Looking at the A’s, Giants, Oracle, Zito

I know were talking about two diverse sports, but when you talk “team sports” the winds blow more for America’s pastime than America’s Cup.

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And while were still on the subject of baseball and the A’s and the Giants, I read a comment in a recent newspaper which basically stated that Barry Zito’s seven-year, more than $100-million contract with San Francisco was the worst long-term contract ever.

For five years the contract was under attack because of a lack of positive mound results, or, more to the core, to make his long-term contract payoff for the Giants, especially after five sporadic years, there had to be at least a World Series in the mix for Zito and “The City,” and it would be best to put a championship trophy on the mantel.

As a Bay Area Hall of Fame pitcher who was a Cy Young award-winning southpaw ace, Zito helped Oakland be a constant contendor and title winner during the first part of his pro career.

In this second part of his career – which is not officially over – Zito moved across the Bay and, finally, in that jackpot sixth of his controversial seven-year mega-plus dollars contract, he delivered two of the best, and certainly most clutch, pitching efforts of his career and San Francisco baseball’s history and lore in last years playoffs.

After spotting St. Louis a three-games-to-one advantage in the National League championship series, the Giants got a masterful seven-plus-inning elimination-game winning performance by the often-maligned “because of that long-term, high-paying contract ownership was willing to pay” Zito, who saved San Francisco’s 2012 postseason with his crafty left arm.

He then was the winning pitcher of the first-game – or as it is now known as the “Panda’s three-homer game” of the World Series, outdueling another Cy Young award winner in Justin Verlander and his mighty Detroit Tigers.

Zito’s NL pennant series win and the World Series victory, followed by a second WS title for the Bay Area and a WS ring for his finger.

So that worst contract claim is void.

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Before I wrap the baseball rap, here’s more kudos to the Giants for wrapping up Hunter Pence with another one of those long-term contracts, which has already paid major dividends before it was signed. He became not only a key player, but inspirational leader for the team and joined Zito and their SF teammates in winning last year’s World Series.

This year Pence was an ironman, playing every single game, batting .283, with 27 home runs and 99 RBIs as a high-level defensive right-fielder, who oozed inspiration and was voted the coveted Willie Mac Award, named after an orginal inspirational Giant, Willie McCovey.

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I’m finished with baseball but I’m ending with football – quarterback Alex Smith and head coach Andy Reid have led the long-suffering Kansas City Chiefs to a 4-0 record to start the season.

This is not a comparison to Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers being 2-2, because he’s an excellent athlete and versatile quarterback who’s where he belongs and will lead San Francisco to future glory.

Smith is also a very good athlete and quarterback – maybe not excellent, at least not yet, but by season’s end he very well might be – and he deserves all the success he achieves and he’s where he belongs.

It’s all making for a dramatic and exciting season, which would – and sorry to all the Raider fans for this statement – be ironic and cool to have the 49ers play the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Ciao!