Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 359

In ‘You Must Stand Up,’ Amanda Becker captures the scramble after Dobbs

Jason Dick | (TNS) CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON — It was hard to follow everything that happened when the Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

“If you were a doctor in Louisiana trying to keep up, in just over a month, abortion went from legal, to illegal, to legal for now, to illegal for now, to legal again for now, to illegal pending the outcome of [an] underlying lawsuit,” writes Amanda Becker, a journalist with The 19th.

Becker offers an account of that chaotic time in her new book, “You Must Stand Up: The Fight for Abortion Rights in Post-Dobbs America.” She shadows doctors, activists and others around the country as they navigate the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

“This is a story that is going to keep going,” Becker said, describing a “major political realignment.”

She joined the Political Theater podcast this month to talk about what she saw on the ground and how abortion is shaping the current election cycle. This transcript has been edited and condensed. For the full conversation, listen here.

Q: How did this book come about?

A: Everyone who writes about abortion rights knew that Dobbs was coming. It was just a matter of time to see which case was going to be the one that overturned Roe.

And so I had started mentally preparing for that, because I not only thought it was going to be a huge story in terms of health care and the court and civil rights, but potentially the biggest political story of my career.

As we head into the first presidential election with no Roe v. Wade in 50 years, we’re seeing that. We just got some polling from New York Times/Siena College showing that abortion is starting to overtake other top issues among voters in swing states. And for women under 45, it’s already the most important issue.

Q: You spent time with an abortion clinic director in Alabama and a doctor in Arizona. What was that like?

A: Living in America right now, you’re living a very different life based on where you are, and your reality can change dramatically in terms of the type of health care you can access. And it’s not just abortion — when there are abortion bans in place, there’s a cascading effect.

I knew that in that first year, clinics and providers were going to be trying to take care of people in a situation where a lot of times they were uncertain even what type of care they could provide. I was just very aware that I didn’t want to be an added stress to them on top of everything else.

I started with the clinic in Tuscaloosa run by Robin Marty, and I had to ask them a few times before she was like, “OK, you can come on down.” And then she said, “You need to talk to Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick,” so I went out to Phoenix. And I consider those two settings and those two people to really be the heart of the book.

Q: Where else did you go?

A: I write about two women from Maryland who were trying to open an all-terms clinic, and there’s also a chapter in Massachusetts, a state where the vast majority of people support abortion rights, even more so than nationally. I wanted to show a place where people on the local and state level were getting really creative about how to protect abortion access.

In Wisconsin, I followed a medical student. How do you train to be an OB-GYN in a state where you’re prohibited from learning key parts of health care? People tend to practice in the areas where they train, and there are already maternal health care deserts in Wisconsin.

And Kentucky is the other one that comes to mind, where I followed everyday voters in a red state who were campaigning against a ballot measure. One of them had never done any sort of door-knocking before, and I wanted to see what that felt like on the ground, and what made them say, “I’ve had enough. I’m taking to the streets.”

Q: Every book has a deadline, but how did you know when to stop reporting?

A: In the afterword, I write about trying to end the book: “How could I leave readers with the most up-to-date information possible as abortion access continued to ebb and flow across the country, and any single court ruling or election could change everything in an instant?”

This is a story that is going to keep going. It’s a story that I think is turning into what could be a major political realignment in this country. You know, realignments are kind of hard to see when you’re at the beginning of them, and it’s only much later that scholars and political scientists look back and are like, “Oh, the great political realignment of whatever.”

I anticipate that the afterword for the paperback next year will be the election results from this year, and how that changed things.

Q: A number of abortion-related measures are on the ballot this year around the country. Beyond those, what else are you watching? What about congressional races?

A: I absolutely am going to Arizona to cover the Senate race between Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake, and I will be spending some time in Michigan.

I could potentially get back to Wisconsin by November. There’s not only the Senate race between Tammy Baldwin and Eric Hovde, but there’s also an OB-GYN [Kristin Lyerly] who’s running for the House out there in a district that has been red, but getting less red.

There are no women OB-GYNs in Congress right now, and I’d love to talk to her. Why does a doctor put aside their medical career because they feel like they need to run for office based on protecting the type of health care they were trained and have been providing to patients?

“ You Must Stand Up ” (Bloomsbury) is out Tuesday. Hear more from Becker at Politics and Prose on Friday and at People’s Book on Sept. 19.

___

©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Horoscopes Sept. 14, 2024: Emma Kenney, enjoy the ride

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Emma Kenney, 25; Dilshad Vadsaria, 39; Kimberly Williams-Paisley, 53; Robert Herjavec, 62.

