Barry Zito
Zito on August 2, 2008
San Francisco Giants – No. 75
Starting pitcher
Born: (1978-05-13) May 13, 1978 (age 34) Las Vegas, Nevada
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 22, 2000 for the Oakland A's
Career statistics (through May 18, 2012)
Win–loss record	148–125
Earned run average	3.89
Strikeouts	1,711
Teams
Oakland Athletics (2000–2006) San Francisco Giants (2007–present)
Career highlights and awards
2002 AL Cy Young Award World Series Champion (2010) 3× All-Star selection (2002, 2003, 2006)

Barry Zito (born May 13, 1978) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams.^[1]

Zito never missed a scheduled start in his career until 2008, and led the American League in starts four times. After the 2006 season, Zito signed the most expensive contract in history for a pitcher at the time.^[2] Zito is well known for the drastic difference between his pre- and post- All Star Game pitching performance, and has been one of the greatest second half pitchers in MLB history throughout his career.^[3] He has also proven to be one of the greatest front running pitchers in recent memory, holding a record of 112–6 when getting at least 4 runs of support.^[4]

Zito played collegiately at UC Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Pierce College, and the University of Southern California. In the 1999 draft, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the ninth pick of the first round.^[5] Zito is known for his idiosyncrasies, and his offbeat personality. He created the charity Strikeouts for Troops which provides money to hospitals for soldiers wounded in military operations.

Early life[link]

Barry William Zito was born on May 13, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was a late-in-life baby for Roberta and Joe, a show biz couple who met and married while working for Nat King Cole in the 1960s. Joe was Cole’s conductor and arranger, Roberta, a classically trained violinist and pianist, was a singer in the star’s backup group, the Merry Young Souls.

High school and college[link]

Zito transferred from El Cajon's Grossmont High School to University of San Diego High School, a Roman Catholic school where he earned all-league honors with an 8–4 record and 105 strikeouts in 85 innings as a senior.

He then attended UC Santa Barbara where he earned Freshman All-America Honors with 123 strikeouts in 85⅓ innings. Transferring to Los Angeles Pierce College, he posted a 2.62 ERA and went 9–2 with 135 strikeouts in 103 innings, and was named to the all-state and all-conference teams.

He then transferred to USC, where he was a first-team All-America selection by USA Today Baseball Weekly, Collegiate Baseball, and Baseball America. With a 12–3 record, a 3.28 ERA, and 154 strikeouts in 113⅔ innings, Zito was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year.^[6]

While in college, Zito also played in the Cape Cod League, a summer wooden bat league which showcases the nation's top amateur prospects. He led the Wareham Gatemen to the league championship in 1997, and a runner-up finish in 1998.^[7][8]

Professional career[link]

Major League Baseball Draft[link]

Zito was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the 59th round (1,586th overall) of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft, and in the third round (83rd overall) by the Texas Rangers in 1998, but did not sign with either team. In the 1999 draft, he was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the ninth pick of the first round, and signed for a $1.59 million bonus.^[5][6]

Minor leagues[link]

In 1999, Zito began his professional career with the Visalia Rawhide, Oakland's Class-A team. He went 3–0 with a 2.45 ERA in 8 starts. He struck out 62 in 40⅓ innings. Zito was promoted to the Midland RockHounds, and went 2–1 with a 4.91 ERA to finish the AA schedule. He then got one start for the AAA Vancouver Canadians, allowing a lone run with 6 strikeouts in 6 innings.

Zito began the 2000 season in AAA with the Sacramento River Cats (the Canadians franchise was moved to Sacramento). He pitched 101⅔ innings in 18 starts, going 8–5 with a 3.19 ERA, 91 strikeouts, and 41 walks.^[5][6]

Major leagues[link]

Oakland Athletics (2000–06)[link]

2000[link]

Zito made his major league debut on July 22, 2000, against the Anaheim Angels. He allowed one run in five innings, and got the win.^[9] In his next start, Zito went 7 innings while giving up 3 runs to the Red Sox. Zito would continue to have great success early in his rookie season. In his third career start, he went 7 innings and gave up 1 run to against the Toronto Blue Jays.On September 10, Zito pitched his first complete game shutout against the Tampa Bay Rays. Zito threw 110 pitches, struck out 8, and allowed 5 hits. During the month of September, he went 5–1 with a 1.73 ERA. Zito would finished with a 7–4 record and a 2.72 earned run average in 14 starts.

