madison Bumgarner - all"
Padres pound Barry Zito as Giants lose 11-3
July 17
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito has been around so long and scrutinized so deeply, it's hard to tell anymore. Was that the Zito of old who mixed toxic walks with three-run kerosene bombs Saturday night at Petco Park? Or was this the new Zito? What can the Giants expect from their highest-paid player these days, anyway? The worst came true for those who wondered if the bubble would pop on Zito's solid, three-start return from the disabled list. The pop was so loud, it could have set off car alarms in the Giants' disastrous 11-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. By the time the Padres chased Zito in the fourth inning, he had thrown just 48 of his 85 pitches for strikes and allowed eight earned runs -- his highest"
Zito beats Padres 2-1 for Giants' 50th win
July 8
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"For the first time since 2003, the Giants have reached 50 wins by the All-Star break. How apropos they hit the milestone with a 2-1 victory against San Diego on Thursday night. It fit their 2011 template. The Giants got tremendous work from a starter, as Barry Zito allowed only a Ryan Ludwick homer over eight innings; they scored one more run than San Diego; and Brian Wilson saved it. "We did enough to win. That's the code we live by," said Bill Hall, who really took one for the team. He needed seven stitches to close a gash on his left leg after he was spiked by Jason Bartlett in the fourth inning. That was a key play. Eli Whiteside caught Bartlett trying to steal, stanching a"
Barry Zito helps San Francisco Giants complete doubleheader sweep
June 29
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The Giants hoped for a reawakening from Barry Zito and they received it Tuesday night -- along with an eye-opening day from their long-dormant offense. Ernie Banks always beamed, "Let's play two!" The Giants could have gone for thirds. It was that kind of day for the visitors at the Friendly Confines, and it ended with the Giants 12 games over .500 for the first time all season. Their beleaguered hitters combined for an astonishing 30 hits while sweeping a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs, winning 13-7 in the sunshine before Zito led them to a 6-3 victory in the nightcap. What's next, a Miguel Tejada home run? Oh, there was one of those, too -- his first since April 8, a span of 225"
Barry Zito's return highlights SF Giants' DH sweep
June 29
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The strange brew that is the 2011 Giants season gained some strange new ingredients on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon and evening at Wrigley Field. The Giants swept the Cubs in a doubleheader, 13-7 and 6-3. They scored 19 runs on 30 hits over 18 innings, yet all would have to admit that the spiciest addition to the soup came from a pitcher. Go figure. Barry Zito returned to a major-league mound for the first time since he sprained his foot more than two months ago and held the Cubs to two runs on four hits over seven innings in the second game. He earned his first win of the season and validated all the sweat he put into his rehabilitation. "He just looked confident throwing strikes,""
Another chance for Giants' Barry Zito
June 28
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito was in a heap of trouble. He stood on the mound in Oakland, a 22-year-old in the fifth inning of his big league life, flush with anticipation, having recently arrived with a rainbow curveball that was the talk of the minors. The Anaheim Angels loaded the bases with nobody out, heart of the order coming up. Zito already had issued six walks and hit a batter. But when the moment most required it, Zito found the strike zone. He froze Mo Vaughn with a curveball. He threw a high-and-tight fastball to Tim Salmon, who couldn't check his swing. Then Zito dropped in two curveballs to get ahead of Garret Anderson, finishing him off with a slider in the dirt. The green-and-gold crowd"
Barry Zito returns to Giants' rotation tonight after missing ten weeks due to injury
June 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When Barry Zito sprained his right foot while fielding a bunt April 16, the Giants' regulars were Buster Posey at catcher, Brandon Belt at first and Freddy Sanchez at second. The outfield, left to right, was Pat Burrell, Aaron Rowand and Aubrey Huff. Zito is returning to a different team, though it remains unequaled on the mound, thanks largely to the presence of Ryan Vogelsong, who replaced Zito and has, in Zito's words, "probably been the best in the league since he's come up. He's fun to watch." For the first time in 10 weeks, Zito will pitch for the San Francisco Giants - starting the nightcap of today's day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field, and he'll be following the hottest man in"
Jonathan Sanchez on D.L.; Barry Zito activated
June 26
San Jose Mercury News
 