Happy Birthday: Discipline, consideration and making things happen are the challenges that will define you as the year progresses. Change is up to you; formulate your ideas and put your plans in motion. Turn this into a feel-good, do-my-best year, and hold your head high as you attract and captivate your audience. You have plenty to gain if you trust and believe in your capabilities. Enjoy the ride. Your numbers are 8, 17, 22, 29, 32, 35, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Call on reliable sources to give you the lowdown and help reset your attitude and emotional well-being. Look for and surround yourself with what and who makes you feel alive and good about yourself. Personal improvements are within reach, and romance is in the stars. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep sight of what’s happening around you. Keep an open mind, but know what’s in your best interest. Pay attention to tidying up loose ends so you can start something new and exciting. Socializing will lead to valuable information and new beginnings. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When uncertainty sets in, step back, ask questions and be cautious not to overextend yourself. An opportunity to gather information regarding your health or to make physical improvements that boost your confidence will help you move in a positive direction. Timing and budgeting are essential. 5 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Set a budget and goals, and then follow through. Social events or spending time with someone you love will encourage you to make choices that promote peace of mind and stability. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that can set you back financially. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An opportunity will lack substance. Get the details before you agree to get involved in something that requires more time, energy or cash than you want to contribute. First take care of matters that affect your home, livelihood or meaningful relationships. Focus on personal growth and personal gain. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Plan to have some fun. Challenge yourself and do something requiring stamina, energy and concentration. Don’t let temptation step in and lead you down the wrong path. Make each moment count. Learn from experience, and you’ll get better results. A change will be enlightening. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Create a blueprint and calculate the cost. Whether upgrading your qualifications or making your space user-friendly, having a strategic plan and sticking to it will help you achieve your goal. You’ll receive unique input from someone who can help make your dream a reality. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Reduce the risk of financial loss, health issues or indulgence by using common sense, innovative alternatives and by being willing to do the legwork and fact-checking yourself. A change can benefit you, but it must be within the confines of what defines you and your needs. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A change to your financial status through investments, or how you earn your living, looks promising if you are in control and don’t trust someone else to look out for your interests. Think and do for yourself, and enjoy the ride. Self-improvement and love are favored. 4 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at your investments, current expenses and the changes you want to make in order to alter your routine and lifestyle. Be open to trying something new or incorporating more diverse skills into your resume. Promote yourself, network and connect with those heading in a similar direction. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Broaden your awareness, learn from those living your dream and make minimalism an option when dealing with joint ventures and shared expenses. Put more energy into getting to know anyone who is influencing your opportunities. Explore your options, but don’t overspend on something you don’t need. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Situations requiring thought and fact-checking will surface, and preparation is vital. Be a good listener and formulate ideas and decisions that benefit you. Refrain from letting anyone talk you into something you cannot afford. Take care of your needs before you pay for someone else’s. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are demonstrative, competitive and determined. You are innovative and direct.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters. 

High School football: Palma falls in the desert to Yuma Catholic

YUMA — The mistakes were self-inflicted. It’s part of the process when a dozen sophomores are getting their feet wet against a state caliber team.

Jeff Carnazzo can live with that. What left the Palma football coach salty on a 12-hour bus ride back to Salinas Friday night was the seemingly endless penalties — including one he was flagged for.

“It was embarrassing to the point where their coach apologized to me after the game,” Carnazzo said. “I had to stick up for my kids. It was sad to see officials — that you would think would do the right things for kids.”

Ultimately, it was two failed attempts on two separate drives inside the 1-yard line that derailed the Chieftains in a 21-7 loss to Yuma Catholic in Arizona.

“It was a positive experience for our team to go on a 12 plus hour bus ride and spend time together,” Carnazzo said. “We played a game in 100-degree heat and it didn’t affect us. This was a winnable game. We have to learn to be able to finish.”

The Shamrocks came into the game ranked No. 1 in the state of Arizona in Division 4A, improving to 3-0. Last year they won their first 13 games — including a 14-0 decision over Palma — before falling in their state title game.

“We have a lot of things to work on to be better as a team,” Carnazzo said. “We’re not close. We don’t expect to be where we want to be in Week 3. I saw a lot of positives to build off of tonight.”

Among them would be the Chieftains defense, which had not allowed a point in their first two games. That string continued into the fourth quarter before Yuma Catholic produced their first offensive points of the game.

Having outscored their first two opponents 90-13, the Shamrocks were shut down by Palma’s defense, anchored by defensive ends Cesar Mercado and Xavier Reinhardt.

“Both those guys put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and were solid against the run,” Carnazzo said. “We didn’t allow him a lot of time to throw. Our defense as a whole played well.”

Yuma’s points in the first half came on a pick six from its defense and on a kickoff return just before halftime to erase Palma’s brief 7-6 lead.

Unable to score from the 1-yard line in the first half, the Chieftains put their first points up against Yuma Catholic in two games with 33 seconds left in the second quarter when Eli Dukes found a seam and scored from 9 yards out.

That advantage, though, was short-lived — 12 seconds to be exact — as Yuma Catholic took the ensuing kickoff and returned it for a touchdown in a momentum changing moment just before halftime.

Unlike its first two games, where Palma returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown, it was a 3-and-out to open the second half in what would be a scoreless half for the first time since falling to Soquel last season.

“Offensively, we struggled to punch it in,” Carnazzo said. “We had the ball on the 1-yard line and failed to score on two occasions. Yuma is a solid football team. We’ll be better for this.”

The defending State Division 4A champion Chieftains will get one final tune-up before the start of Gabilan Division play when they host North County next Saturday at Rabobank.

Once upon a time fierce rivals in the postseason, it will be the first game between the two teams since 2003, when Palma held on for a 28-21 win over the Condors.

 

SF Giants mathematically eliminated from NL West in Logan Webb’s shortest start since May 5

SAN FRANCISCO — In addition to getting another left-handed bat in the lineup against tough Padres righty Dylan Cease, the Giants wanted to maximize their infield defense behind Logan Webb, one of the most effective pitchers in the majors at keeping the ball on the ground.

So, before Friday night’s series opener, they recalled journeyman minor-league infielder Donovan Walton and inserted him to the starting lineup at second base, leaving their less surehanded top prospect, Marco Luciano, on the bench. It was sound strategy to win that night’s game but drew the ire of a fan base that has largely accepted the Giants’ fate with just over a dozen games left this season and their club out of contention.

