Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 382

Photos: Warriors Hall of Famer Al Attles throughout the years

OAKLAND — Al Attles, who coached the Warriors to the greatest upset in NBA Finals history as part of more than six decades with the franchise, died on Tuesday at his East Bay home. He was 87.

“Alvin Attles did not just epitomize what it meant to be a Warrior – he was Mr. Warrior,” the team said in a statement. “His tenacious playing style earned him the affectionate nickname of ‘The Destroyer’ on the court, but it was his gentle soul, grace and humility off the court that served as a guiding light for the organization for more than six decades.”

Attles is best known for shocking the basketball world by guiding the plucky Warriors to the NBA title in 1975. With just one star, Rick Barry, the team finished with a 48-34 regular-season record. But the Warriors found their groove during the playoffs that culminated with a 4-0 sweep over the highly favored Washington Bullets.

See fully story by Daniel Brown here:

SAN FRANCISCO – 1960’s: Al Attles #16 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait circa 1960’s in San Francisco, California.  Copyright 1960 NBAE (Photo by NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images)San Francisco, CA – Circa 1969 to 1971: Al Attles, #16, makes the jump during a San Francisco Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers game. From left are Jeff Mullins, #23, and Happy Hairston, #52. (Oakland Tribune Photo)Joe Caldwell of the St. Louis Hawks sets his jaw and turns the corner toward the basket in first period National Basketball Association action in St. Louis, on Saturday, night, Dec. 16, 1968. His determination paid off in a basket as he slipped by Al Attles (16) of the San Francisco Warriors to score. Others are Jeff Mullins (23) of San Francisco and Len Wilkens (14) and Paul Silas (29), both of St. Louis. (AP Photo)St. Louis Hawks Cliff Hagan (16) makes a high flying pass to teammate Bob Pettit after taking a shot at the basket, Jan. 6, 1963, St. Louis, Mo. With Hagan in the air is San Francisco Warrior Al Attles (16) who moved in to defend the goal. Action came during the game at Kiel Auditorium. The Hawks defeated the San Francisco Warriors 114-103. (AP Photo/Fred Waters)Oakland, CA Circa 1970s – Golden State Warriors coach Al Attles on the sidelines. (Oakland Tribune Photos)Oakland, CA February 13, 1976 – Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles at a press conference. (By Robert Stinnett / Oakland Tribune)FRONT ROW (left to right): Charles Johnson, Jeff Mullins, Assistant Coach Joe Roberts, Head Coach Al Attles, President Franklin Mieuli, Rick Barry, Butch Beard, Phil Smith, Trainer Dick D’Oliva. BACK ROW: Assistant General Manager Hal Childs, Charles Dudley, Bill Bridges, Clifford Ray, George Johnson, Derrek Dickey, Keith Wilkes, Steve Bracey, Director of Player Personnel Bob Feerick, General Manager Dick Vertlieb. (Golden State Warriors)Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 – Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles rejoices. (By Howard Erker / Oakland Tribune)Warriors coach Al AttlesGolden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles in Oakland on Sunday, February 8, 1981. (By Ron Riesterer/ Bay Area News Group archive)Oakland, CA January 31, 1989 – Golden State Warriors manager Al Attles. (By Dino Vournas / Daily Review)Ray Chavez/staff 5/31/06 tribuneGolden State Warriors legend Al Attles, center, tosses the basket ball between Jenny Fang, left, and her cousin Ella Fang to start a game as part of the refurbished basketball court ceremony at Lincoln Square Park in Oakland Wednesday afternoon. The court was renamed as Al Attles Court.Former Golden State Warriors player and coach Al Attles serves root beer floats during the Oakland A’s celebrity root beer float day at the East Side Club at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. (Jane Tyska/Staff)2005 FILE PHOTO–Former Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles, left, poses for a photo with former team owner Franklin Mieuli during a half-time ceremony to mark the 30-year anniversary of the 1975 team that won the NBA title, in this March 28, 2005 file photo, at the Coliseum Arena in Oakland, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff)Golden State Warriors’ legend Al Attles acknowledges the crowd as Nate Thurmond, left, looks on during a special tribute to Attles as part of the NBA Hardwood Classics Month during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half of an NBA game at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. The team wore classic uniforms from 1974-75 NBA championship season that includes special patch honoring late former owner Franklin Mieuli. (Ray Chavez/Staff)Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, shakes hands with former coach Al Attles after Game 5 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 27, 2015. The Warriors won 104-90. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)Former Golden State Warriors player and coach Al Attles and his wife Wilhelmina wave to fans along Broadway during the team’s NBA championship victory parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2015. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Former Golden State Warriors player Rick Barry, left, congratulates former Warriors player and coach Al Attles as they celebrate Attles’ 80th birthday after the first quarter of the Warriors NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Former Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles, left, accepts the NBA Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle before Game 2 of basketball’s NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (35) talks with former Warriors Al Attles before receiving the “Alvin Attles Community Impact Award” before the Warriors game against the New Orleans Pelicans for Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Former Golden State Warriors Rick Barry and Al Attles attend a dedication ceremony at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, before the team’s first game back in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)Al Attles stands at center court and waves to the audience before their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Al Attles attends a dedication ceremony for Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, before the Golden State Warrior’s first home game back in San Francisco, Calif. Attles is a link to the team’s first west coast championship. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

With final cuts looming, 49ers defense has depth and options

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers completed their 19th practice of training camp Wednesday with much the same defensive personnel as when they opened on July 24.

It’s been the inverse of the offensive side, which has played mix-and-match because of injuries as well as a well-publicized hold-in and another holdout.

That’s a good thing for first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen, whose job has been to blend new faces on all three levels and whose unit may have to do a yeoman’s share of the work come Sept. 9 against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.