"It turns out Jonathan Sanchez needed more than just a mental break. The Giants acknowledged the left-hander could use a couple of weeks to recharge his arm, too, while placing him on the 15-day disabled list with left-biceps tendinitis. The club activated Barry Zito from the disabled list a half-hour before Saturday's game and made him available in case they needed emergency innings from the bullpen. The plan remains for Zito to start one of the games in Tuesday's doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Although Zito will take Sanchez's place in the rotation, the Giants still must find an extra starting pitcher on their upcoming trip or bring back someone on short rest -- a"
Barry Zito's next start to be for San Francisco, maybe as soon as Sunday
June 23
San Jose Mercury News
 
"In all likelihood, Barry Zito will start one end of the Giants' doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. It's also possible he could pitch at home Sunday, when the Giants take on the Cleveland Indians in the 5 o'clock shadows. Either way, Zito's next appearance will come against major league hitters. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he was encouraged Wednesday after meeting with his $126 million left-hander, who hasn't started since he sprained his right foot April 16 at Arizona. "He feels good with where he's at," Bochy said of Zito, who finished a monthlong minor league rehab assignment by throwing a two-hit shutout for Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday. "Going down did something for him. He"
Barry Zito raves about Triple-A catcher
June 23
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito pitched a two-hit complete game in his final rehab start for Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday night and is expected to rejoin the Giants and start a game in Tuesday's doubleheader at Chicago. The biggest story from Zito's gem in Fresno might be who caught him. Hector Sanchez, the organization's top prospect at the position, caught three of Zito's four rehab starts, and the left-hander raved about the 21-year-old Venezuelan. Zito said he would be comfortable throwing to Sanchez in a major-league game, an opinion that might carry significant weight as the front office decides whether to give the kid a shot. "He's beyond his years," Zito said. "He's got a good idea on mixing pitches. We"
Barry Zito master plan: Trust stuff, flip script
June 19
San Jose Mercury News
 columnist Monte Poole
"One month after his 33rd birthday, when he should be in his prime, youthful energy blending with maturity and know-how, Barry Zito finds himself in a tenuous and very challenging predicament. He is trying to reinvent Barry Zito. And this time he is serious. As he wades through rehabilitation assignments in the minor leagues after a foot sprain, Zito seeks to ditch much of the identity he created through a decade of pitching in the majors in hopes of delivering to San Francisco a new and improved left-hander. That is the heart of the message Zito offered Friday as he stood in front of his cubicle in the visitor's clubhouse at the O.co Coliseum, the site of his greatest success when he was a"
Barry Zito takes care of the boys in the minors
June 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito probably will start a game for the Giants on June 28, when they play a doubleheader in Chicago, good news for the left-hander but bad news for the California culinary industry. Tradition requires a major-league player on a rehab assignment to feed his minor-league teammates after the games, and we're not talking hot dogs. Zito figures he has spent $4,500 on meals after four rehab starts, one at extended spring training in Arizona, two with Class A San Jose and Thursday night's game at Triple-A Fresno. "Gotta take care of the boys," Zito said Friday. Zito allowed four runs in six innings for the Grizzlies. His otherwise strong start was marred when he hung a changeup to Mike"
Giants' Barry Zito off to good start in rehab
June 13
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Nearly two months have passed since Barry Zito sprained his right foot fielding a bunt, and the Giants still have not said when he will be activated from the disabled list. That is not surprising, given the difficulty of finding a spot for him anywhere on the current pitching staff, much less the rotation. Zito has looked sharp in two rehab starts with Class A San Jose and will pitch for Triple-A Fresno this week. Zito was not throwing well when he went down. His velocity was down and his ERA up, to 6.23 in three starts. Besides regaining his arm strength during rehab, Zito has been incorporating a slight lower-body mechanical change in hope of pitching more effectively. "It's just getting"
Barry Zito looks sharp in rehab start for San Jose Giants
June 7
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Zito sharp in first rehab start for San Jose Barry Zito began his quest to force the Giants' hand on his future Monday night in Stockton, looking very sharp in his first pitching outing since going down with an ankle injury April 16. Making a rehab start with the Class A San Jose Giants, Zito threw 6?2/3 innings against the Stockton Ports and gave up just two hits and a run, striking out six and walking none in an 82-pitch effort. Zito gave up just two singles over six shutout innings to start the game. He got an out in seventh before hitting a batter. After recording the second out on a fly ball, he was replaced by reliever Mitch Lively, who gave up a walk and single to put the only"
