导出博客文章SAN FRANCISCO -- Tim Lincecums no-hitter last weekend at San Diego provided a
rare first-half highlight for the stumbling San Francisco Giants. And, perhaps,
a glimpse into the Freaks immediate future in the Bay Area. General manager
Brian Sabean said on his regular radio show Thursday that the Giants dont plan
to trade the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner this season. "Thats definitely
good. Ive always had a great time here in SF and I just hope to see that go
further," Lincecum said after the Giants held a post-All-Star break workout at
AT&T Park on Thursday night. Lincecum is in the final season of a $40.5
million, two year contract. "I expect Timmy to be in a Giant uniform," Sabean
said on KNBR-680. "I find it hard to believe that hed pitch elsewhere this
year." Now, the defending World Series champions must get back to work in a
hurry if they want to hang around in an NL West that is still wide open. The
first-place Arizona Diamondbacks are in town for a three-game series starting
Friday night to kick off the second half. "We know where were at, and what has
to happen in the second half, and thats us getting more consistent in all facets
of the game," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said as the Giants held a light
workout Thursday evening. "This things not going to happen right away as far as
getting right back to where you want to be. Its a gradual thing, and that
happens by playing good baseball." At 50-45, Arizona leads the fourth-place
Giants (43-51) by 6 1/2 games -- so this series will be important for both
clubs. Arizona will look to separate, while San Francisco hopes to gain ground
in a tight division. The Giants are struggling in every phase, with a daunting
August schedule on the horizon. First, theres an important nine-game homestand,
which includes a 10th game at AT&T Park on Tuesday in a doubleheader with
Cincinnati in which the first game features the Reds as home team to make up a
July 4 rainout. Players and coaches held a team meeting Friday in San Diego.
Nobody is counting out the Giants at this stage. "This is the team thats won two
out of the last three World Series. Theyre still the king of the hill in this
division," D-backs infielder Cliff Pennington said. "Just being ahead of them
after the first half doesnt knock the team that won the World Series two out of
the last three years out of it." Still, San Francisco has lost 14 of its last 20
games and is desperately seeking some momentum. Not to mention some good
fortune. "They seem eager to get back. Thats great news," Bochy said. "I think
its pretty simple, really: Early, our pitching wasnt what it normally is, and we
went through a month really not hitting, not putting runs on the board. That was
our biggest issue. It got contagious and we had a hard time getting out of it.
... Its going to be up to us to find a way to get some runs. We just got shut
down too many times the last four or five weeks." Diamondbacks manager Kirk
Gibson expects the Giants to fight their way back into the race despite all the
challenges, saying, "I dont look at them as a fourth-place team." While centre
fielder Angel Pagan hit an inside-the-park home run May 25, he hasnt played
since and had surgery on his left hamstring that will sideline him perhaps for
the rest of the year -- though the Giants and Pagan remain optimistic it wont be
that long. It was a tough blow for the Giants after Pagan re-signed during the
off-season for $40 million over four years. "He feels he will be back before the
seasons over," Bochy said. The Giants hope to get right-hander Ryan Vogelsong
back sometime next month after he heads out on a rehab assignment, perhaps soon.
The 2011 All-Star broke two bones in his right pinkie area and also dislocated a
knuckle in the hand on a swing May 20 and underwent surgery the next day.
Vogelsongs return would be a boost to a rotation that, aside from All-Star lefty
Madison Bumgarner, has been far from steady. Both Vogelsong and Pagan have been
in Arizona working back from their injuries. Lincecum tossed a 148-pitch gem
against the Padres last Saturday at Petco Park for his first career no-hitter.
"Im just glad I dont see a cast on his arm," Bochy said. Lincecum said he feels
"normal." Thursday would have been his turn to pitch without the break. He is
set to start Monday night at home against the Reds. "I felt fine today
throwing," he said. "I felt like if I had to throw, if today had been the
would-be day, I would have been fine." If Lincecums outing provides a positive
entering the second half, Bochy will take it. Hell take just about any advantage
right now. Yet plenty of teams would like nothing more than to take down the
franchise that has won two of the past three World Series championships. Gibson,
for one. He is thinking big in mid-July, like October big. "I dont want a
vacation. I want a short off-season," he said, referring to a long post-season
run. "That goes without saying." Notes: The Giants All-Stars, Buster Posey,
Bumgarner, Sergio Romo and Marco Scutaro, had the night off. So did Jeff
Francoeur and Sandy Rosario, as both were waiting for the births of babies. ...
