I was furious. Enraged even. Why on earth would anybody sign a starting pitcher to a seven-year / $126 million deal? Nobody’s worth that kind of money – especially a pitcher. Pitchers break, for crying out loud – everybody knows that. Yet they did it. The San Francisco Giants – the team that every Dodger fan loathes – signed a then 29-year-old Barry Zito to what was at the time the single largest (and longest) contract ever given to a major league pitcher on December 6, 2006.

Oh sure, Zito was good, very good, in fact. In his seven previous seasons with the Oakland A’s he led the league three times in games started, appeared in three All-Star games and was the 2002 AL Cy Young award winner when he led the league with his 23 wins. But $126 million? Give me a break.

Although Zito received the most money of his 15-year MLB career while with the Giants, his best years were the seven previous years he spent with the A’s. (Photo credit – Rick Scuteri)

Although no one knew it at the time – well, maybe except for a handful of the game’s top agents – Zito had opened the floodgates for what was to come. Over the next nine seasons several of the game’s best starting pitchers received contracts that easily surpassed Zito’s. In fact, topping that list is none other than Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw who, on January 14, 2014, signed a seven-year deal for which the 27-year-old Dallas, TX native would receive a record-setting $215 million through the 2020 season. It also just so happens to include an opt-out clause after the 2018 season that is identical to the one that fellow Dodger Zack Greinke will undoubtedly exercise this off-season – and yes, they have the same agent (Casey Close).

Getting back to Barry Zito. Although it was highly anticipated that he was going to do so after his final start against the Angels on September 30, the now 37-year-old Las Vegas, NV native formally announced his retirement on Monday morning after spending his final professional season – appropriately so – back with Oakland.

Zito made only three starts with the A’s this season, posting an 0-0 record and 10.29 ERA. He spent most of the 2015 season with the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate Nashville Sounds, where he was 8-7 with a 3.46 ERA in 138 innings pitched – most on the team. He struck out 91 batters – third-most on the team – while walking 60 – tops on the Nashville squad.

But it was his seven seasons with the Giants that Dodger fans will most remember Zito for. During that time the quiet left-hander was 10-10 with a 3.60 ERA. He allowed 14 home runs, struck out 120 and walked 58 in his 167.2 innings pitched against the Dodgers.

The only NL team that hit more home runs off of Barry Zito than the Dodgers was the Padres with 17. The Rockies tied the Dodgers with 14. (Photo credit – Jeff Gross)

My favorite memory of Barry Zito occurred maybe four or five years ago and it actually had absolutely nothing to do with a game. The Giants were in town for a three-game series against the Dodgers and one day during batting practice, Zito and fellow Giants starter Matt Cain were having a friendly competition. They were trying, as many pitchers do during BP, to throw a ball into the bucket located behind the small screen that is place behind second base where the shagging outfielders (usually pitchers) return the balls that are hit to them.

After several unsuccessful tries, Cain finally made one into the bucket. Although I couldn’t hear what was being said between Zito and Cain, it appeared as though they were raising the stakes in their contest.

Sure enough, the next thing I know, Zito is taking careful aim and he then launches a ball that landed on one bounce between the legs of one of the plastic chairs that the security guards sit in during the games in foul territory down the right filed line. We’re talking a throw that was every bit of a 350 feet (or more) and the ball went right between the two front legs of the chair. King’s X. Game over. Barry Zito had won the friendly competition hands down.

Because Zito and Cain had their backs to the fans in the Left Field Pavilion during their little contest, they were (apparently) unaware that anyone had witnessed Zito’s impossible throw. As such, I hollered down to Barry “How much?” – meaning the amount that he had just won from Cain. Without turning around, Zito held up two fingers. And while it is certainly possible that he could have meant two dollars, I suspect that it was probably two hundred dollars or perhaps even two thousand dollars – although I’m sticking with two hundred.

It was nonsense, it’s was horseplay and it had absolutely nothing to do with the game itself, but it clearly showed that in addition to being a fun teammate and having a good sense of humor, Barry Zito was an incredible and very talented athlete.

Thanks for that fun little memory, Barry – and the best to you in your retirement.