In the end, the infield alignment hardly mattered as the Padres put the ball in the air, got to Webb early and sent the Giants to their second straight shutout loss, 5-0, that only further crystallized the disappointing outcome of their season. The loss mathematically eliminated them from catching the Dodgers for the NL West, and the number to eliminate them from the postseason altogether dropped to six.

Out of the game after four innings, Webb allowed four runs (three earned) and took the loss. It was his shortest start since May 5, snapping a streak of 22 straight starts of five or more innings, and he had nobody to blame but himself for his elongated final frame.

With Jackson Merrill at second with two outs in the fourth, Webb had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. The No. 9 hitter, Elias Diaz, bounced a soft ground ball in front of the plate, and Webb waved off catcher Patrick Bailey to make the play himself. However, he airmailed the throw about 10 feet over the head of LaMonte Wade Jr., allowing Merrill to go 180 feet and extend the Padres’ lead to 4-0.

It was a double dose of reminders of the importance of pitchers’ fielding practice as the next batter, Luis Arraez, won the footrace against Webb on a ground ball to Wade, though that one didn’t come back to bite him as he got Fernando Tatis Jr. to roll over to end the inning, at last.

Exhausting 20 or more pitches in three of his four innings — 84 in total — the Giants determined not to push him any further and handed the reins to Tristan Beck to begin the fifth. With 193⅔ innings in 31 starts, Webb has shouldered the largest workload of any pitcher in the majors this season.

“It was just time to give him a little bit of a break,” manager Bob Melvin said. “To keep pushing him in a 4-0 game, with the inninngs that he’s pitched, sometimes even a guy like him needs a break.”

Webb’s sinkerballing ways have made him one of the best in the majors at inducing ground balls (at a rate of 57.4%, the fourth-highest in MLB) and suppressing home runs (third-fewest among qualified starters). But four of the six batters he faced in the first inning lifted the ball in the air, none harder or further than the 1-0 changeup that left the bat of Fernando Tatis Jr. at 109.6 mph and found a landing spot 433 feet away in center field.

“Just bad pitches,” Webb said in response to his difficult first inning. “I’m a contact guy. My job is to limit the damage, and I didn’t do that.”

The home run was only the 11th allowed by Webb all season and gave the Padres a 2-0 lead two batters into the game.

That would have been enough against a group of Giants hitters that was stupefied by Webb’s opponent, Dylan Cease, but Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts teamed up to tack on one more before the first was over, and the unearned run in the fourth made it 4-0. Machado doubled home another run off Camilo Doval in the ninth to make it 5-0.

Cease struck out the side twice and fanned 10 Giants over six shutout innings. San Francisco struck out 12 times in total, falling to 23-41 when striking out double-digit times, the eighth-most such games in the major leagues.

“It’s something we’re looking pretty hard into going into next season because it’s been an Achilles’ heel for us,” Melvin said of the Giants’ strikeout issues. “We just strike out too much. … We’ve got to find a way to put the ball in play a little more.”

After producing five hits in a 3-0 loss to the Brewers on Thursday, they mustered only four Friday night. It was the first time the Giants have been shut out in back-to-back games since losses last September 3 and 4 to the Padres and Cubs and only the 14th time it has happened since the turn of the century.

“Usually we find a way, even if we don’t do much else off the starter, to make a push at the end,” Melvin said. “But their bullpen is pretty lock-down, too.”

San Diego Padres catcher Elias Díaz, right, waits to tag out San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos at home during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Heliot Ramos represented their best scoring chance in the sixth inning, but he was thrown out trying to score from first base on Patrick Bailey’s two-out double into the right-field corner. He was waved home by third-base coach Matt Williams, who decided to test the strong right arm of Tatis, but the relay throw easily beat him to the plate and it turned into the third out of the inning.

Walton may have saved a run with his defense, diving to right to rob Bogaerts of a hit to lead off the fourth, but contributed a pair of their strikeouts while going hitless at the plate. Luciano, meanwhile, never had a reason to remove his black team jacket.

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SS Tyler Fitzgerald was held out of the lineup a day after leaving in the third inning with lower back tightness, but he’s not expected to miss an extended period of time. Fitzgerald underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage and is considered day-to-day. Brett Wisely filled in at short, and the Giants recalled IF Donovan Walton from Triple-A Sacramento to start at second behind Webb. OF Luis Matos was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento for Walton; he had struggled to get on the field as the Giants prioritized playing time for Jerar Encarnacion, 26, another right-handed hitting outfielder with a .791 OPS since being recalled on August 4.

Up next

RHP Mason Black (0-3, 7.50) matches up against RHP Joe Musgrove (5-5, 4.64) in the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

FACT FOCUS: A look at false claims made by Trump in California

By MELISSA GOLDIN

In a press conference from his Los Angeles-area golf club, former President Donald Trump revisited several topics from Tuesday night’s debate, repeating several false and misleading claims on issues including crime, the economy and immigration.

Here’s are the facts:

Trump again falsely claims crime skyrocketed under the Biden administration

CLAIM: New numbers show that crime has skyrocketed under the Biden administration.

THE FACTS: Violent crime surged during the pandemic, with homicides increasing nearly 30% in 2020 over the previous year — the largest one-year jump since the FBI began keeping records.

But FBI data released in June shows that the overall violent crime rate declined 15% in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. One expert has cautioned, however, that those figures are preliminary and may overstate the actual reduction in crime.