Zito made his postseason debut in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees. Zito went 5.2 innings, struck out 5, walking 2, and allowing an earned run. Zito earned the win. However, the Yankees would win the series, 3-2, and would go on to win their third straight World Series.

2001[link]

In 2001, Zito finished third in the league in strikeouts per nine innings (8.61), fourth in strikeouts (205), sixth in wins (17), eighth in ERA (3.49), and tenth in winning percentage (.680).^[10] Zito became the sixth lefty aged 23 or younger since 1902 to strike out at least 200 batters in a season. After a great rookie season, Zito struggled through the early part of the 2001 season. However, Zito would rebound nicely and by August, he was putting up good pitching numbers. Zito was named Pitcher of the Month in August. He went 5–1 with a 1.02 ERA. Zito would win Pitcher of the Month again in September, going 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA. During those last 2 months of the season, Zito went 11–1 with a 1.32 ERA, best in baseball over those last 2 months.

The Athletics made the postseason and played the Yankees in the American League Division Series. Zito pitched in Game 4 against Mike Mussina and the Yankees. He went 8 innings, striking out 6, walking 1 and allowing an earned run. But Zito took the loss when the Yankees won the game, 1–0. The Yankees would end up taking the series, 3–2.

2002[link]

In 2002, Zito became one of the best pitchers in baseball. On June 22, Zito won his tenth game of the season. It was the earliest that an A's pitcher has reached the 10-win mark since Bob Welch got there on June 15, 1990. Zito was named to the All Star team for the first time in his career. On July 18, he went 7.1 innings while giving up no runs against the Angels. That win gave Zito a team-record 16th straight win at home. Zito would again face the Angels in his next start and it porduced similar results to his last start. He went 6.1 innings and gave up just 1 run. That win gave Zito the most wins by an AL pitcher with 14. Zito would become the AL's first 15 game winner when he beat the Rangers. On August 23, Zito recorded his 18th win of the season, giving him 1 more than his previous career high of 17, in a game against the Tigers.

On August 28, Zito earned his 19th win of the season against the Kansas City Royals. However, Zito loss his bid for a perfect game in the sixth inning when Neifi Perez singled with one out. Zito would give credit to Perez. "You always know what's going on, Zito said. "I wasn't pitching to maintain some kind of no-hitter. I left the ball up the middle and Perez hit it up the middle. It was a good hit."

On September 8, Zito became the first pitcher in the American League to win 20 games when he pitched 7 innings and allowed no earned runs. I'm not pitching for the Cy Young, Zito said. I'm pitching to win as many games as we can for the team and first place. In his next start, against the Mariners, Zito took a no-hitter into the 8th inning before John Olerud singled to leadoff of the 8th inning. Seattle manager Lou Piniella said,"If I had to vote for a Cy Young winner, it would be for the young man who pitched today in Oakland."

In his last start of the season, Zito went 6 innings and allowed just a run against Texas. In his last 10 starts, Zito went 8-0, boosting his chances of winning the AL Cy Young Award. "Barry pitched a gem. He has done that all season long, said Oakland manager Art Howe. "Certainly a Cy Young-type season.

In Game 4 of the ALDS, Zito went 6 innings and gave up 3 earned runs against the Minnesota Twins. He earned the win.

Zito would go on to win the AL Cy Young Award with a 23–5 record, narrowly defeating Pedro Martínez in the voting. He led the league with 23 wins, was second in winning percentage (.821), and third in both ERA (2.75) and strikeouts (182). Zito's 23 wins was the most by an AL left-hander since Frank Viola had 24 wins for Minnesota in 1988. Zito also allowed a .185 average to opposing hitters, the lowest in the AL.^[10] Martínez, who'd led the AL in ERA (2.26), strikeouts (239), and winning percentage (.833), became the first pitcher since the introduction of the award to lead his league in each of the three categories and not win the award.^[11] Zito became the first A's pitcher to win the Cy Young Award since Dennis Eckersley did it in 1992. Zito was also named AL TSN Pitcher of the Year.