Zito looks sharp in rehab work
May 25
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Zito looks sharp in rehab, but no date on his return Between his work in the bullpen and his three innings in simulated game conditions Tuesday, Barry Zito threw roughly 100 pitches off a mound -- the workload at which most rehabbing starters are considered stretched out and ready. But Zito will not rejoin the Giants rotation in five days. He won't return within a week, or even two. With Ryan Vogelsong making an early bid for N.L. Comeback Player of the Year honors, there is no rotation spot for Zito to take. But there's plenty remaining on his record-setting contract -- $19 million next year and $20 million in 2013. So the Giants and Zito are using this time on the disabled list to make"
Barry Zito upbeat after session
May 25
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito seemed curiously upbeat for a pitcher who has not appeared in a major-league game in nearly six weeks. Maybe that's because he stepped on an actual major-league mound Tuesday. Zito's recovery from a sprained right foot hopped forward when he threw an extended session in the bullpen, then faced live hitters for the first time since he sustained the injury April 16. "Everything felt great," he said. "I've been working my ass off, getting ready. It was a good first step against hitters." The simulated game lasted three innings and about 50 pitches. Zito threw a variety of pitches to teammates Emmanuel Burriss and Eli Whiteside - most of them where he intended, aside from one"
Pablo Sandoval, Barry Zito on road to recovery
May 17
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Pablo Sandoval stood in the right-handed batter's box area Monday while Barry Zito threw off a bullpen mound, and the free-swinging Kung Fu Panda exercised self-control. He didn't take any whacks. It'll be two more weeks before Sandoval is cleared to begin swinging. For now, he was happy to rejoin his teammates at Coors Field on Monday. And he took pleasure in feeling a bat in his hands for the first time since May 3 surgery to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. He expects to be activated in roughly a month, and he expects to swing with some discomfort -- especially from the left side, where the knob of his bat will rest on scar tissue from his surgery. "It's going perfect,""
Barry Zito throwing, unfazed by fan sentiment
May 15
San Francisco Chronicle
 
""Take your time, Zeets. No reason to rush back from that foot sprain. Make sure that thing is as good as healed." Admit it. You either have said it, tweeted it, read it or thought it, especially with replacement starter Ryan Vogelsong excelling so. Asked Saturday if he knew those fans were not eager for his return, Barry Zito said no. Nor did he seem wounded by the sentiment. "I don't subject myself to it," he said. "I keep my head where I've got to keep it. I think as veteran players, most of us stay out of the public forum. You stay out of it because you realize it has nothing to do with what you're working toward." On Saturday afternoon, Zito was working in right field in a freezing"
Zito off crutches, but return still indefinite
April 29
MLB.com
 
"Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that it's "hard to put a target date" on Barry Zito's return from a sprained right foot, though the left-hander has completed an early phase in his recovery. Zito, who hurt himself on April 16, has shucked his crutches and can walk without wearing his protective boot, though he planned on wearing it during the Giants' flight to Washington. Zito, who was examined Wednesday by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C., cannot yet put full weight on his injured foot. Bochy said that once Zito can function without the walking boot, he'll participate in baseball-related activities for one to three weeks before trying to throw off a"
Barry Zito has 1st DL stint
April 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"How strange that of all the injuries that can befall a pitcher - arm trouble, back pain, an oblique strain, a broken bone from a comebacker - it took a freak foot sprain to land Barry Zito on the disabled list for the first time in his 12-year major-league career. The Giants placed the left-hander on the 15-day DL on Sunday. Zito pondered the term "disabled list" and said, "I don't even know what that means. It's a blessing I waited 12 years to hear those words. It's all weird." Zito had an MRI exam Sunday morning, which confirmed he sprained the middle of his right foot while fielding a bunt Saturday night. The Giants did not wait for those test results. After the game, they purchased the"
Barry Zito goes on disabled list
April 18