On Friday, Trump cited numbers he said were from the “bureau of justice statistics” to claim crime was up. This appears to be a reference to the National Crime Victimization Survey recently released by the Justice Department, which shows that the number of times people were victims of violent crime increased by about 40% from 2020 to 2023. The report notes, however, that while the rate of violent victimizations in 2023 was higher than it was in 2020 and 2021, it was not statistically different from the rate in 2019, when Trump was president.

That survey aims to capture both crimes reported to police and crimes that are not reported to police and is conducted annually through interviews with about 150,000 households. It doesn’t include murders or crimes against people under the age of 12.

No basis for claims that violent crime has spiked as a result of the influx of migrants

CLAIM: Thousands of people are being killed by “illegal migrants” in the U.S.

THE FACTS: This is not supported by evidence. FBI statistics do not separate crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the U.S.-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. In fact, national statistics show violent crime is on the way down.

Inflation has not reached record levels

CLAIM: Prices have gone up “like no one’s ever seen before.”

THE FACTS: That’s not accurate. Inflation did soar in 2021-22, though it rose by much more in 1980 when inflation topped 14%. It peaked at 9.1% in June 2022.

Economists largely blame the inflation spike on the pandemic’s disruptions to global supply chains, which reduced the supply of semiconductors, cars and other goods. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also pushed up gas and food prices. And Biden’s stimulus checks and other spending contributed by turbocharging spending coming out of the pandemic.

Inflation has now fallen to 2.5%, not far from the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Prices are still about 19% higher than they were before the pandemic, but the Census Bureau reported Tuesday that household incomes have risen by a similar amount, leaving inflation-adjusted incomes at roughly the same level as they were in 2019.

Trump raises false claims to suggest voting systems are fraudulent

CLAIM: The voting system isn’t honest. Millions and millions of ballots are sent out “all over the place. Some people get two, three, four or five.”

THE FACTS: Election officials have procedures in place to ensure that only one mail ballot is issued to each eligible voter. When a voter requests a mail ballot, election officials will verify that person’s eligibility by checking voter registration records — looking to match the voter’s information to what’s on file and, in some cases, checking that the voter’s signature matches as well.

When a ballot is sent out by an election office, that ballot is assigned to that specific voter. If someone else tries to use that ballot, the voter’s information will not match the office’s records for that ballot and it will be rejected. Election officials constantly update their voter lists to ensure they are accurate, removing dead people, those who have moved out of state or are not eligible.

In some cases, ballots are canceled — if a voter makes a mistake and requests a new ballot or decides to vote in person instead of using a mail ballot. In those cases, the original ballot is marked in such a way that if that original ballot were to show up at the election office it would be flagged and rejected.

At one point in his remarks, Trump singled out California, where all voters receive a ballot in the mail. He suggested he would win if votes were counted honestly. He has made this claim before and it is a reach. Just 23% of California voters are registered as Republican while 46% are registered as Democrats. He lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016 in California by 4.2 million votes, and he lost the state to Biden in 2020 by 5.1 million votes.

Trump misrepresents a revision of U.S. job numbers

CLAIM: A whistleblower forced the government’s recent downward revision of job gains by 818,000.

THE FACTS: That’s false. The preliminary revision occurred as part of a normal annual process and was released on a previously disclosed date. Every year the Labor Department issues a revision of the number of jobs added during a 12-month period from April through March in the previous year.

The adjustment is made because the government’s initial job counts are based on surveys of businesses. The revision is then based on actual job counts from unemployment insurance files that are compiled later. The revision is compiled by career government employees with little involvement by politically appointed officials.

The Biden administration is not secretly flying hundreds of thousands of migrants into the country

CLAIM: Harris and the Biden administration are secretly flying in hundreds of thousands of “illegal immigrants.”

THE FACTS: Migrants are not secretly being flown into the U.S. by the government. Under a Biden policy in effect since January 2023, up to 30,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela can enter the country monthly if they apply online with a financial sponsor and arrive at a specified airport, paying their own way. Biden exercised his “parole” authority, which, under a 1952 law, allows him to admit people “only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”

Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Chris Rugaber, Christina Almeida Cassidy and Elliot Spagat contributed to this story.

 

SF Giants’ Farhan Zaidi explains how past offseasons will inform their actions this winter

SAN FRANCISCO — Unlike recent winters, the Giants don’t plan to sit around and wait this offseason.

“One of our goals is going to be to be very aggressive timing wise and try to get things done early,” team president Farhan Zaidi said Thursday in his latest appearance on the club’s flagship radio network, KNBR. “I certainly think going into the offseason we’re going to try to be really aggressive trying to get things done earlier and not have things extend into the new year.”

With 15 games to go and the Giants three games under .500 entering Friday’s series opener against the Padres, Zaidi confirmed the team has shifted its focus to 2025 and is already putting plans in place for how to augment a roster that didn’t perform up to expectations in the first season under manager Bob Melvin.

One box on their offseason to-do list was checked off last week, when they agreed to terms on a six-year, $151 million extension with third baseman Matt Chapman.

While Zaidi credited both sides for wanting to get a deal done, he explained that the Giants’ motivations were rooted in the failed pursuits of previous winters.

“I think we were a little bit impacted by how the last couple of offseasons have gone for us,” Zaidi said in response to guest host Ray Ratto, who brought up the unusual timing of Chapman’s extension, just a month before he could have hit free agency. “We’ve been in these really extensive talks that have extended past the winter meetings, into January, this spring even into February. I think that kind of length of talks creates a lot of uncertainty and is a detriment to the organization.