2003[link]

In 2003, Zito started off with a win against the Seattle Mariners. He went 6 innings and allowed an earned run, an RBI single by John Olerud in the 1st inning. In his next start, Zito went 7 innings, struck out 7, walked 4, and allowed one run against Texas. In the process, he became only the fifth A's pitcher to win 10 straight games, the first since Bob Welch in 1990. On April 18, Zito went 9 innings, allowed 6 hits, and no runs in a start against the Rangers. Zito improved to 9–0 in his career against Texas. After the game, Texas manager Buck Showalter said,"I got the feeling he made it look pretty easy. When he has that kind of command, you can see what happens." Zito struggled in his second-to last start before the All-Star Break. He allowed 7 earned runs and 15 hits against the Rays. The 15 hits allowed were a career high. Rays manager Lou Piniella was stunned by Zito's bad start. He said,"If you'd have told me we'd get 15 hits off Zito in five or six innings, I would have looked at you a little funny." Nevertheless, Zito bounced back in his next start. He went 8 innings without surrendering a run against the Baltimore Orioles. Zito was again named to the All Star team, the second time he has been named to the team.

In 2003, Zito was seventh in the AL in ERA (3.30). He was tenth in strikeouts in 2004 (163), and fifth in 2005 (171).^[10] Zito had a streak of 14 consecutive starts (and 20 out of 21) in which he gave up fewer hits than innings pitched.^[12]

In Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox, Zito went 7 innings, striking out 9, walking 2, and allowed 1 earned run. In Game 5, Zito went 6 innings and allowed 4 earned runs. Zito was the losing pitcher. The Red Sox won the game and the series.

2004-2006 seasons[link]

In the 2004, Zito struggled and posted his worst numbers in his career at the time. Zito went 2–3 with a 6.83 ERA in the month of April. He went 11-11 with a 4.48 earned run average. That was his only year with the Athletics that Zito's earned run average was more than 4.00.

In 2005, Zito again struggled in the month of April. He went 0–4 with a 6.60 ERA. However, Zito pitched better the rest of the season. Zito was named Pitcher of the Month in July. He went 6–0 with a 2.51 earned run average. In 35 starts, Zito went 14–13 with a 3.86 earned run average. Zito's 35 starts were the most in Major League Baseball that season and it showed his durability as a pitcher.

In 2006, Zito went 1.1 innings and allowed 7 earned runs against the New York Yankees. It was the shortest outing of his career. However, Zito quickly rebounded from that bad start. When the All Star Break rolled around, Zito was 8–6 with a 3.29 earned run average. He was named the starting pitcher for the 2006 Major League All-Star Game. The 2006 season was also Zito's last season with the Athletics. On August 25, Zito earned his 100th career win when he defeated the Texas Rangers. Zito would help the Athletics reach the postseason. The Athletics would go on to lose in the American League Championship Series to the Detroit Tigers .

He threw 200 or more innings in each of his six full seasons with the A's. Zito never missed a scheduled start and led the American League in starts four times. He was named to the American League All-Star Team in 2002, 2003, and 2006.^[10]

Zito replaced his agent Arn Tellem with Scott Boras in July 2006.^[13] Zito was a focal point of the 2006 trade deadline, and was widely rumored to be headed to the Mets in a potential deal for prospect Lastings Milledge. A's general manager Billy Beane decided to keep him for the rest of the season.^[6] Zito was offered to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Michael Bourn, Ryan Madson, and Chase Utley, but the then-GM of the Phillies Ed Wade said the price was too much and turned it down.

San Francisco Giants (2007–Present)[link]

Following his seventh season with the A's, Zito signed a seven-year deal with the San Francisco Giants worth $126 million, plus $18 million option for 2014 with a $7 million buyout.^[14] Zito's contract on December 29, 2006, became the highest for any pitcher in Major League history at the time.^[14]

During spring training in 2007, he and Barry Bonds made shirts that read "Don't ask me, ask Barry" with an arrow pointing to the other Barry. By all accounts, Zito and Bonds got along well during their short time as teammates, and Zito made a point of saying he would stand by Bonds through onslaughts from the media.^[15]

In his first start as a member of the Giants, Zito went 5 innings and allowed 2 earned runs against the San Diego Padres. He would take the loss. In his next start, Zito struggled. He went 6 innings but allowed 8 earned runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Zito would earned his first win as a member of the Giants in his next start when he went 6 innings, gave up 3 hits, and allowed no runs. "I've been trying to have a good game," Zito said. "You can't try to do anything. You either do or you don't. I tried to get too fine with my pitches. I wasn't aggressive." Rockies manager Clint Hurdle gave Zito credit by saying,"We faced a tough pitcher. We are not playing the way that we believe we can play. We have to continue to believe what we believe in, but you can't let your confidence get swayed."