Before the 49ers get to that point, there is the formality of their preseason finale Friday night against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Three days later comes the league-mandated cut from 90 to 53 players and determining which of those cuts will remain on the 16-player practice squad.

“I think the guys are excited,” Sorensen said following practice. “You can feel that. Everything’s been installed for a while now so we’re just tightening up the details of those things. Everyone knows we’re getting closer and the excitement is starting to build as we grow closer together.”

New faces include two starters on the defensive line in right end Leonard Floyd and tackle Maliek Collins to go along with tackle Javon Hargrave and left end Nick Bosa, plus additional linemen including end/tackle Yetur Gross-Matos and tackle Jordan Elliott.

De’Vondre Campbell, signed after being released by Green Bay, appears to have solidified a starting spot alongside All-Pro Fred Warner with others such as Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Dee Winters, Jalen Graham and Curtis Robinson competing for a spot when a third linebacker is called for as well as special teams duties.

In the secondary, Ji’Ayir Brown holds down one spot with George Odum the other until Talanoa Hufanga can show he’s ready to return from last season’s ACL tear. Cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir will be joined by Isaac Yiadom (when healthy), rookie Renardo Green and Rock Ya-Sin. Malik Mustapha could be a factor at safety before long depending on Hufanga’s progress.

With few injury issues, Sorensen likes what he’s seen in terms of teamwork and communication.

“I think everyone likes who they’re playing with and they like how things are progressing,” Sorensen said. “We try to make stuff harder for guys. The energy has been good. They work hard every single day and to me it’s a day-by-day thing, work hard to get better. Being short-sighted like that is a good thing.”

Linebacker Jalen Graham (50) is versed in all three linebacker spots in his second season.

AIYUK, WILLIAMS UPDATE

Brandon Aiyuk was not spotted on the sideline for the second straight day of practice and there is no hard information either way as to whether he is nearing a contract agreement or trade.

Left tackle Trent Williams remains out, but DeSean Jackson, a former teammate in Washington, hinted on the FS1 show “Speak” he had some inside information that a deal was near.

“I don’t think we need to panic, I just was on a phone call with my boy Trent,” Jackson said. “He’s working out. And when I say he’s working out, he’s in that gym, man. And you know what, a little insight. I don’t want to talk too much, but I’m going to give y’all a little something.

“They’re working on something, man. I think they are going to make it right for my boy to come in there, man. He might be showing up a little late. He’s got some fines and some fees he might have to take care of, but he’s gonna be there, man. So 49ers fans, it’s going to be alright. So y’all take it easy, but honestly, he’ll be there shortly.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan also expressed optimism — more so about Williams than Aiyuk. Shanahan, on his weekly segment on KNBR 680-AM, said of Aiyuk: “So much has changed. No, just joking. No new updates. Sorry to keep being boring about that. Wish I was saying something different, nothing has changed.” On Williams, Shanahan said: “I’ve had some contact w/ him. Been good talking to him. We’re negotiating hard. Hopefully it’s getting close.”

GRAHAM BRANCHES OUT

Graham, who played four games as a rookie seventh-round draft pick out of Purdue last season, has been playing both outside positions (strong side and weak side) and believes his work in the middle last season enhanced his versatility.

“I’ve been rotating wherever they need me,” Graham said. “It helps knowing what everybody does and switching to Sam and Will has made for an easier adjustment.”

Cutdown day will be an interesting one at linebacker, according to Sorensen.

“It’s a really competitive group,” Sorensen said. “Dee and Jalen from last year progressed a lot. but all of them together have made it competitive and progressed together. It’s going to be a really tough decision for us.”

PRACTICE REPORT

— It has been a while since the 49ers were this healthy at running back. Both Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell practiced and looked strong in a no-pads session, with rookie Isaac Guerendo practicing for the second straight day and getting enough to work to make it look as if he’ll see time Friday night against the Raiders.

Christian McCaffrey (calf strain) continues to work off to the side as he points to Week 1, pacing in the drill area as if waiting to be let out of a cage.

— Another heavy day for the first team offense in a brisk, one-hour practice, with quarterback Brock Purdy going 9 of 15 with no interceptions. No. 4 Tanner Mordecai got his most work of camp, essentially getting about the same work as No. 2 competitors Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs. One of Purdy’s first throws was a deep attempt Lenoir intercepted out of bounds.

Mordecai had one of the biggest gains of the day with a deep strike down the left side to rookie Jacob Cowing. Cowing, out with a hamstring for much of camp, is making a run at the 53 as a wide receiver and return specialist.

— Brandon Puni continued to get first-team work at right guard and appears on course to be a Week 1 rookie starter. With Aaron Banks out with a fractured pinky, Nick Zakelj took snaps at left guard (as did Ben Bartch) with Jaylon Moore at left tackle, Jake Brendel at center and Colton McKivitz at right tackle.

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— Wide receiver Deebo Samuel lost a fumble on a standard fly sweep inside pitch from Purdy.

— Wide receiver/return specialist Trent Taylor worked off to the side with McCaffrey with an undisclosed injury. Not spotted was wide receiver Danny Gray.

— Players who appear to be running out of time to be available in Week 1 include Hufanga, first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall (shoulder), Burford (hand).

Kurtenbach: 4 under-the-radar lessons from 49ers training camp

I know you’re sick of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams talk.

I’m sick of it too.

Will they, won’t they, will there be a trade, is a signing imminent? We’ve discussed these players’ contract standoffs ad nauseam.

And it’s put a pall on the entirety of 49ers training camp which effectively, if not officially ended Wednesday.

At some point, there will be resolutions with Aiyuk and Williams. (I think. Don’t hold me to this.)

