USC’s Zito Is Ready to Move On

Barry Zito of USC doesn’t plan on pitching for the Trojans for more than one season.

The 6-foot-4 junior left-hander is eager to start his pro career. And he will get the opportunity--again--if he remains healthy until the amateur draft in June.

Zito, drafted in the third round by the Texas Rangers last year, established himself as perhaps the most dominating pitcher in college baseball when he struck out 16 in consecutive seven-inning appearances against Oregon State and Arizona last month.

His latest victory came Friday, when he limited California to three runs on four hits in 7 2/3 innings in a 4-3 victory. At one point, he retired 14 consecutive batters in improving his record to 7-2, 4-0 in the Pacific 10.

USC’s sweep of the visiting Golden Bears last weekend sets up a showdown this weekend with Stanford, which leads the conference race by one game over the Trojans.

Zito, who has won six consecutive starts, will take the mound Friday in Palo Alto for the first of three games. The defending national champion Trojans are 23-17, 10-2 in the Pac 10 after losing 11 of their first 15 games.

“I think you could call me a strikeout pitcher, but I won’t be a true power pitcher until I get my velocity up to about 93 or 94 mph like I’m capable of,” said Zito, who has used a fastball, curve and changeup to get 95 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings this season. “My arm is not 100% in shape yet. I always hit my highest velocity in the summer.”

Because the NCAA tournament has been expanded from 48 to 64 teams this year, the nine-day World Series will not begin until June 11--just when Zito traditionally begins heating up the radar gun.

Zito graduated from University High in San Diego. He was 3-6 with a 6.43 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings as a freshman at UC Santa Barbara, but transferred to Pierce College for his sophomore season so he could be eligible for the draft.

The Rangers selected Zito in the third round after he went 9-2 with a 2.62 ERA and struck out 135 in 103 innings.

Zito and the Rangers, however, could not come to terms on a contract. He pitched Wareham to the Cape Cod League title last summer, enrolled at Grossmont College for fall classes, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in October and arrived at USC a few weeks before the season opener.

“I have the same stuff I had last year, but I’m proving I can do it against Pac 10 hitters,” said Zito, who struck out eight in five innings in a nonconference start against Cal State Northridge last week. “The strikeouts are great, but my main goal is to help get our team back to the College World Series.”

The Trojans suffered what appeared to be a major setback when catcher Eric Munson broke a bone in his hand March 27 in a game at Washington State. Munson, projected by some as the potential No. 1 pick in the draft, is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks.

Munson’s injury, however, might be considered an omen of sorts. Last season, he missed 19 games because of a foot injury, then came back for the Trojans’ run through the playoffs and World Series.