Athletics reassign Barry Zito to Triple-A
Barry Zito's efforts to revive his career in Oakland hit a roadblock Saturday when the Athletics reassigned the 2002 AL Cy Young winner to the minors to start the season.
Zito, who reunited with the Athletics by signing a minor-league deal this winter, accepted his assignment to Triple-A Nashville, saying, "I didn't stay in shape to come back here and go all in and go sit at home."
The 36-year-old left-hander struggled this spring after sitting out the entire 2014 season. Entering his final outing Saturday, Zito allowed 11 runs in 19 2/3 innings with 13 strikeouts and five walks.
''Yeah, I'm going to take it,'' Zito said, when asked whether he'll accept the demotion. ''I'm going to just continue to go have some fun pitching. That's been my goal all along.''
Zito enjoyed the finest years of his career in Oakland after the team made him the ninth overall pick in the 1999 draft.
Bolstered by a big, sweeping curveball, Zito threw six straight 200-inning campaigns and won 23 games in his award-winning 2002 season before struggling to live up to a massive seven-year, $126-million deal with the San Francisco Giants.
"Just being back on the A's mound at the Coliseum, it was awesome out there," Zito told reporters Saturday. "It was a great experience."
- With files from The Associated Press