On May 18, Zito made his return to Oakland as a Giant. He lasted only four innings as he gave up seven runs while walking seven, including two bases loaded walks. The A's beat the Giants, 15–3.^[16] He faced his old team again on June 9, this time in San Francisco. Zito pitched four innings while giving up three earned runs on nine hits.^[17]

Zito made his first Major League relief appearance on August 5 against the San Diego Padres, due to an early exit by starter Noah Lowry and an overworked bullpen. Zito pitched a scoreless seventh inning.^[18] He recorded his first career RBI two days later against the Washington Nationals, in the same game that Barry Bonds hit his record-breaking 756th career home run.^[19]

After Zito's start on August 12, his ERA was 5.13.^[20] Over his next four starts, he lowered his ERA to 4.46. He admitted that he had put pressure on himself to perform because of the large contract and was learning that he just needed to be himself. Zito also said that it had been difficult for him to adjust to a new league, team, and ballpark.^[21] On the final day of the season, in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, Zito allowed two runs on five hits and had four strikeouts in an 11–2 win.

Zito began the 2008 season as the oldest starter and the veteran presence in the Giants' starting rotation.^[22] In April, Zito went 0–6 with a 7.53 ERA and 11 strikeouts. He was the third pitcher in the last 52 years to go 0–6 before May 1.^[23] On April 28, 2008, the Giants moved him to the bullpen.^[24] Zito did not make an appearance out of the bullpen and returned to the rotation on May 7, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In that game, Zito allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs over 5 innings and took the loss, his 7th of the season. On May 23, 2008, Zito collected his first win of the 2008 season against the Florida Marlins. On June 13, 2008, Zito became the first pitcher to record 10 losses in the Major Leagues following the 5–1 loss to Oakland. His 5.1 walks per 9 innings pitched for the season, 51.5% first-pitch-strike percentage, and 14 sacrifice flies allowed, were all the worst in the majors.[1][2]

The 2009 season seemed to have marked a rebound in Zito's pitching performance. Though starting the season 0–2 with an ERA of 10, Zito ended the season with an ERA of 4.03. Though going only 10–13 in the season, Zito's record was much more the fault of his spotty run support (the second-lowest in the major leagues) than his performance on the mound. On June 21, 2009, Zito pitched a no hitter through 6 innings against the Texas Rangers before giving up a hit and then a home run to Andruw Jones in the 7th inning. He won the game, his fourth win of the season.^[25] On July 7, 2009, Zito pitched what could be considered his best game of the season. He pitched 8⅓ innings against the Florida Marlins, allowing 1 run in 4 hits, striking out 6, and walking 1. He won the game, his fifth win of the season.^[25]

Zito started the 2010 season by pitching 6 shutout innings against the Houston Astros to earn a win; it was the first time he had won his season opening start since 2003. On April 24, Zito stifled the St. Louis Cardinals, throwing 8 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts for his 3rd victory of the season, en route to starting the season 5–0 for the first time in his career. On June 12, 2010, Barry Zito earned his first win against his former team, the A's, and has now defeated every MLB team, including the Giants, his current team.

After a strong start to the season, Zito struggled down the stretch, finishing the 2010 regular season 9–14 with a 4.15 ERA. Despite being a stalwart of the starting rotation all season, he was left off the Giants' roster for the post season. Nevertheless, he won his first World Series ring as a member of the full roster.