In the meantime, some other things happened over the last month that might have flown under the radar. Here are four camp developments — heralded or not — I think will have a big impact on the Niners’ 2024 season:

A missed opportunity

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Training camp is so important for rookies. No spot in the NFL is guaranteed, and when you are out of sight, you are out of mind. And by the time next year’s training camp rolls around, your team might have already replaced you.

Ricky Pearsall, as a first-round draft pick, might be given more deference than most rookies, but he is currently out of sight and out of mind.

And this delayed start to his professional career could have serious ramifications on him reaching his potential in the league.

Pearsall is sidelined with a shoulder injury and hasn’t practiced in weeks. He’ll miss the entire preseason schedule, too. His first real, in-uniform NFL reps will be in the regular season. Will the Niners even give him those opportunities?

Pearsall’s injury absence hurts the Niners as much as it hurts him. With Brandon Aiyuk’s status for Week 1 and beyond in question, Pearsall should have been part of a replacement rotation at the X receiver spot alongside Chris Conley and Jauan Jennings, should Aiyuk not play or be limited in early weeks.

Those reps would have been massive for Pearsall and his development. They would have been important for the Niners, too — Pearsall’s talent was first-round worthy.

But that all seems highly unlikely to happen now, and the ramifications could be felt in years to come.

Top-heavy lines

I know the game has changed, becoming more perimeter-oriented. Maybe I’m just an old man now, complaining about a game that is no longer played.

But I still think to win the Super Bowl, you need to have strong — if not elite — play along the lines.

There’s no reason to think the 49ers have that coming into the season.

Without Trent Williams, the offensive line is a mess. If the season were to start in two weeks, Nick Zakelj would be the starting left guard. That’s a problem. (Aaron Banks will probably start in Week 1, but his broken pinkie is inauspicious.)

Meanwhile, center Jake Brendel can’t seem to snap the ball in shotgun. That’s a problem.

And right tackle Colton McKivitz might have a new contract — a vote of confidence — but he does not look like he’s taken a step forward this offseason. No, he’s rather taking many, many steps backward, rep after rep.

Rookie Dom Puni has been a revelation at right guard, but he’s now the no-questioned starter. He’s good, but he’s a rookie. We’ll see if that’s a problem in due time.

Williams’ return would massively help, but this is still a bottom-half offensive line, perhaps even bottom-third, in the league with his return.

Without Williams, it might be the worst offensive line in football.

Worst to first

This might come as a shock to 49ers fans, but cornerback — a position that has been a bugaboo for years — is inarguably the deepest position on the team this season. And a big reason why Niners fans should be optimistic about the team’s pass defense is second-round pick Renardo Green, who has taken claim to the No. 2/3 cornerback job in recent weeks.

Why No. 2/3? Well, it seems that the Niners are going to slide Deommodore Lenoir outside to inside again this season.

But seeing as teams play more Nickel (five defensive backs, meaning a slot “corner” is on the field), Green’s emergence is no small thing, and it’s not come by default.

Free-agent signing Isaac Yiadom had the inside track to that No. 2/3 role early in camp. Boy, did he look great. But he’s injured, and has been Wally Pipped.

To have him for depth is patently absurd, though. He’s really, really good.

And another offseason addition, Rock Ya-Sin has flashed, too. He’d start for a lot of teams.

Sam Womack and Darrell Luter will battle it out for the final spot on the roster. I think it’s Luter’s job, but we’ll know come next Tuesday.

A name that hasn’t been mentioned? Ambry Thomas. He started for this team last year. He was trending towards being a cut well before he broke his arm in the Niners’ first preseason game.

Yeah, cornerback is deep.

Filling roles

But it’s still top-heavy. If George Kittle goes down, the 49ers have no one who can reasonably be put in the No. 1 tight end role.

That said, I think San Francisco upgraded this offseason at blocking tight end.

Eric Saubert is outstanding as an additional offensive lineman — something the Niners might need quite often this season, particularly off the right side. He’s been a significant upgrade over Charlie Woerner.

Meanwhile, I’m liking what I’ve seen from Brayden Willis. As a receiving-first tight end, he has shown the ability to get open in practice (even if Brock Purdy had an issue with him not coming back to the ball on a play in the preseason game with the Saints). He’s a more viable H-Back/Fullback option — backing up Kyle Juszczyk — than Ross Dwelley ever was.

Again, the Niners don’t have that heir apparent to No. 85 — and that’s living dangerously — but they have solid role players for 2024.

Monterey council passes salary increases for city manager, city attorney

MONTEREY >> The Monterey City Council approved salary increases for City Manager Hans Uslar and City Attorney Christine Davi on a 4-0 vote Tuesday. Council member Kim Barber was absent, and Mayor Tyller Williamson attended the meeting via Zoom.

The city began an evaluation for the city manager position at the end of 2023, with the help of a third-party consultant.

The term of agreement passed for Uslar encompasses July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2027 with a base salary of $271,896. The city manager position is entitled to a 4-percent salary increase effective July 1, 2024.

Davi’s term of agreement spans from Oct. 4, 2022 to June 30, 2027. The city attorney position is entitled to a 4-percent salary increase starting July 1, 2024.

Both Uslar and Davi will be subject to yearly position evaluations starting in January 2025. City officials clarified that these 4-percent salary increases will be made available to all Monterey city employees. The base salary increases are based on wage studies the city completed, to see how the city officials’s positions compete with others in California.

There was some public comment against the decision, calling for more transparency in city government and for more issues with water and housing to be resolved before making a decision.

However, council members came to the city manager’s defense, highlighting his accomplishments over the past six years and noting that part of the evaluation process included hearing from city workers who work with the city manager daily.