“And as we’ve seen in some cases this year is a detriment to players playing to the best of their abilities.”

It’s no secret what the Giants’ priorities were the past two offseasons or their need to pivot when those plans didn’t work out.

They were all-in on Aaron Judge two winters ago, but eventually reallocated that money into Mitch Haniger, Michael Conforto, Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling and Taylor Rogers. Last winter, their white whale was Shohei Ohtani, but instead wound up with Chapman, Blake Snell, Jorge Soler and Jung Hoo Lee — as well as a roster still in flux when they reported for spring training in February.

Soler didn’t sign until February 18, Chapman two weeks later March 3, and Snell the last of all of them on March 19. Soler started so poorly that the Giants moved off his contract as soon as they found a suitor, and Chapman and Snell have been much better in the second half since they’ve gotten settled.

Rather than repeat history, Zaidi said the Giants hope to “not get stuck in some of these staredown contests.”

That could mean the Giants have read the tea leaves and don’t expect to be serious suitors for Yankees outfielder Juan Soto, or it could simply be the start of a public negotiating ploy with his agent, Scott Boras. Either way, the 25-year-old Triple Crown candidate is expected to demand maximum value and could lure the Giants into another protracted offseason if they decide to play at the top of the free-agent market again.

When those negotiations extend in December, January and even February, Zaidi said, “it can be paralyzing, it can sort of impact different things you’re trying to do on your shopping list.”

Another Boras client who figures to be a top priority for the Giants is Snell, whose 1.45 ERA in 10 starts since he returned from a groin strain July 9 is the lowest of any qualified starter in the majors. He is expected to opt out of his $30 million salary for 2025 and seek to cash in on his second half with the long-term deal he was seeking last winter.

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While Zaidi declined to comment on whether negotiations had already begun like with Chapman, he said an extension is “certainly on the table” while hedging that “whether it happens before the season ends or not, that’s a different question.”

Zaidi also confirmed a San Francisco Chronicle report that his contract is only guaranteed through 2025, not 2026, as the organization had suggested and was reported at the time when they introduced Melvin last November. While there is “2026 language” in both their contracts, Zaidi said, “it’s not fully guaranteed.”

“Bob and I are continuing to work really well together,” Zaidi said. “We’re focused on finishing the season strong. We’re looking forward to next year. We’ve had conversations about what changes we need to make personnel wise and otherwise to get us where we need to go. I think in a season of disappointment overall, there have been some real silver linings and some things we think we can build on going into next year.”

Kurtenbach: Christian McCaffrey’s calf injury could define the 49ers’ season

Will he or won’t he?

It’s not a soap opera question. No, it’s the one that the 49ers will have to answer with star running back Christian McCaffrey every week for the foreseeable future.

It’s a question that could well define the 49ers’ 2024 season.

The Niners had outstanding injury luck last season. They’re starting this one with a harsh dose of reality.

A calf injury and Achilles tendinitis have kept McCaffrey sidelined for the last month-plus. He missed the Niners’ season opener on Monday, and he’ll miss Sunday’s game in Minneapolis, too.

The undefined nature of this injury — this new weekly routine of ambiguity — isn’t going away any time soon because McCaffrey’s calf injury isn’t something that can be rested away.

Obviously, I’m not a doctor or a physical therapist, so I am not in a position to diagnose any injury or speak on its severity. But with McCaffrey sidelined for the past month-plus with a soft-tissue injury, the conversation I had with Niners defensive tackle Javon Hargrave before last year’s Super Bowl has been popping up in my mind again and again.

Hargrave’s hamstring gave out on him in Week 14 last season. Before that point, he had been one of the Niners’ most important defensive players. And while the big man missed only one game, but he was not himself over the Niners’ last five games, registering only one quarterback hit after Thanksgiving.

And it made sense, right? Hargrave’s game is predicted on explosion off the line of scrimmage — he tries to jump off the snap and split gaps on the offensive line to put himself in the backfield. His hamstrings are his game, and as he told me in Nevada in February, he simply didn’t trust them.

Why? Because when you’re dealing with a lower-body muscle strain during a season, there’s simply no way of truly testing it before a game. You’re not going full-speed in practices, and even if you thought you were, the speed of an NFL practice (during training camp or the regular season) doesn’t compare to an actual game.

Call it a fight-or-flight response, but no one can know if that hamstring or calf is back in game shape until you’re playing across from a team looking to inflict pain in front of 70,000 screaming fans.

Hargrave had two weeks off before the Super Bowl, and he was honest about what that meant. A bit more rest than usual was good, but it wasn’t enough to convince him the back of his legs — his moneymakers — would be firing at full speed for the game.

It turned out that the rest did, in fact, help.

But the good times lasted for a half. Hargrave looked hobbled in the second half and overtime against Kansas City. His hamstrings didn’t make it to the finish line.

Sadly, this all feels prescient regarding the McCaffrey calf injury.

The back, who finished third in NFL MVP voting last year, is pushing positivity in public. The injury report and his status for the Niners’ first two games, though, tell the real story.

The line in Santa Clara has been, “If the playoffs were today,” McCaffrey could and would play.

And that has me thinking back to another calf injury saga — Kevin Durant in the 2019 NBA Finals.

We all remember what happened then.

Hargrave was lucky — his hamstring injury never turned catastrophic. A full offseason of rest and stretching had him looking like his old, dominant self again in Week 1.