Early in the 2011 season Zito experienced his first trip to the disabled list after an injury to his right foot during a fielding play. The injury cost him a permanent spot in San Francisco's starting rotation for the season. His replacement, Ryan Vogelsong, excelled in his role as a starting pitcher, making the All-Star team and leading San Francisco's starting pitchers in ERA. After Zito's return, the Giants had to juggle six starting pitchers on the roster. Zito was relegated to a utility role, playing when another starter needed rest or for the second game of a double-header. Zito pitched well in his first few starts back, pitching well against the Tigers, Cubs, and Padres en route to 3 Giants wins, but later continued to struggle, posting a season record of 3–4 with an ERA approaching 6.00. On August 13th, Zito injured his right ankle on another fielding play in a Triple-A rehab start. Adding to his already injured right foot, it was announced that he would be sidelined indefinitely.^[26]

After struggling mightily during Spring Training in which he threw with a new crouched delivery, Zito began the 2012 season with a start against the Colorado Rockies on April 9. He threw arguably one of the best games of his career, throwing a complete game shutout and giving up just 4 hits in the 7–0 Giants victory. It was his first shutout since 2003 as a member of the Oakland Athletics.^[27]

Pitching style[link]

Zito's fastball has hovered between 84–88 mph.^[28] He augments it with a circle changeup and a traditional "12-to-6" curveball that he uses as a strikeout pitch. His curveball was voted the best in the Major Leagues in a player poll conducted by ESPN The Magazine. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees once stated that he had never seen anything like Zito's curveball, commenting: "It's such a high one, and it drops three to four feet. You might as well not even look for it because you're not going to hit it." ^[29]

Since mid-2004, Zito has added a two-seam fastball and a cutter-slider hybrid to his arsenal. In the 2009 season, this cutter-slider became a prominent part of his repertoire, being used more frequently than his changeup. Zito's diminished velocity at the start of the 2007 season (his fastball velocity slowed to 83–85 mph) and loss of command are the key reasons for his recent struggles, as he more often got behind in the count and had to rely more on his fastball. During the 2009 season, Zito made changes to his delivery, lowering his arm slot from an over the top angle to a three quarters delivery. This change helped his fastball velocity go back up to the 86–89 mph range as well as sharpening the break of his curveball. However, in 2011, he was once again in the 84-87 mph range with his fastball. In 2012, Zito has relied most on his two-seam fastball and cutter, and he has all but phased the four-seam fastball out of his repertoire. ^[30]

Awards[link]

• 1999 – Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year
• 1999 – First-Team College All-American
• 1999 – Pac-10 Conference All-Star
• 2000 – AAA All-Star
• 2002 – Baseball America First-Team Major League All-Star
• 2002 – Cy Young Award (AL)
• 2002 – All-Star (AL)
• 2003 – All-Star (AL)
• 2006 – All-Star (AL)

Personal life[link]

Zito is known for his idiosyncrasies and his offbeat personality. He has earned the nicknames "Planet Zito" and "Captain Quirk".^[31]

At his introductory press conference with the Giants, Zito said he liked the way his uniform number 75 looked, because the 7 and the 5 are like a "shelf" to hold the name "Zito" up. He carries pink satin pillows on the road, collects stuffed animals (such as a good luck teddy bear, with which he used to travel), and burns incense to relax.^[32] Early in his career, Zito dyed his hair blue. He plays guitar, surfs, practices yoga, and follows Zen. He has done yoga poses in the outfield, and meditates before games.^[33] In 2001, Zito espoused a universal life force that he credited with his midseason turnaround.^[32] His mother Roberta named him after her brother Barry, a beatnik "freethinker" and acolyte of Zen who mysteriously vanished in 1964 at the age of 22 near Big Sur, California.^[34]

He created the charity Strikeouts for Troops, to which he donates $400 for every strikeout he throws. The charity benefits hospitals for soldiers wounded in military operations. In 2010, Zito announced that he would donate $1,500 for every strikeout in the Giants-Padres game on September 11.^[35] There were a total of 14 strikeouts in the game.^[36]

His father Joe Zito composed and arranged music for Nat King Cole in the early 1960s (ca.1961–64), and arranged for the Buffalo Symphony.^[37] Zito's late mother Roberta was a classically trained musician who also sang with Nat King Cole's band, in a choral group known as The Merry Young Souls.^[38]

His uncle is television actor Patrick Duffy.^[39] In 2003, Zito portrayed a United States Navy petty officer in an episode of JAG on CBS. Zito's character, a pitcher, faced assault charges after hitting a Marine with a ball during the annual Navy-Marine all-star baseball game.^[40]

Zito is engaged to former Miss Missouri Amber Seyer, and received a marriage license at the Marin County clerk's office on November 18, 2011.^[41] They were married on December 3, 2011.