“There are people that directly report to the city manager, that were interviewed and surveyed, but it’s not legal to share evaluation information with the public,” Councilmember Alan Haffa said. “We went through a very complicated and challenging housing element process, and the city manager has helped us create a rental registry which is complicated.”

Councilmember Ed Smith said the city attorney was instrumental in keeping the council on the correct legal path and saves the city money.

“In the public she keeps us straight as far as what the statutes are and gives us some clarity. None of us are lawyers, and we cannot function without a city attorney,” Smith said.

Staring down NL’s toughest schedule, SF Giants can’t complete sweep of MLB’s worst team

SAN FRANCISCO — Logan Webb has been sick for a week now, but that hasn’t stopped him from dominating every time he’s taken the mound for the past month.

The Giants’ ace went eight innings Wednesday afternoon in front of 28,375 at Oracle Park, allowing two runs, but they weren’t able to complete a three-game sweep of the majors’ worst team.

Reeling off three wins in a row entering Wednesday, the Giants had a chance to match high-water marks by moving three games over .500 with a fourth straight win. But like every past opportunity this team has had to build on that momentum, they squandered it as soon as Webb departed the game.

Entering a tied ballgame in the top of the ninth inning, Erik Miller and Spencer Bivens combined to allow four runs to send the Giants to a 6-2 loss.

“We’re at a point in the season where we can’t let games slip away,” Webb said. “It was a much-needed win today to get the sweep and we came out flat. Plain and simple.”

It only gets harder from here.

Beginning Friday in Seattle, the Giants will play 27 of their final 33 games against teams with winning records. It was 30 of 33 before the flailing St. Louis Cardinals dropped eight of their past 10 to fall under .500. Their only respite from teams in the playoff chase is the Miami Marlins’ visit to begin the next home stand.

So far this season, the Giants are 27-38 against teams above .500, a .415 winning percentage.

“It’s not really going to matter as you go forward,” manager Bob Melvin said before Wednesday’s game. “But having said that with the teams that we’re playing, it has to get better.”

When the Giants began the second half, they were three games below .500 (47-50), three games out of playoff position and had the second-easiest remaining schedule. Now, they are one game under water and four back of the final wild-card spot while staring down the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the National League, with a combined winning percentage of .529.

Going 18-14 during that stretch, Giants pitchers have limited opponents to the sixth-lowest ERA in the majors over that span (3.40). But their offense has produced the 10th fewest runs per game (4.1), mostly a product of their .195 batting average with runners in scoring position, the second-worst mark in the majors.

“There are certain games where we have really good at-bats and we play good defense and we score opportunistically and we have good pitching and it looks really good,” Melvin said. “Some other games it doesn’t. … The one thing we have to be is more consistent in those opportunistic at-bats and the last few days we haven’t been.”

The Giants secured their 20th series win by taking two of three from the White Sox, but they have completed only two sweeps — both against the Rockies, who have a better record than only the Marlins and White Sox. They’ve had 10 chances to break out the brooms and gone 2-8 in those games.

“Those come back to haunt you,” Webb said. “… There’s games you should win, and today was one of them. The other teams are winning; they’re not losing. So we’ve got to keep winning to stay in it.”

They faced a stiff test in hard-throwing lefty Garrett Crochet, who like Webb was was a first-time All-Star this year, but had to feel good about their chances when he handed off a tied ballgame to the majors’ second-worst bullpen after four innings, four hits, a walk and four strikeouts.

Thairo Estrada singled home Heliot Ramos from third base for their second run of the fourth inning, tying the score at 2. Ramos stood and admired the deep fly ball he hit to center field but had to hustle to make it to second base when it came inches short of clearing the wall. Following a leadoff ground-rule double from Mark Canha, Ramos’ double gave the Giants runners at second and third with nobody out and they plated both of them.

From the fifth inning on, though, the Giants mustered two hits in their final 17 at-bats.

“We actually even scored two runs off of (Crochet), so we feel like we’re in a pretty good spot once he comes out of the game with Webby doing his thing,” Melvin said. “Just offensively we didn’t do anything after that.”

Opening an early 2-0 lead, the White Sox touched Webb for as many runs as his past four opponents combined, but the right-hander from Rocklin was no less effective than he has been dating back to July 31. The two runs amounted to the only damage Webb allowed on five hits while striking out six with no walks over eight innings — and still increased his ERA over his past five starts, to 0.96 (4 ER, 37 1/3 IP).

Webb allowed a triple to Nicky Lopez that sailed past the glove of a leaping Grant McCray in center field to lead off the game and a double to Luis Robert Jr. that snuck into the right field to begin the fourth. Lopez scored on Andrew Benintendi’s groundout, and Robert came home on a pair of sacrifice flies, but the White Sox weren’t able to muster much else besides bloops and bleeders against Webb, who used 93 pitches to complete eight innings for the third time this season.

With Webb under the weather, Melvin said his starter talked his way back into going out for the eighth but another inning was out of the question. Ryan Walker and Tyler Rogers have shouldered the league’s largest workload and were needed to close out Tuesday’s win, so both were unavailable, and Melvin said he was saving Jordan Hicks for potential extra innings.

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Relieving Webb, Miller loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning, but the Giants were one strike away from getting out of the inning after he struck out Gavin Sheets on the fifth of five straight sliders and handed the ball to Bivens to face Korey Lee, the right-handed-hitting catcher from Cal.

Bivens got ahead 0-2 but fired two sweepers outside the strike zone, and when he tried a sinker, Lee laced it up the middle for a two-run single. The next batter, Lenyn Sosa, shot another sinker past a diving Matt Chapman and into left field that drove home another two runs, extending their lead to 6-2.

