Former MLB pitcher Barry Zito revealed himself as a singing rhinocerous in "The Masked Singer" on Wednesday night, introducing TV audiences to his post-baseball career as a professional musician.
While Zito was a big deal in the early-2000s for baseball fans, many people watching the show haven't heard of him.
After being eliminated from "The Masked Singer" in the show's semifinals, online interest in him has spiked. We're here to help explain his background for those unfamiliar.
🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨 #RhinoMask is...#TheMaskedSinger pic.twitter.com/Y3Hxxpchr1
— The Masked Singer (@MaskedSingerFOX) May 14, 2020
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Here are the essentials on what made Zito such an interesting player and person:
The Curveball
Zito set himself apart stylistically from the rest of the league with his slow curveball, which looped into the strike zone in a way that often froze opponents in the batter's box.
His left-handed hook was good enough that it let him be an elite pitcher early in his career with the A's despite not having an impressive fastball. His best year came in 2002, when he posted a 23-5 record to go along with a 2.75 ERA for Oakland. He racked up 182 strikeouts that season.
Take a look at Zito's curveball in all of its glory:
Barry Zito, filthy Curveball. 😷 [@mlbscoutbreak request] pic.twitter.com/9Apbw8ijuq
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 1, 2018
The Big 3
Zito's formative years in MLB were made more compelling by the fun team around him. Along with Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, he helped form a generational pitching trio that spearheaded four straight playoff appearances.
That the A's never made it past the first round of the postseason with their three aces is a foundational part of a recent history littered with October disappointment. Those shortcomings weren't Zito's fault, though. In five playoff starts from 2000 through 2003, he pitched to a 2.76 ERA.
Those teams were immortalized in the 2011 movie "Moneyball" featuring Brad Pitt.
The commercials
Zito has always been a natural entertainer, and the A's took advantage of his talents with several classic commercial bits.
Here's him in 2005 with then-youngsters Dan Haren and Joe Blanton:
And him the year before going pitch-for-pitch with Mulder:
The World Series
While Zito failed to match his consistent success with the A's upon signing with the Giants ahead of the 2007 campaign, he did produce playoff magic for San Francisco.
With the Giants facing playoff elimination against the Cardinals in Game 5 of the 2012 NLCS, he threw 7 2/3 shutout innings in an effort that was crucial in his team reaching the World Series. He then won Game 1 of the World Series against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. The Giants swept Detroit for their second title in three years.