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Barry Zito

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Barry Zito's official web site
• Strikeouts for Troops
• Barry Zito at the Internet Movie Database
• Barry Zito collected news and commentary at The New York Times

Buster Posey
Posey in July 2010
San Francisco Giants – No. 28
Catcher
Born: (1987-03-27) March 27, 1987 (age 25) Leesburg, Georgia
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 11, 2009 for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics (through May 03, 2012)
Batting average	.298
Hits	197
Home runs	26
Runs batted in	97
On base percentage	.357
Slugging percentage	.471
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2009-present)
Career highlights and awards
World Series Champion (2010) NL Rookie of the Year (2010) Players Choice Awards NL Outstanding Rookie (2010) 1× NL Player of the Month 1× NL Player of the Week Golden Spikes Award (2008) Johnny Bench Award (2008)

Posey playing catcher with the Giants in September 2010

Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III^[1] (born March 27, 1987) is an American professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Giants with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. Posey made his major league debut on September 11, 2009; he was named the Giants' regular catcher on June 30, 2010.

As a rookie, he hit .305, slugged 18 home runs and had 67 runs-batted-in.^[2] He was a key to the Giants winning the 2010 World Series. He was named the National League rookie of the year.

Early years[link]

Posey, the eldest of four children, was born to Gerald "Demp" Dempsey Posey II and Traci Posey on March 27, 1987, in Leesburg, Georgia.^[3] His nickname, "Buster," came from his father's childhood nickname. He played football, soccer, and basketball along with baseball growing up, but baseball was his main sport.^[4] As a junior at Lee County High School, Posey (playing shortstop and pitching) had 9 doubles, 3 triples, and 7 home runs while setting school records for batting average (.544) and runs batted in (RBI) (46). Meanwhile, he had a 10–1 record and a 1.53 earned run average (ERA). He batted .462 with 40 RBI as a senior while setting a school record with 14 home runs. Meanwhile, he had a 12–0 record (in 13 starts) with a 1.06 ERA and 108 strikeouts. That year, he was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, the Louisville Slugger State Player of the Year, an EA Sports All-American, and a Baseball America All-American. Posey had a 3.94 GPA in high school while graduating fourth in his class (out of 302 students), and although he was drafted in the 50th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he chose to enroll in college instead of signing.^[3]

College career[link]

Posey played college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles under coach Mike Martin. He began his freshman year at FSU playing shortstop, starting all 65 games for the Seminoles, and was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. He finished his freshman season with a .346 batting average, four home runs and 48 RBIs.^[3] As a sophomore, he moved from shortstop to catcher on the suggestion of assistant coach Mike Martin, Jr.^[5] He batted .382 with three home runs and 65 RBIs. After just one season of playing the position, Posey was a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, awarded to the best catcher in college baseball. He would end up finishing behind Edward Easley of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.^[6]

In 2008, as a junior, he hit .463 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs, won the Johnny Bench Award and was named the 2008 Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year.^[7][8] On May 12, 2008, he played all nine fielding positions in a game against Savannah State, including pitcher where he struck out both batters he faced.^[9][10] On June 14, 2008, Posey was awarded the Dick Howser Trophy, and on July 16, 2008, he won the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the best player in amateur baseball.

During the college offseason, Posey started at shortstop on the 2006 Cape Cod Baseball League championship team for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and started as the catcher on the 2007 championship team as well.^[11]

Professional career[link]

Draft and minor leagues[link]

Posey was considered the best catcher available in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.^[12] He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants with the fifth overall pick.^[13] On August 15, 2008, the Giants signed Posey shortly before the signing deadline for draftees, giving him a $6.2 million bonus, the largest up-front bonus in MLB draft history at the time.^[14] He was invited to the Giants Spring Training in 2009. Following 2009 Spring Training, Posey was assigned to the San Francisco Giants Class A Affiliate San Jose Giants.

On July 13, 2009, he was promoted to the Giants' Triple A team, the Fresno Grizzlies. With an injury to Giants starting catcher Bengie Molina, Posey was called up to the majors for the first time on September 2, 2009.^[15] He made his major league debut on September 11, 2009 as a pinch hitter, striking out. Posey got his first Major League hit on September 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After again appearing in the Giants' spring training camp, Posey began the 2010 season at Fresno, batting .349 in 47 games.

