There has been very little for Oakland Athletics fans to cheer for during the 2015 season, but that will change Saturday when fans are treated to a nostalgic afternoon of baseball.
The team announced Tuesday that Barry Zito will start Saturday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. One of his former Oakland teammates, Tim Hudson, will toe the rubber for San Francisco in a showdown that is bound to conjure memories for those in attendance.
This clash is particularly noteworthy for Athletics fans because Zito, Hudson and Mark Mulder formed the backbone of a strong pitching staff that helped the team reach the postseason four straight years from 2000-03. Oakland won the American League West three times during that span as well, thanks largely to the dominating performances that can be seen below:
Both veterans are expected to retire after the year, which will mark the end to two incredible careers.
The fans will not be the only ones excited by Saturday’s festivities, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted:
As if the starting pitching matchup weren’t enough, all three players will be honored in a pregame ceremony before Sunday’s contest, as the team announced:
The three pitchers will throw ceremonial first pitches Sunday before Oakland’s final home game of the campaign.
Oakland is eliminated from the postseason race, and the Giants are virtually out of contention (although not mathematically). While both teams would prefer a high-stakes clash on the Bay with postseason positioning on the line, the fans will settle for a look back at the good old days with the former stars.
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