“This was an opportunity for us to get three above (.500) and it’s a big swing from potentially three to back to one again,” Melvin said. “And now we’re going on the road, so we really thought we’d end this home stand more than one game above .500.”

Up next

The Giants have not announced their pitching plans for their series in Seattle, but they could use the offdays sandwiching the three-game set to skip the next turns through the rotation for rookies Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison, whose workloads are already at or near career-highs.

Construction on first segment of FORTAG in Del Rey Oaks begins this week

DEL REY OAKS – The first phase of the overall Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project, the Canyon Del Rey segment, will begin construction this week as utility relocation wraps up.

The 1.5-mile Canyon Del Rey segment runs from the intersection of North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards through Work Memorial and Del Rey parks, under Highway 218 – via a new roadway bridge constructed to carry vehicles using the highway – and into the corner of Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, back up to Highway 218 at Carlton Drive, and on to Plumas Avenue where it ends at Del Rey Woods Elementary School.

The portion of the Canyon Del Rey segment that runs under Highway 218 and links Work Memorial and Del Rey parks with the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, will allow hikers, cyclists and pedestrians to move freely under the roadway through a 10.5-foot-high passageway.

The 1.5-mile Canyon Del Rey segment runs from the intersection of North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards through Work Memorial and Del Rey parks, under Highway 218 – via a new roadway bridge constructed to carry vehicles using the highway – and into the corner of Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, back up to Highway 218 at Carlton Drive, and on to Plumas Avenue where it ends at Del Rey Woods Elementary School. (TAMC)

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County, the lead agency on the project, Caltrans District 5, the cities of Del Rey Oaks and Seaside and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District announced that construction began on Monday.

The Canyon Del Rey segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is part of the larger 28-mile effort to connect communities in and around the former Fort Ord to each other and to educational institutions, employment, community and open space.

This week, AT&T is wrapping up utility work along Highway 218 near the frog pond, moving in equipment and materials behind Safeway for the start of project construction, and surveying and marking project areas in Work Memorial and Del Rey parks.

The public trail behind Safeway and Hana Garden Center will be closed from Aug. 26 until further notice for safety and construction concerns related to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway Project. Restricted access during the construction period of the Butterfly Garden and tennis courts can also be expected.

Construction work hours are 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. When needed, work hours in the evening are 9 p.m. – 6 a.m., Sunday – Thursday. The overall construction period is projected to be August 2024 – August 2026.

Subsequent work in the following two weeks includes installing temporary storm water and sediment controls in Work Memorial Park, clearing and removing vegetation, rocks and debris in Work Memorial Part, and protecting and removing trees on Plumas Avenue, Carlton Drive, Highway 218 at the frog pond and Work Memorial and Del Rey parks.

The Canyon Del Rey segment work in general comprises construction of the trail through Del Rey Oaks from Fremont Boulevard to Del Rey Woods Elementary School in Seaside, according to TAMC, including the underpass at Canyon Del Rey Boulevard between Del Rey Oaks City Hall and the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve.

A 12-foot wide raised pathway is to be constructed to connect trail users from the underpass to Carlton Drive at an accessible grade.

Along Carlton Drive, the trail will consist of a new 12-foot wide multi-use sidewalk with a five-foot wide buffer on the west side of the road and will continue along the south side of Plumas Avenue to Del Rey Woods Elementary School.

Breaking ground for the first segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project in Del Rey Oaks is, left to right, Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District General Manager Rafael Payan, former Del Rey Oaks Mayor Alison Kerr, FORTAG co-founder Dr. Scott Waltz, Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado, former Del Rey Oaks Mayor Jerry Edelen, FORTAG co-founder Dr. Fred Watson, Del Rey Oaks Mayor Scott Donaldson, Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby, Carmel Mayor and TAMC Board Vice Chair Dave Potter, Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Board President Dr. Kevin Raskoff, and TAMC Executive Director Todd Muck, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (James Herrera/Monterey Herald).

The Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway is proposed as a new paved regional active transportation route providing pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities a safer corridor connecting Seaside, Marina, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, and unincorporated communities. It will provide new routes for both residents and visitors to Cal State Monterey Bay, the Fort Ord National Monument, and the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail. The project was identified in the Transportation Safety and Investment Plan approved by Monterey County voters as Measure X in 2016.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County placed the Transportation Safety and Investment Plan – Measure X – on the November 8, 2016 ballot and the measure was approved with 67.7% approval from Monterey County voters.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County Board approved the use of State and Measure X funds budgeted for the project in the not-to-exceed amount of $17.9 million and a $2.7 million contingency fund for unforeseen circumstances. Funding sources include a State Active Transportation Program grant of $9,181,000 and $11,513,608 from Measure X.

Classic Car Week: Hypercars kept that ’emotional’ connection

If you’ve spent any time at Monterey Classic Car Week, you’ve seen hypercars. Low slung, brightly colored, exotic, expensive, and fast, these engineering marvels buzzed around the Monterey Peninsula last week. Their throaty engines signal they’re in your vicinity.

Cutting-edge hypercars often costing upward of $4 million are a different automotive breed and often called “drivers cars” by enthusiasts for their connection to the person behind the wheel. That soulful connection also involves the physical and auditory sensation created by the loud, rumbling of a powerful internal combustion engine.

However, three hypercar manufacturers added a jolt of electricity to Classic Car Week by debuting new vehicles that may redefine the driver’s car and the emotional experience that rides along with them.