Major League career[link]

Posey in April 2011

Posey was called up to the major leagues on May 29, 2010, and started at first base against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Posey drove in the first runs of his major league career, going three for four with three RBIs.^[16] He appeared primarily at first base through the end of June. Following Molina's trade to the Texas Rangers on June 30, 2010, Posey became the starting catcher for the Giants.^[17][18] Posey hit his first career home run off of Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds on June 9, 2010.^[19]

Posey hit his first career grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7, 2010, en route to a two-home run, four-hit, six-RBI night. That came during a July hitting streak—all of which was played on the road—in which Posey batted .514, had 19 hits, 6 home runs, and 13 RBIs to set a record for rookies during any 10-day stretch in the history of the National League, per the Elias Sports Bureau.^[20] This performance also earned Posey the National League Player of the Week honors for the week of July 5–11, 2010.^[21] Posey also had a 21-game hitting streak that ended July 29 when Anibal Sanchez of the Florida Marlins threw a one-hitter against the Giants. During the streak, which fell one game short of tying the San Francisco Giants' rookie mark set by Willie McCovey and five short of the team record, Posey batted .440 with 37 hits, six home runs, and 23 RBIs.^[22][23] Posey was awarded both the NL Player of the Month and NL Rookie of the Month awards for his excellent July.^[24] On July 10, on the road against the Washington Nationals, Posey was inserted into the Giants' batting order as the clean-up hitter, which became his regular position in the lineup.

On September 21, 2010, Posey hit an 8th-inning home run against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field to win the game, 1-0, the only time in major-league history the feat has been accomplished by a rookie on a first-place team in a September pennant race.^[25] He hit another 8th-inning home run, his 18th, in the final game of the year to help secure the NL West Division championship, 3-0.^[26]

Posey was named by his peers as the NL Players Choice Awards Outstanding Rookie. He was also named the catcher on Baseball America's All-Rookie Team.^[27]

Posey helped lead the Giants to the 2010 World Series to face the Texas Rangers, hitting .282 with three runs batted in during the first two rounds of the playoffs. In Game 4, Posey hit his first postseason home run to center field off of Darren O'Day. The Giants would go on to win the series, 4-1. He became the fifth rookie catcher to win a World Series. During the series he hit .300 with a home run and two runs batted in.

On November 15, 2010, Posey was named National League Rookie of the Year, taking 20 first place votes to second place finisher Jason Heyward's nine.^[28] Posey joins Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, Gary Matthews and John Montefusco as the 6th Giant to win the Rookie of the Year award. He became the sixth catcher in National League history to win the award.^[29] He was also named the catcher on the 2010 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.^[30]

On May 25, 2011, during a game against the Florida Marlins, Posey was injured during a collision with Scott Cousins at home plate after a sacrifice fly by Emilio Bonifacio. The Giants lost the game against the Marlins 6-7 in 12 innings. Posey suffered a fractured fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle, requiring surgery to repair.^[31][32] Cousins said he hit Posey so that he could score. "If you hit them, you punish them and you punish yourself, but you have a chance of that ball coming out." ^[33]

On May 29, 2011, a 90-minute surgery was performed to repair the ligaments and insert two screws in his leg to stabilize the ankle, following which the Giants announced Posey would be out for the rest of the season.^[34] Scott Cousins was not disciplined. He expressed regret that Posey was injured, but defended the play as aggressive, but not dirty.^[35] Cousins received threats, but Posey denounced them: "I appreciate the continued support of Giants fans and others as I begin the process of working my way back ... But in no way do I condone threats of any kind against Scott Cousins or his family. As I said last week, I'm not out to vilify Scott".^[36]

Personal life[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

Posey's younger sister, Samantha, plays softball for Valdosta State University. On April 18, 2011, she hit a home run cycle in a doubleheader.^[37]

Posey married his high school sweetheart, Kristen, in January 2009.

On Sunday, August 14, 2011, Buster and Kristen became the parents of twins (a boy and a girl); Lee Dempsey Posey and Addison Lynn Posey.^[38]

Further reading[link]

• Baggarly, Andrew. A Band of Misfits: Tales of the 2010 San Francisco Giants. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-60078-598-6. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Buster Posey

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Florida State Seminoles bio