SAN FRANCISCO -- The significance of Barry Zito's performance in Game 5 of the 2012 National League Championship Series entered Giants lore almost as soon as the contest ended. The facts are easily summoned from memory: Zito's remarkable 7 2/3-inning effort in the Giants' 5-0 victory at St. Louis prompted their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and accelerated the club's joyride that ended with a World Series title.
In the wake of Zito's official retirement from baseball Monday, it should be mentioned that the breadth of his performance -- he complemented his pitching with a daring two-out bunt single that drove in a run -- was rivaled by its depth.