At the end of the final season of Barry Zito's contract (2006), the A's conceded that they could not afford to resign the beloved lefty.  The sound of thousands of teenage (and otherwise) broken hearts echoed across the East Bay, and the Barry Zito era in Oakland was all but officially over. 

   Then, suprisingly, it was the Giants - alawys happy to one up the A's - that swooped in and stole the ace of the staff and defacto leader of the club, at the tune of $126M.  It's funny how things work out, because everyone this side of the sun knows how the rest of that story has gone so far. 

   Fast forward to present day, where the Giants find themselves in a rebuilding mode of sorts.  In the midst of this rebuilding mode, one Rajai Davis hits a terrible slump.  Out of options, he gets picked up on waivers by these Oakland Athletics.  Curious move considering the depth that the A's have in the OF, but welcomed by myself since I'd admired Rajai's talent from across the bay since his arrival last season.  How did he go from the toast of KNBR (which isn't saying much) to the latest great move by the A's front office?

 Rajai's stats in 12 games w/ SF                                                                (yahoo sports)

   Rajai's stats in 11 games w/ OAK

   I understand that it's early in the season, and players always have ups and downs, but this is pretty impressive and substantial improvement over almost two equal sample sizes.  The A's acqusition of Davis, and the Giants signing of Zito is (fairly or unfairly) yet another feather in Beane's genius cap, and another blemish on Sabean's resume. 

   Rajai's stats with the A's can be written off as a hot streak, which I do not refute, but that's not necessarily what this is about.  This example does more to tell the saga that has been the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants over the past 10 years.  So while the Giants have had Bonds, the home runs, the splash hits, the ballpark, the All Star Game, and the allure that is the city of San Francisco:

   Nothing compares to a winner, and it's a reminder that all's fair in love and baseball.

  Go A's.