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito is on the disabled list for the first time in his 12-year career, and as a consequence, Ryan Vogelsong is a Giant for the first time in nearly a decade. With Zito on crutches and his sprained right foot immobilized in a boot, the Giants purchased Vogelsong's contract from Triple-A Fresno. Vogelsong is tentatively scheduled to take Zito's place in the rotation Friday, but his turn could be skipped if he's needed in relief during the three-game series at Coors Field that begins Monday. An MRI exam confirmed Zito has a midfoot sprain -- a rare and fluke injury that normally afflicts football players and ballet dancers. Zito hurt himself while pushing off to catch a popped-up bunt"
Giants place Zito on 15-day disabled list
April 17
MLB.com
 
"Giants left-hander Barry Zito was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday with a right mid-foot sprain. He was replaced on the roster by right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Fresno. Vogelsong was added to the 40-man roster, which had one spot open. Zito was removed from Saturday night's 5-3 victory over the D-backs in the second inning. X-rays were negative and he was expected to undergo an MRI on Sunday to determine the extent of the injury. Zito left the clubhouse at Chase Field on crutches and with a swollen ankle after the game, which extended San Francisco's current winning streak to four. His personal streak of 356 regular-season starts without"
Bochy says Zito is likely to make start
April 3
L.A. Daily News
 
"San Francisco Giants left-hander Barry Zito has been assessed as "95 percent" certain to make his first start of the season today against the Dodgers. That's the number Giants manager Bruce Bochy came up with Saturday. But it might not equate to a complete return to whatever one considers normal for Zito, the former USC and Pierce College standout. Zito, on the wrong end of a car collision Wednesday night while driving on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, was wearing a heated rolled-up towel around his neck before and during Saturday's Dodgers-Giants game. He stretched with teammates and shagged balls as usual during batting practice, and then hung out on the dugout railing. He looked"
Barry Zito to start Sunday after throwing session
April 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"That Barry Zito could throw at full speed on flat ground Friday was good news for him and the Giants. That he was at Dodger Stadium in uniform, and not in the hospital - or worse - was even better news. Before a throwing session that convinced everyone Zito will be able to start as scheduled Sunday, the left-hander recounted his Wednesday night traffic accident for the first time and said his fate might have been worse had instinct not taken over when he realized a taxicab that ran a red light was going to hit him. "If I didn't make a certain decision to hit the gas when I saw him, he would have hit the front of the car," Zito said. "It would have been a different story. ... It was his"
Barry Zito feeling better, could make his start Sunday
April 2
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The sounds of baseball's opening week are supposed to involve popping mitts, not the crunching of metal. But after walking away from a violent, two-car accident Wednesday, Barry Zito considered himself fortunate. So did the Giants, who gained confidence the left-hander will be able to make his start on Sunday after watching him throw off flat ground Friday. Zito threw all his pitches out of his windup and said his stiff neck had improved. He continues to wear heat packs and receive electric stimulation. An MRI exam on Thursday revealed no abnormalities. Zito said he was returning to his home in Hollywood on Wednesday night and making a left turn when a cabdriver ran a red light. Zito"
Barry Zito escapes major injury in crash
April 1
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito spent part of Thursday in an MRI chamber, the remainder of the day in a neck brace, and his body was too sore to join his Giants teammates at Dodger Stadium for the season opener. He should consider himself lucky. Zito was able to walk away without major injuries after a two-car accident in West Hollywood on Wednesday night in which a cabdriver ran a red light. Zito 's car was broadsided, and he was released after a short stay at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where a head and neck specialist examined him and X-rays ruled out structural damage. "He's pretty shaken up," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He was really upset. He said it happened so fast." Zito told Bochy he was"
Zito, sore from accident, should start Sunday
April 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Barry Zito's neck and back remained sore a day after his Bentley was broadsided on the passenger side by a red-light runner in nearby West Hollywood on Wednesday night, but manager Bruce Bochy said Zito is confident he can make his scheduled start here Sunday. Bochy also said he would let Zito pitch without the between-starts bullpen session he was supposed to throw Thursday. Zito wore a neck brace as he came to Dodger Stadium earlier in the day. He was gone by the time reporters were allowed into the clubhouse and expected to go home to rest after undergoing a precautionary MRI exam. Zito had an X-ray at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles shortly after the accident."