Arizona RHP Ian Kennedy had his beard shaved off at a barber shop during the
break. "I treated myself to an actual shave Monday," he said. "Its the first
time in 26 months since my daughter, Nora, was born." Why the new look? At 3-6,
"I needed a change."
Cheap
Stan Smith White . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt.
Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with
Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston.
Stan Smith Clearance . Just not the
game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the
Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night.
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. -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the
accelerator instead.
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Clearance Sale . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most
of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy
runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first
half of the season.
Stan Smith
Discount . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt
handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17
months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in
Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both
tournaments. MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota has quite the 1-2-3 punch in its running
game this season.The Gophers hit Colorado State with two of them all afternoon
and completed nonconference play unbeaten.Rodney Smith rushed 17 times for 99
yards and two touchdowns and Shannon Brooks returned from injury to net 85 yards
and a score on 13 carries, helping Minnesota wear down the Rams on the way to a
31-24 victory on Saturday.Theyre both awfully good, coach Tracy Claeys said of
his sophomore tailback tandem, so it doesnt matter which way it ends up.Brooks,
the teams leading rusher last season, missed the first two games because of a
broken foot. Kobe McCrary, who piled up 176 yards rushing two weeks ago against
Indiana State, rushed for 13 yards on four carries.They had fresh legs coming in
all the time, Rams safety Jake Schlager said, adding, They definitely used it to
their advantage.Factor in quarterback Mitch Leidner, who took off 10 times for
50 yards and a touchdown, and the Gophers (3-0) have their running game going
just the way they want it entering Big Ten play.Leidner is looking as spry as
ever after suffering foot injuries in each of the last two Septembers that
hampered his sophomore and junior years. He made some cuts and jukes for extra
yardage that made Brooks and Smith proud.Ive never been healthy coming out of
the nonconference so it feels really good, said Leidner, who completed 16 of 20
passes for 174 yards .Freshman Collin Hill, making his second start at
quarterback for the Rams (2-2), cut Colorado States deficit to seven points with
a 15-yard toss to Michael Gallup with 6:24 remaining. The Gophers followed with
a three-and-out, but Hills fourth-down pass at the Minnesota 45 around the
2-minute mark was broken up by Adekunle Ayinde to quash the comeback.The Rams,
who started three different quarterbacks over the first three games, have come a
long way since a 44-7 loss to Colorado in their opener.I believe were close to
becoming a pretty good football team, coach Mike Bobo said.Leidners underthrow
toward the sideline was intercepted nnear midfield by Braylin Scott in the final
minute of the first half, but Wyatt Bryan missed a 46-yard field goal as the
clock expired to preserve a 17-7 lead for the Gophers.ddddddddddddTHE
TAKEAWAYMinnesota: The Gophers were far from flawless, particularly on defense
while giving up 11 gains of 15-plus yards, but they did precisely what they
needed to do by entering conference play unscathed.Colorado State: Hill finished
15 for 30 for 182 yards and one touchdown with an interception and a fumble that
led to 14 points for Minnesota, after a sharp debut against FCS foe Northern
Colorado. The experience playing at a Big Ten stadium ought to help his
development.FINISHING STRONGEmmit Carpenter, who has not missed a kick this
season, made a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter. Thats the only time in
14 trips inside the 20-yard line the Gophers havent crossed the goal line.Once
you get down there, its tough to stop Rodney, Shannon and Kobe, Leidner said.
Thats a lot of horsepower coming at you.FEELING THE PRESSURESteven Richardson,
who had four of Minnesotas 14 tackles for loss, sacked Hill on the first play
from scrimmage. Hill absorbed several hard hits on the afternoon, none more
jarring than the sack by Taiyon Devers that knocked the ball loose and his
helmet off to give the Gophers possession at the Colorado State 33.Devers, one
of four true freshmen who played on defense, has forced a fumble on all three of
his sacks just 2 1/2 games into his college career.Collin hadnt played any speed
like that, Bobo said.UP NEXTColorado State: The Rams host Wyoming in their
Mountain West opener for the Bronze Boot, the trophy that has gone to CSU for
three straight years. This game is the only trip for the Rams outside of
Colorado for the first six weeks of the season.Minnesota: The Gophers play their
first Big Ten game at Penn State. Minnesota is 2-4 there all time, having last
visited in 2009 and last won in 2003. ' ' '
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