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Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl poses with the new Tourbillon. (Mason Bloom -- Herald Correspondent)

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Mate Rimac spoke on the automaker’s accomplishments, including 27 world records, before unveiling the Nevera R.(Mason Bloom -- Herald Correspondent)

Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr as seen with the new Temerario. (Mason Bloom -- Herald Correspondent)

The Rimac Nevera R was unveiled at The Quail as the automaker’s new flagship. (Mason Bloom -- Herald Correspondent)

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Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl poses with the new Tourbillon. (Mason Bloom -- Herald Correspondent)

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Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Rimac used Classic Car Week to showcase three new hypercars that have one thing in common: electric power. Each hopes the increased horsepower from electric motors will balance out the lost sensory experience provided by the gas engine.

Bugatti plugged into Classic Car Week with the U.S. debut of its first-ever hybrid vehicle, the 1,800-horsepower, $4.2-million Tourbillon at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. Just hours later, Croatian electric hypercar automaker and Bugatti partner Rimac took the wraps off of its most extreme car yet: the Nevera R. Across the lawn that same day Lamborghini showcased the hybrid V8-powered Temerario, the Italian automaker’s next step toward an electrified future.

Can the smoothness of electric power provide the same emotional experience as the “rawness” of internal combustion for a driver’s car?

Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr has 10,000 reasons to believe so.

Lamborghini outfitted the (approximately) $300,000 Temerario with a hybrid, turbocharged V8 that replaced its highly regarded, naturally aspirated V10. Lamborghini is the first to develop a 10,000 rpm, turbocharged V8 and paired it with three electric motors to produce over 900 horsepower. The Temerario replaces the Huracan as Lamborghini’s entry-level two door.

“The (V8) engine will be super emotional,” said Mohr, comparing the feel of the V10-powered Huracan with the Temerario. “We still have some (desired) roughness related to vibrations. You feel a little bit of vibrations in the seat, you feel a little bit of vibrations in the steering wheel. I’m pretty sure (when) the people (drive) the car, they will not say that it’s a downgrade of emotions. It’s definitely the opposite way around.”

And then there’s Bugatti.

This hypercar brand that deftly combines luxury with top-class performance began its own new chapter by sunsetting its foundational W16 gas engine and unveiling a hybrid flagship, the $4.2 million Tourbillon. Flagship Bugattis are released approximately every 10 years, and are built from the ground up. The Tourbillon is powered by a new, higher-revving V16 engine with three electric motors that Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl believes provides the balance of performance and emotional connection its customers expect.

“(Electric and gas power are) the best of both worlds,” said Heyl. “We wanted to go with an emotional power plant, so we chose the naturally aspirated 8.3 liter V16 … with that acoustic rasp at 9,000 rpm. It’s a really emotional thing. But at low RPMs it could use some torque and that’s exactly where those electric motors come into play. It gives you the emotion with top-level performance…”

“The performance is now on a level where (going fast) is easy enough,” Heyl continued. “We obviously strive every time for the next level of performance, but it’s starting to shift into other aspects which are more emotional, less numbers driven, about how you feel when you sit in the driver’s seat.”

Bugatti partner Rimac is staying on the all-electric course it has pioneered since its inception and produced 27 world speed records. The exclusive electric hypercar manufacturer that partnered with Bugatti to provide it with EV technology, unveiled the Nevera R as a track-oriented model offering 200 more horsepower than its 1,917-horsepower Nevera.

“So we were thinking,” said Rimac CEO Mate Rimac, “if we improve the aerodynamics, make it more focused and more downforce oriented, if we tweak the torque vectoring, the suspension, the powertrain, extract more power, maybe different wheels, different tires. What could we achieve if we do that?”

The answer to Rimac’s question is a 2,100-horsepower, 1.7-second 0-60 mph, $2.5 million hypercar that improves handling and driving dynamics through aerodynamic efficiency and a greater power output.

Regardless of price or performance, Lamborghini’s Mohr believes one thing is mandatory.

“We want to always have what I call a smile generator,” said Mohr. “Our cars have to put a smile on your face while driving. Not only during one launch control to impress your friends, but every day, every weekend, again and again and again. You have to smile; this is the idea of an emotional car.”

Mason Bloom is a student journalist at Aptos High School. 

Horoscopes Aug. 21, 2024: Kim Cattrall, focus on work ethics

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Hayden Panettiere, 35; Usain Bolt, 38; Carrie-Anne Moss, 57; Kim Cattrall, 68.

Happy Birthday: Participate, get educated and consider the possibilities. Slow down and refuse to feel pressured by what others choose to do. Focus on work ethics, positive change and using what you already have working for you to improve your lifestyle, friendships and prospects. Take a wait-and-see attitude to persuasive organizations or people trying to exploit you. Replace your spending habits with a solid savings plan. Your numbers are 4, 12, 24, 28, 31, 42, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make undercover changes to avoid interference. Keeping your life simple and free from those who tend to overreact or try to take control will help you get what you want without penalties or loss. Don’t let the changes happening around you cause you to make a premature move. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Listen to your intuition and verify your feelings. Be polite, but ask direct questions. You cannot afford to let anyone take advantage of you or mislead you into thinking everything is OK when it’s not. Downplay the notion that spending will help you win acceptance or favors. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Change may be in the stars, but you’ll have more than one choice, and not all will be equal. Ask for expert advice when in doubt, but only move if it’s worthwhile. With increasing opportunities heading your way, you have more time than you realize. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Someone authoritative will take note if you let your imagination take over. The more creative you are, the easier it will be to access people, information and prospects to help you achieve your dreams, hopes and wishes. Live in the moment and do things your way. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t buy into something you know little about. Rather than following the crowd or taking on unnecessary burdens, rely on intelligence and common sense. Look at the big picture and avoid risky ventures or events. Choose to let the dust settle. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Focus on your mental, physical and emotional well-being. Take action to release energy by engaging in activities, meditation or projects that bring you peace and help you be grateful for what you have instead of laboring over what you don’t have. Attitude is a choice. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Enjoy your surroundings, whether walking in your neighborhood or taking a trip to an unfamiliar place. Expose yourself to something new that prompts you to learn or to change your life path. Reach out to those who share your enthusiasm and interests. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You may not relish change, but you must indulge. The effects of trying something new will boost your curiosity and encourage you to take your skills, experience and desires to a new level. Unleash your talents and venture down a road that leads to new beginnings. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take the time to listen before you reveal your thoughts and feelings. Knowing what others want or need will help you phrase your words to accommodate the situation and encourage the best results. Arguing is a waste of time; incentives will help you get your way. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A lifestyle change geared toward health and fitness will be challenging but uplifting if you follow through. Nothing worth doing is easy, but the hard work you put in and the benefits you receive will lead to unusual and exciting connections, pastimes and rewards. Romance is favored. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): An opportunity to make your space functional will result in an enthusiastic approach to chores and responsibilities. Combine something you love to do with someone you enjoy being around, and it will give you a better idea of what you want to achieve. Follow your heart. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick to the facts, or someone will question your validity. Gaining support will require sincerity, proof and trust. Being disciplined and having a good work ethic will set an example and ensure you attract helpers who believe in and want to be a part of your plan. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are engaging, informative and outgoing. You are unpredictable and steadfast.

