DENVER.- 37 year old Greek American baseball player, Clint Zavaras, will be part of the newly formed Greek National baseball team that will represent Greece at the Athens Olympics this summer. Zavaras’ late grandfather, Andrew, was a Greek immigrant. Clint Zavaras began his professional career in 1985, when Seattle drafted him in the third round after he graduated from Mullen High School. He made his major league debut with the Mariners on June 3, 1989, against Texas and Nolan Ryan. Zavaras gave up three hits and four runs in eight innings but lost as Ryan pitched a one-hitter.
In 10 starts for Seattle, Zavaras went 1-6 with a 5.19 earned-run average. He pitched five scoreless innings against Oakland on Aug. 7, the night he was recalled from Class AAA Calgary. It turned out to be Zavaras’ only win in the majors. He underwent shoulder surgery in January 1990, didn’t pitch that season and underwent another shoulder operation that November. Zavaras’ career stalled in the Mariners organization. He signed as a free agent with the Rockies on Nov. 6, 1992, 11 days before the expansion draft. In the Rockies’ cast-of-thousands spring training in 1993, Zavaras wore No. 64. Briefly.
According to the Rocky Mountain News, Lou Angelos – whose father, Peter, owns the Baltimore Orioles – called about 18 months ago and invited Zavaras to be a part of the Greek National Baseball Team.
“I thought about it for a couple days, and then I called back,” said Zavaras, “and just said, ‘I’m not a pitcher anymore. And I haven’t played in so long. Realistically, if you needed help, I’d love to be the pitching coach or help out as a coach.’ That’s what I’m doing these days.”
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