But Durant missed the full 2019-2020 season in Brooklyn with his ruptured Achilles tendon and played in less than half of the Nets’ games before being traded to Phoenix in 2023.

He had a long way to fall — he’s still one of the league’s best — but he’s never been the same player after the Achilles tear.

If we learned anything from the Durant saga, it’s that when you’re dealing with a calf injury, you’re dealing with an Achilles, too. It’s not surprising the Niners are listing the tendon on the injury report these days.

And if the injury worsens, perhaps it’s just the muscle that goes. Or perhaps it’s much, much worse.

The Niners and McCaffrey are playing a perilous game. The player and team obviously want No. 23 on the field, but they’ll never really know if he’s ready to play. They can only rest him and hope that mitigates the risk of the worst-case scenario.

How long will that rest be?

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That’s anyone’s guess right now. Both general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan said they aren’t ruling out putting McCaffrey on injured reserve — keeping him sidelined for at least four weeks — on Friday. An injury that has already lingered for five weeks might need another month-plus.

And even after that, no one will truly know if McCaffrey is good to go until the dice are rolled and he’s in the 49ers’ backfield, facing the Seahawks or Chiefs’ defense.

Yes, there’s a world where this nagging injury — this sense of foreboding — goes away.

As of today, more than a month after Shanahan first reported this injury, I don’t think that’s the world we live in.

Rather, this seems like something that will be a constant nag on the 49ers’ season.

This was the downside the 49ers faced when they traded for the at-the-time injury-riddled running back in 2022. So far, it’s been almost all upside — elite-level play — from the running back. The coin has flipped.

The Niners are lucky that they’re in a position to manage such a thing. Teams with lesser rosters would stop printing playoff tickets today. (Yes, I know all the tickets are digital, now.)

But McCaffrey’s injury won’t be the last. This is full-speed football, after all.

And while the Niners probably only need McCaffrey for four, maybe five regular-season games this campaign — all coming from Week 6 onwards — things can change fast in the NFL.

Even if McCaffrey’s injury status, it seems, does not.

Horoscopes Sept. 13, 2024: Jean Smart, push forward with confidence

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lili Reinhart, 28; Ben Savage, 44; Jean Smart, 73; Jacqueline Bisset, 80.

Happy Birthday: Put your heart and soul into what makes you happy and you’ll thrive this year. Socialize, join in and participate in events and activities that connect you to fascinating people. Expand your interests, mind and goals, and make life changes that set you up for success. Don’t give up; manifest what you want and realize your dreams. Trust in yourself and push forward with confidence. Your numbers are 6, 17, 21, 29, 33, 37, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be imaginative, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Get the facts, and don’t buy into something that lacks substance. You may desire change, but it must be beneficial before you act. Learn from experience, and don’t settle for less than what you want. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Use your talents, skills and expertise to access something new and exciting. Look at what’s available and reach out to see if something that interests you is a good fit. Change is within reach, and so is the chance to raise your income, reputation or prospects. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll be overwhelmed if you take on too much. Pick and choose what interests you most, and refrain from falling short and feeling stressed. You owe it to yourself to engage in personal growth and self-improvement, and to decide what matters and is meaningful to you. Romance is favored. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Check facts and figures. Do a thorough investigation of a proposal you receive, regardless of how convincing it is. You may be craving a change or a new beginning, but you are best to sit tight unless it feels right. Focus on looking and feeling your best. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Doors may open, but you may need help to take advantage. Refrain from acting prematurely or making promises you cannot fulfill. Consider what is possible and what will contribute to something you aspire to achieve. Be open to suggestions, but don’t back yourself into a corner. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Invest in what makes you happy. Stop denying yourself the opportunity to explore the possibilities. Put your energy where it counts and offers you peace of mind and reassurance that you can move forward. Adjust, compromise and make your dreams come true. Don’t get angry; get moving. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t jeopardize your health, emotional well-being or domestic situation. It’s essential to give yourself enough breathing room to figure out what’s best for you and how to make the most of what you have. A chance to experience or learn something new will help you gain clarity. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are in a better position than you realize. Consider your long-term plan and contact someone to help you reach your objective. Pay attention to detail but add innovative ideas that will motivate others to get involved in helping you achieve your goal. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Only share your plans with someone you trust. Focus on something you enjoy doing, or sign up to participate in a challenge that stimulates you. Explore the possibility of spending more time with someone who enjoys the same pastimes. A proposal looks promising, and romance is favored. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Count your pennies and review your investments. Reviewing your assets will give you the confidence to make changes to improve your life. Start the process, ease stress and engage in activities and pastimes that encourage better physical health and emotional well-being. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put more time, money and effort into being your best. A new look, educational pursuit or better money management will pay off. Look at your surroundings and adjust whatever is necessary to accommodate what you want to pursue. Home improvement and joint ventures will encourage success. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t go overboard, even if someone tempts you. Indulgent behavior or overspending will leave you in a vulnerable position. Put your energy into something that offers a positive return. Physical activity will ease stress and give you the clarity you need to make better choices. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are intelligent, thorough and forceful. You are intense and passionate.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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High School football: Edmonds’ four touchdowns leads Breakers past Gonzales

PACIFIC GROVE — The emphasis all week in practice was make better contact when blocking, be more assertive, particularly when creating space for runs to the outside.

“Don’t just get in the way,” Pacific Grove football coach Jeff Gray said. “Make solid contact with their bodies. Be more aggressive on our blocks. We were a little soft last week.”