Barry Zito has X-rays and MRI after car accident, tells Bochy he won't miss start
March 31
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Barry Zito told Giants manager Bruce Bochy that he was shaken up but otherwise OK after he was involved in a two-car collision in West Hollywood last night. Zito was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for precautionary X-rays and an MRI to investigate a sore neck. The tests showed no structural damage, according to Giants PR man Jim Moorehead. Bochy just told KNBR that he spoke to Zito and the left-hander was confident he could make his start on Sunday. Bochy said he'd wait to pronounce Zito fit and ready until trainers have a chance to examine him after he arrives at the ballpark today. Anyone who has gotten whiplash knows it sometimes takes a day or longer before your body reacts to"
Barry Zito released from hospital after car crash
March 31
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Giants pitcher Barry Zito was transported to a hospital after he was involved in a traffic accident Wednesday night, according to the police department in West Hollywood. Lt. Ana Brackpool, a watch commander, told The Chronicle that Zito was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles with unknown injuries. A person who alerted The Chronicle to the accident said it was his understanding Zito was not seriously injured, though he was assisted out of his car by fire personnel. A source said he left the hospital and went home shortly after. Brackpool said Zito was involved in a two-vehicle accident near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Sunset Plaza Drive in the small suburb of Los"
Hideki Matsui gets 3 hits off Barry Zito
March 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"With the season about to get going for real, Hideki Matsui is coming alive. Bob Geren, the A's manager, thought the team's new designated hitter had enjoyed his best batting practice of the spring Monday night. One of the Japanese reporters who follows Matsui was particularly impressed with Matsui's hitting before Tuesday night's game at the Coliseum. Matsui put all of that into practice with a three-hit night in the A's 4-1 loss to the Giants, Matsui's first three-hit game of the spring. All of his hits came off Giants starter Barry Zito, a left-hander. Matsui had recorded only one hit off a lefty during Cactus League play. "He was jumping on the heater today," Zito said. "I left a few up"
Giants' Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabaean stand behind Barry Zito
March 3
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Giants manager Bruce Bochy firmly stated that he is counting on Barry Zito to be his No. 4 starter this season, and he summoned the left-hander into his office Wednesday afternoon to dispel a story that the high-salaried pitcher was on thin ice with club officials. A column in Wednesday's San Francisco Chronicle quoted an unidentified "source close to the team" as saying the club is "exasperated" with Zito and that his job in the rotation is "definitely not safe." General manager Brian Sabean rejected the supposition that the team leaked the story to light a fire under Zito, who walked five of the 13 batters he faced in a rough exhibition debut Monday. "Absolutely, unequivocally not,""
Barry Zito tries to stay in Giants' good graces
March 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Bruce Jenkins
"Barry Zito took the mound for his first spring training start Monday and walked the ballpark. It wasn't exactly what the Giants had in mind, and here's a message to all those fans who have seen enough of Zito: He's walking a very fine line within the organization. A source close to the team indicated Tuesday that there is "exasperation" with Zito, that his status as the No. 5 starter is "definitely not safe," and that the team would even consider buying out his expensive contract before Opening Day if that's what it takes to say farewell. Zito has the rest of spring to either resurrect his worth to the Giants or show an opposing team that he'd be valuable in a trade, according to others"
Barry Zito working to put things in perspective
February 18
