Oakland Athletics starter Barry Zito has thrown his last pitch in the majors. The 15-year veteran announced his retirement Monday in an article over at The Players' Tribune. The news doesn't really come as a huge surprise. Zito was out of the majors in 2014, and attempted a comeback in 2015. He spent most of the year in the minors, but was finally called up in September as part of a gesture by the Athletics to celebrate his career.
The call up led to one of the coolest moments of the season. A 37-year-old Zito got to start against his former teammate, 40-year-old Tim Hudson, in Oakland. In his article, Zito calls that moment the "cherry on top" of his career.
He also talks about the highs and lows he experienced during his time on the mound. Zito was called up in 2000, and was immediately successful. In his first three seasons with Oakland, he received Rookie of the Year votes, down ballot MVP votes and won a Cy Young award. He settled in as an average to above average pitcher for the rest of his tenure with the Athletics.