Having one less day to think about last week’s loss, the Breakers scored on each of their first seven possessions Thursday in a 48-14 win over Gonzales.

“We just kept moving the ball forward,” said Gray, whose team has improved in the win column in each of the last two falls. “Nothing was going backwards. In our system, it sets itself up as long as we keep going forward.”

Facing its first ‘A’ league opponent since the pandemic in last week’s 28-7 loss at Alvarez, the Breakers (2-1) were able to dissect their own shortcomings on film this week.

“The biggest issue we had against Alvarez is we couldn’t run to the outside,” Gray said. “That closes a lot of things down. We spent all week trying to shore up the outside run with an emphasis on being more aggressive with our blocks.”

Effectively getting to the outside early in the game enabled the Breakers to carve up holes inside with Gideon Llantero producing a pair of touchdowns on the ground, including a tackle breaking 12-yard run in the first quarter.

In fact, four of the Breakers seven touchdowns were runs that came right up the middle, including a pair from quarterback Brody Edmonds.

The junior lit up the Gonzales defense, completing 10-of-11 attempts for 172 yards, with touchdown passes to Garrett Kuska and Ben Garry.

“I felt like the majority of our drives were running the ball,” Gray said. “But the passing game was working as well. We were clicking. I didn’t hesitate to call the pass.”

That opened up opportunities for Llantero, who blew through a handful of holes for 108 rushing yards, while Kuska and Garry both kept drives alive with runs to the outside.

“Ben (Garry) had a great game,” Gray said. “He had a big presence for us on defense as well.”

Garry had a pick and finished with 10 tackles, while Ryton Harrison was a menace in the middle of Pacific Grove’s defense. Yet, it was Nathaniel Wade that set up the first touchdown with an interception just across midfield.

Having dropped a nailbiter to Soledad last week, Gonzales (1-2) countered when Ray Blanco found Gabriel Barrigan alone for a 36-yard scoring strike.

What transpired after that was the Breakers running off 36 straight points — with 14 of those points coming off of turnovers in the first half.

A member of the Santa Lucia Division, the Spartans have played three teams from the Mission Division South in the preseason, with King City up next in a century old battle for the ‘Megaphone’.

The Breakers, who will host Stevenson next Friday, completed the scoring when Wade tossed a 70-yard scoring strike to freshman Northrup Kirk.

Alisal 7, Sequoia 0: Coming off a season in which the Trojans set a school record for wins and reached a section title game, first year head coach Francisco Estrada didn’t want his players satisfied with accolades from the past.

Reaching the pinnacle had not been achieved.

“Having a tough schedule has brought out the character in this team,” Estrada said. “The willingness to fight in some hard-fought football games. We’ve been resilient in our fight. We feel we’re in a good spot and growing.”

Two plays to open the game changed the complexion in the Trojans season opening loss to Monterey. A failed two-point attempt in overtime was the difference in a Week 2 loss to North Salinas.

“We felt good about ourselves, even in those two losses,” Estrada said.

Yet, until you pick up that first win, there’s pressure. Players and coaches can all exhale as the Trojans defense rose to the occasion in blanking Sequoia of Redwood City.

“I think it relieves a lot of pressure to get that first win,” Estrada said. “We had a solid week of practice. We had an amazing effort, while overcoming adversity.”

Estrada was speaking about the Trojans down three running backs to injuries before the game, turning to Kike Jacinto to fill a need in the backfield.

“He stepped up for the team,” said Estrada, in speaking about his all-league defensive back. “And our offensive line played their butts off.”

So did the Trojans defense front, anchored by linebackers Efren Posadas and Josiah Ramos, who combined for a dozen tackles in stopping Sequoia on a handful of third downs and two fourth down attempts.

“Our defense was light out,” said Estrada, whose Trojans will face Hollister next Friday in a final non-league tune-up. “We had huge plays. To not let them convert on fourth down were momentum changers. We won a lot of third down battles.”

The Trojans also forced a pair of turnovers with Jordan Garcia intercepting a pass late in the game, while Xavier Garcia had a one-handed interception.

Garcia also produced the game’s only touchdown with 3:27 left in the first half when he was on the receiving end of an 18-yard scoring toss form Noah Ramirez, who started at quarterback because of an injury.

King City 43, Marina 7: Clearly there is a trend developing for the Mustangs when they suit up on Thursday at home and on grass.

Winless on the road for the rare Thursday night specials, King City improved to 3-1 at home, as sophomore tailback Carson Tidwell scored four times, while Junior Manriquez tossed three touchdowns in the rout.

“I don’t think it really matters,” said King City coach Mac Villanueva, in playing home games on Thursday. “We had a good week of preparation scheme wise. Maybe with just three days to get ready, there was less to think about and cram in.”

Tidwell, who was brought up last year as a freshman, rushed for three touchdowns and was on the receiving end of an 83-yard pass from Manriquez, combining for 178 rushing and receiving yards.

The sophomore tailback, who rushed for just under 800 yards last fall, has scored seven of King City’s nine touchdown through its first three games.

Manriquez, who didn’t have a touchdown pass coming into the game, completed 12-of-14, hitting Alex Macias on a 46-yard scoring toss and Cody Lambert for 18 yards, finishing with over 200 yards for just the second time in his career.

“He was really accurate,” Villanueva said. “With them playing man defense, our first read was wide open. He put the ball where he wanted to. I know teams want to focus on stopping Carson. But if you’re going to give us the pass, we’ll take advantage of it.”