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. 

SF Giants expect Patrick Bailey to miss minimal time with oblique strain

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants sustained a serious blow Tuesday when Patrick Bailey was forced onto the injured list, but manager Bob Melvin was hopeful that they wouldn’t be without their starting catcher for long.

“It’s tough to say, but I’m pretty optimistic that on that 10th day, he should be ready to go,” Melvin said after the Giants’ 4-1 win over the White Sox. “Based on what I’m hearing and how he’s feeling. We were a little bit cautious with this one.”

Bailey underwent an MRI on Tuesday that revealed a strained right oblique.

Addressing reporters after being scratched Monday night but before undergoing imaging, Bailey said that the injury felt “very, very minor” and that his absence was “more precautionary than anything.”

He first felt his right side act up after taking some left-handed swings before Monday’s game.

“It wasn’t really one swing in particular,” he said. “It just kind of tightened up at the end.”

Bailey, the Giants’ second-most valuable player with 3.8 fWAR, will be eligible to be activated next Thursday for the final game of their road trip in Milwaukee, though a 10-day absence would be considered a quick recovery from an oblique strain of any severity. They often come with a timeline of 4-to-6 weeks.

“If you go out there even a game too early and you re-injure that thing,” Melvin said, “it could be a long time.”

While Bailey had been stuck in rut recently at the plate, his pitch-framing, game-calling and throwing abilities still made him one of the most valuable catchers in the sport. He has accrued 19 fielding runs above average, according to the Statcast metric that measures throwing, blocking, framing, arm and runs against average, more than double the next-closest catchers, who have nine.

In the meantime, the Giants will hand the keys to veteran backup Curt Casali, who has already had a hand in four runs from the bottom spot in the lineup while shepherding a pitching staff that has allowed four total runs after being called into duty the past two nights.

“(Bailey) is one of those guys that’s tough to replace,” Melvin said. “Even when he’s not swinging the bat well, what he does behind the plate. And at times this year he’s hit in the middle of the order for us. But Curt’s doing a good job right now. On a little bit of a roll. He knows these guys.”

When they placed Bailey on the 10-day IL, the Giants called up Jakson Reetz from Triple-A Sacramento to serve as their second catcher. But Casali said he expected to catch Logan Webb in the matinee Wednesday, which would represent the first time he started three games in a row since Sept. 18-20, 2022, after the Giants traded him to Seattle after his original tenure in San Francisco.

The bulk of the duties in Bailey’s absence will likely fall on the shoulders of the 35-year-old from Walnut Creek.

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“I’m just gonna have to grind,” he said. “Obviously disappointed that Patty’s got to sit for a little bit, but excited for the opportunity to play. Hopefully we don’t skip a beat when I’m back there.”

So far, so good.

The Giants’ win Tuesday night was their seventh straight in games Casali has started, improving to 14-10 overall with him behind the plate this season.

He received word about 2 hours before Monday’s game that he would be starting that night, but prior to that had been in the starting lineup just twice in 19 games since he caught half of their double-header July 27.

“I’ll go out there and give it my best, so hopefully Webby makes it easy on me,” Casali said. “But I feel good. I’m fresh and ready to go. … I feel like a young 35-year-old right now.”

Robbie Ray rebounds as SF Giants win 3rd straight, clinch series vs. White Sox

SAN FRANCISCO — The weeknight crowd was still trickling into their seats at Oracle Park when Robbie Ray took the mound Tuesday evening, so the grunts that accompany each of his pitches were eminently audible. As were the groans that followed when he ran three-ball counts to each of the first three batters he faced.

It appeared Ray might be in for a repeat of his last start, when he wasn’t able to find the strike zone or make it out of the first inning.

But those groans gave way to a standing ovation from the 28,766 on hand by the time Bob Melvin came to get him in a 4-1 win over the White Sox.

The former Cy Young award winner locked in and retired the side in order, freezing Luis Robert Jr. with an inside fastball and fooling Andrew Benintendi with a slider that started in on his hands and finished off the plate outside to end the inning. They were the first two of nine eventual strikeout victims of Ray, who allowed only four base runners the rest of the way — three hits, a hit batsman and no walks — while coming one out shy of completing seven innings.

“They made me work there in the first inning,” Ray said, “but I just buckled down and gave them my best stuff.”