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The events of last October remain foremost on Barry Zito's mind, but not the ones you might think. He isn't obsessing over the Giants' decision to trim him from all three postseason rosters and reduce him to a spectator for the World Series. Instead, Zito's daily thoughts remain with his 82-year-old father, Joe, who is making a slow recovery from a cardiac episode he suffered Oct. 12 -- the day after the Giants clinched the NL Division Series at Atlanta. In late January, after a three-month hospitalization, Joe Zito moved to a rehabilitation center in Southern California. He remains confined to a bed, where he is relearning to sit up. "It was definitely a very challenging time for me, all"
Barry Zito's father has heart condition
February 17
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Everyone understood that Barry Zito had a rough October, being excluded from the postseason rosters. Few outside the clubhouse knew he had far more to worry about. His father was seriously ill at the time. Zito said this week that Joseph Zito was hospitalized with a heart condition Oct. 12, the day after the Giants clinched the Division Series against Atlanta. He remained hospitalized through the postseason and still has not gone home. Zito said his 82-year-old dad remains in a rehabilitation facility in Southern California. Zito was reluctant to elaborate on the entire month, saying, "I don't really want to relive it right now. It's done. It's in the past. It was quite challenging. I'm"
Giants, primed for reality TV, take victory lap with World Series trophy
January 15
Oakland Tribune
 columnist Cam Inman
"Coming soon to a Giants' ballpark near you are 1) San Francisco's first World Series trophy for display, and 2) Showtime television cameras for a reality series. Pause here for dramatic effect. (Sigh.) The Giants are creating a mass-exposure phenomenon. Yes, they should proudly show off their long-sought prize, taking it on a victory tour throughout the West Coast, as well as to their native soil in New York. Such exhibitionism is encouraged, as opposed to the kind that may emerge in Showtime's just-announced series on the 2011 Giants. A trophy is real, has staying power and creates goodwill. A TV show, not so much. Make the trophy visible, not the clubhouse. Who knows what will transpire"
Zito remains a spectator
October 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"By all accounts, Barry Zito has been the consummate teammate during a postseason in which he has not been allowed to participate. He continues to work hard in case he is needed and his public comments have been gracious. Still, one must wonder how he will react after a winter to think about things. The number of digits on a player's contract does not matter. On a stage this grand, he wants to participate. General manager Brian Sabean, manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti considered Zito for the World Series roster but decided to use the same roster they had in the Division Series and NLCS. Guillermo Mota remains the long reliever. Bochy was asked if more thought was given"
Barry Zito left off San Francisco Giants playoff roster
October 7
Oakland Tribune
 
"Barry Zito was left out of the playoff roster for the San Francisco Giants, meaning he won't join the team for the first round of the playoffs. The Giants sent their official roster to the league this morning ahead of tonight's Game 1 of the Division Series. Recent acquisition Jose Guillen was also left off the final roster. On Wednesday, Giants manager Bruce Bochy confirmed that Aaron Rowand, his one-time starting center fielder, would be on the club for the playoffs -- and that Zito wouldn't start a game in the series. "The club we pick are the guys we think we'll utilize the most," Bochy said. Zito had little cause to complain after a miserable start Saturday against the Padres in which"
Zito off roster for this series, source says
October 7
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Giants this morning will announce a Division Series roster that does not include pitcher Barry Zito, the team's highest-paid player, a source said Wednesday night, several hours after manager Bruce Bochy said either Madison Bumgarner or Tim Lincecum would start a potential Game 4 in Atlanta. Zito's exclusion is not surprising, given his performance in Saturday's possible division-clinching game against San Diego at AT&T Park. In a broader sense, this is stunning for a player who was given $126 million over seven years not only to pitch the Giants into the postseason, but also to be a face of the franchise in the post-Barry Bonds era. After Wednesday's workout, Zito was ready to assign"