The Mustangs, who snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturdays with a season opening win at St. Francis of Watsonville two week ago, used a pick from Lambert and a fumble recovery from Nathan Vega to create short fields for the offense.

Sophomore linebacker Rocky Villanueva anchored King City’s front seven eight 10 tackles.

“Coming out and winning in Week 1 on the road has been the highlight of the young season,” Villanueva said. “But tonight, our execution was just better.”

Marina, who has faced three Mission Division opponents that are a combine 6-2 through the first three weeks, is still searching for its identity, having been outscored 130-13 this year.

“It’s tough,” Marina coach Jason Dennis said. “But I see our potential. There’s lot of emphasis on our bright spots rather than our short comings.”

Titus Calvera was on the receiving end of a 34-yard touchdown pass from Elan Espinosa for the Mariners, who will host Rancho San Juan next Friday at MPC before returning to Santa Lucia Division play in two weeks.

 

Birdsong bounces back in big way, but SF Giants still can’t beat Brewers

SAN FRANCISCO — Hayden Birdsong’s rapid rise hit a speed bump in recent weeks.

But with a couple days of extra rest, the rookie right-hander got over the hump Thursday, even if it wasn’t enough for the Giants (72-75) to pull out a win in their rubber match against the Brewers (84-62).

Birdsong, 23, completed five innings without allowing a run, but the Giants’ offense gave their bullpen no room for error in a 3-0 loss. They lost for the seventh straight time Birdsong has taken the mound, but for the first time no blame can lay at his feet.

“He really needed that,” manager Bob Melvin said of Birdsong, who hadn’t gone five innings since July 27, the last time they won a game behind him.

“It was nice to actually just be in the (strike) zone from first pitch to last pitch,” added Birdsong, who matched a season-low by issuing only one free pass.

Just two weeks ago, the same opponent tagged him for five runs and knocked him from the game in the fourth inning in an outing representative of most of Birdsong’s second half. He issued four walks in 3⅔ innings, one of five outings since July 27 that he walked three or more batters and one of six shorter than five innings.

It was a different story Thursday in front of 22,184 — the smallest crowd of the season — as Birdsong worked efficiently through five innings. He was at only 68 pitches when he handed a scoreless tie to the Giants’ bullpen, starting 11 of the 17 batters he faced (64.7%) with first-pitch strikes.

“You could see that he was dotting his fastball away in the zone,” Melvin said. “Good downhill plane, good velo. As he went along, he gained even more confidence. So that was a huge outing for him to give us five like that.”

While posting a 2.45 ERA through his first six major-league starts, Birdsong was throwing first-pitch strikes at a 60.7% rate. Pitching to a gaudy 8.76 mark over his previous six starts, Birdsong was finding the strike zone on only 46.7% of his first pitches.

It made a substantial difference. Entering Thursday night, 24 of Birdsong’s 35 walks had come after falling behind 1-0 and batters had a .910 OPS. When Birdsong got ahead in the count, opposing hitters’ OPS dropped to .642. Funny enough, his one walk Thursday came after a first-pitch strike to William Contreras.

“Obviously I had a walk,” Birdsong said. “But it didn’t bother me at that point because I was in the zone for the whole game. It’s all I really wanted to do. I want to keep doing that, keep showing that I can pitch through five (innings) and beyond. Today, I was really happy with what I did.”

In a perfect world, the rookie right-hander’s progress would have been rewarded with a win.

Instead, the Giants got the full spectrum of the Camilo Doval experience in the seventh inning.

Doval got ahead of the first batter of the inning, Willy Adames, but then missed the strike zone four times to put him on base. He flashed his strikeout stuff to put away Gary Sánchez to lessen the threat. But then he missed the glove of Curt Casali entirely not once, not twice, but three times.

Doval allowed the Brewers to score the first run of the game without putting the ball in play, instead using a walk and three wild pitches. Jackson Chourio extended their lead the next inning with a two-run homer against Spencer Bivens that landed on the concourse in right field and made it 3-0.

“It’s just about command for him,” Melvin said of his former closer. “If he throws it over the plate, he’s tough to deal with. That’s been his issue. The other day, he hung a slider, so maybe he’s trying to be a little bit fine with that. But there’s still good life on his fastball. When he hits his slider well, it’s still plus. Just having a tough time doing it consistently.”

The Giants, meanwhile, were stumped by Brewers starter Frankie Montas — a former player of manager Bob Melvin’s with the A’s — for six shutout innings and struck out 15 times while being held to five hits one night after exploding for three homers and 17 hits in a 13-2 win.

They advanced only five men in scoring position and went hitless in six opportunities, stranding eight runners in total.

Jerar Encarnacion lined a double down the left-field line off Brewers closer Devin Williams to give the Giants runners at second and third with one out in the ninth inning, but Grant McCray went down swinging and Patrick Bailey grounded out to end the game.

The shutout loss was the Giants’ sixth of the season and prevented them from stringing together series wins for the first time since the first week of August. It was the first time this season the Giants dropped a home series to an NL Central foe, after taking at least two of three from the Reds, Cubs and Pirates.

Notable

SS Tyler Fitzgerald left the game in the third inning with lower back tightness, the club announced.

Up next

The Giants welcome the Padres (82-65) to town for three games to wrap up their penultimate home stand of the year, starting Friday at 7:15 p.m., however they have not announced their pitching plans for the weekend series. Their next loss or the Dodgers’ next win will mathematically eliminate them from NL West contention.