Barry Zito Revealed He Was Rooting Against 2010 Giants in World Series After He Was Left off Roster
By Chris Pyo
Barry Zito won a World Series with the San Francisco Giants in 2012. You'd think that any player who wins a World Series has to be happy with the franchise they're with, no matter what.
However, things definitely weren't too rosy between Zito and the Giants for a little while, as he details in his upcoming memoir "Curveball."
Barry Zito admits in new book that he actually was rooting against the @SFGiants, who left him off the playoff roster, in the 2010 World Series. Columnist @annkillion sits down with the pitcher who bares his soul and shares his journey > https://t.co/zYOql7y6Do#Curveball #MLB
— Sporting Green (@SportingGreenSF) September 16, 2019
The 2002 Cy Young Award winner and three-time All Star revealed that he was actually rooting against his own team in the 2010 World Series because they left him off the playoff roster.
The Giants went on to beat the Texas Rangers in five games to capture their first championship since 1954, and Zito's ego was destroyed.
"I rooted against the team because my ego was in full control and if we lost then I could get out of there,” he wrote.
Zito's overall stint with the Giants definitely did not live up to the lofty expectations when they signed him to a $126 million deal over seven years, although he was still a serviceable pitcher for a good portion of that time.
10 Years Ago: Giants sign Barry Zito to $126 million deal over 7 years. Turns out to equal $1.93M per win, as Zito wins 65 total games. pic.twitter.com/a7UQlvdeTP
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 29, 2016
Talk about seriously not being a team player. Bruce Bochy's decision really sent him into a spiral, huh?
This is the ultimate form of disrespect that Zito could have shown to his teammates, and hopefully they can laugh about it today, given that they're nine years removed from that World Series and won three over the course of five years.