After matching the shortest start of his career the last time he took the mound, allowing five runs while recording two outs in a 13-2 loss to Atlanta last week, Ray’s 6⅔ innings represented his longest start — his first time pitching into the seventh — since returning from his May 2023 Tommy John operation.

Melvin called on Sean Hjelle to finish the seventh after Ray struck out Korey Lee for the second out with his 96th pitch of the evening, a 94.7 mph fastball.

“I was actually comfortable taking him out after six, but he wanted to go back out there again,” Melvin said. “I really didn’t want him throwing 100 pitches after last time, but man, that was really good. You would expect a guy like him to respond after a tough outing.”

“Me and BoMel,” Ray added, “we have an open line of communication where we’re very honest with each other. He asked me how I was doing and let me know where I was at. I just told him to let me go out there and empty the tank because I still had some more in there.”

Throwing his bullpen down the right field line at the Oakland Coliseum over the weekend, Ray made a change to his delivery, which he debuted in his first start since exhausting 39 pitches, walking three batters and hitting two others.

“I was just itching to get back out there and try it out,” Ray said. “You probably noticed that I was more square to home plate. I’m able to get in my turn and ride it down the mound. That was the biggest thing. My direction toward the plate was way better tonight. That’s something I worked on in my bullpen in between starts and was able to carry it into this game.”

Ray’s counterpart, Davis Martin, had his elbow surgically repaired exactly two weeks after Ray but didn’t fare as well in his fifth start back.

For the second straight night, Ray’s batterymate, Curt Casali, played a central role in their offensive attack from the bottom spot of the batting order.

The veteran catcher received his second straight start after Patrick Bailey (right oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to first pitch and reached base three times, scoring a pair of runs after driving in a run and scoring one while recording a pair of hits in Monday’s 5-3 win.

San Francisco Giants’ Curt Casali scores past Chicago White Sox catcher Kory Lee on a single by Heliot Ramos in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

Although the club recalled Jackson Reetz from Triple-A Sacramento to serve as their second catcher, Casali said he expected to start a third game in a row in Wednesday’s matinee series finale.

“I’m just gonna have to grind,” Casali said. “Obviously disappointed that Patty’s got to sit for a little bit, but I’m excited for the opportunity to play. Hopefully we don’t skip a beat when I’m back there.”

So far, so good. The win was the Giants’ seventh straight in games Casali has started, dating back to July 24.

“To have him back there, you don’t lose any confidence just because he’s the quote-unquote backup catcher,” said Ray, who also teamed up with him in Seattle. “You have the utmost confidence in him. We have a really good relationship and I like working with him.”

Leading off the third, Casali reached first when third baseman Miguel Vargas bobbled his ground ball and went station-to-station before being forced home from third on the second straight walk issued by Martin. He also lined a leadoff single to start the fifth and came around to score when Heliot Ramos’ lined a fastball up the middle, growing the Giants’ lead to 3-1.

Casali’s first run broke a 1-1 tie and provided an immediate answer to the only run the White Sox were able to muster off Ray, which was only made possible by replay review.

Home plate umpire Mike Muchlinski initially ruled that Casali had applied the tag before Dominic Fletcher reached home plate from first base on Lenyn Sosa’s line drive into the left-center field gap. Ramos fielded the ball, made a quick throw to Chapman and his throw arrived home at about the same time as Fletcher.

Chicago White Sox’ Dominic Fletcher calls for a review after umpire Mike Muchlinski called him out on a tag by San Francisco Giants Curt Casali in the third at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. The call was overturned. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

The White Sox challenged the ruling on the field, though, and replay showed Fletcher’s foot sneaking across the plate before he was touched by Casali.

“It was really, really close,” Casali said. “I saw the replay and I feel like I had to go get that short hop. When you do that, your glove comes up a little bit and I didn’t have enough time to come back and tag him. Just a half a second too late, but it was a good relay. They got the run, but fortunately it was the only one they got.”

The play tied the score at 1 after the Giants manufactured the first run of the game in the bottom of the second, when Thairo Estrada beat out a potential inning-ending double play that allowed Matt Chapman to score from third after advancing first-to-third on Mike Yastrzemski’s single off the second baseman Sosa’s glove.

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski hits an RBI, ground rule double against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)Wild card watchRelated ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants expect Patrick Bailey to miss minimal time with oblique strain San Francisco Giants | Dissecting Patrick Bailey’s second-half struggles as SF Giants place catcher on IL San Francisco Giants | Former SF Giants great Brandon Crawford released San Francisco Giants | Estrada gives SF Giants necessary jolt in return to beat White Sox, 5-3 San Francisco Giants | SF Giants add Thairo Estrada to struggling lineup, option Brett Wisely

The Giants entered Tuesday 3½ games back of the final National League wild card spot with 11% playoff odds, according to FanGraphs, but weren’t able to make up any ground with the win.

In their first game since losing Austin Riley to a fractured hand, the Atlanta Braves (67-58) beat the Zack Wheeler, 3-1, to start their series against the Phillies and maintain their grasp on the third and final wild card position.

Holding down the top two spots, the Arizona Diamondbacks (71-56) continued their hot play, 3-1, against the Miami Marlins, while the San Diego Padres (71-55) beat the Minnesota Twins, 7-5.

On the outside looking in, the New York Mets (65-61) fell, 9-5, to the Baltimore Orioles, and the St. Louis Cardinals (61-64), who released Brandon Crawford earlier in the day, lost for the eighth time in their past 10 games, 3-2, to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Up next

It only gets more difficult from here on out as RHP Logan Webb (11-8, 3.17) faces White Sox ace LHP Garrett Crochet (6-9 3.61) in the series finale, and after that all but three of the Giants’ 33 remaining games come against teams at or above .500. First pitch is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.