Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 388

High School Football Tour: Soledad refocused and recharged after tumultuous season

EDITOR’S NOTE: Herald sports writer John Devine is spending most of this month visiting Monterey County schools to get a sneak peek of their football teams. This and other previews are available at www.montereyherald.com

SOLEDAD – The magic of members of a football program molding and believing in each other  disappeared.

A year after running off a school-record nine straight wins to capture the Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division title, Soledad wilted in the more competitive Mission Division South.

Still basking in the limelight from the previous year, the off-season provided more questions than answers, which carried into the 2023 season.

“I take accountability for it,” Soledad coach Marc Villanueva said. “We had a big letdown. It’s hard to replicate the same level of success. We had a rough transition into a new league.”

A beefed up nonleague schedule saw the Aztecs humbled by Palma and Branham of San Jose, as well as falling to rivals Greenfield and Gonzales.

DJ Valenzuela will start at quarterback for Soledad. (John Devine – Monterey Herald)

“It was hard seeing the seniors go out that way,” Villanueva said. “Sometimes the talent level is hard to make up and isn’t comparable to the league. We had people in new roles.”

A year after dropping just one regular season game, the Aztecs won just one game on the field in a humbling campaign.

“I think it taught us the value of having a strong core,” Villanueva said. “You can’t escape hard work. When we didn’t comply with the standard we’ve established, you don’t get results.”

Villanueva has already seen a change in course and an attitude adjustment in the off-season, with a strong participation over the summer.

“All that stuff is really important,” Villaneuva said. “I thought there were a lot of things that just slipped through the cracks. That’s on me. I need to do a better job with the details.”

What bothered Villanueva more than the losses was how Soledad backed itself into a corner all season, falling behind in nine games, outscored 105-36 in the second quarter.

“The biggest thing honestly is the practice tempo,” Villanueva said. “Making sure everyone is engaged. When you have sluggish starts, it trickles back to your practice habits.”

While injuries cut into Villanueva’s offensive game plan, the bottom line is Soledad didn’t live up to the expectations created from the previous year.

“We didn’t come into last season focused,” senior linebacker Danny Morales said. “We didn’t have any connection. We played like individuals instead of a team.”

What Soledad lacked last year was leadership on the field. The off-season has brought a new attitude. The 5:45 a.m. summer workouts featured packed weight rooms.

No one wants to endure another nine-loss season, especially when the belief is the Aztecs can compete for a postseason spot.

“Last year left a bad taste for those that are back,” Villanueva said. “There’s an understanding that we need to prepare ourselves for hard battles. Character-wise, we need to be ready to go four quarters.”

While quarterback last fall was a revolving door, it is Villanueva’s hope that he has solidified the position this season with the return of DJ Valenzuela.

Brought up last year out of necessity as a sophomore after uncertainty surrounding the position, Valenzuela showed glimpses of his potential before injuries cut short his season.

“He’s had a full off-season with us to work on his throwing mechanics,” Villanueva said. “I feel he has the arm to put the ball anywhere on the field. He brings championship pedigree.”

Julio Camancho led the Aztecs in rushing last year. (John Devine – Monterey Herald)

Villanueva was speaking about Valenzuela earning all-Mission Division honors in baseball as a catcher in helping Soledad to a league title last spring.

What should enhance Villanueva’s offense is the return of tailback Julio Camacho, who rushed for just under 700 yards in seven games.

Blessed with game-breaking speed, Camacho will see his opportunities increase, with more touches as a runner and receiver.

“I feel he can be a 1,000-yard rusher if the blocking is there,” Villaneuva said. “He has taken the off-season seriously. Everyone has in general. We fell flat on our faces last year. It was humbling.”

It won’t hurt having a three-year starting offensive lineman to run behind in Melvin Romero, who added more muscle to his 240-pound frame.

Romero has the strength to hold his blocks on run plays, with quick enough feet to protect the quarterback. He’ll also be a disruptive force as a defensive tackle in the trenches.

“Size-wise, I think we’re OK,” Villanueva said. “We’re not super big. But we’re making up for it in details, in terms of watching film and knowing their assignments.”

While the defense took its lumps last year in allowing 40 or more points in five games, having a core of returning starters could make it a strength this fall.

Adam Velarde is a three-year starting outside linebacker for the Aztecs, compiling over 100 tackles in his first two seasons, and Morales brings physicality to the linebacking position, having led Soledad in tackles last season.

“We have a deeper connection with this group,” Morales said. “This is the same group of players that went 10-0 on the junior varsity in 2022. We’re not going to let this happen again.”

A second team all-Mission Division selection last year, Morales’ athleticism enables him to patrol the field, with a high football IQ. He’ll also see time at fullback.

“Danny is our (49ers’ star) Fred Warner at linebacker,” Villanueva said. “He’s a very fast, athletic guy that can make plays. He can drop into coverage, I think Adam is similar.”

The return of Dominik Diaz gives Soledad a speed rusher on the edge, having finished among the team leaders in sacks last season.

“A lot of last season was bringing in new guys with new roles,” Villanueva said. “We had a lot of juniors playing in key roles. Experience is invaluable.”

Villaneuva didn’t necessarily soften his preseason schedule, with West Catholic Athletic League member Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco as an opener, as well as a meeting with Branham, who has gone 21-5 over the last two years.

“We need to see high competition,” Villaneuva said. “I feel it shows us who we are and what we need to work on. It will prepare us for league play.”

Villanueva, a former quarterback at Soledad, spent the off-season searching for avenues to reestablish the pride. Soledad took part in four passing camps, facing state-ranked Lincoln of San Diego.

“I know it’s just 7’s,” Villanueva said. “But it’s helped with our confidence. Last year starts with me. What can I do to make us better? We need to build and develop our guys.”

Kurtenbach: The SF Giants are (still) going nowhere and Farhan Zaidi should be shown the door

SAN FRANCISCO — If my columns had the shelf life of Farhan Zaidi’s post-trade deadline comments, I’d be out of a gig.

Two weeks ago, Zaidi, made two downright outlandish claims after a quizzical series of moves.

The first was that the Giants believed they could still make the playoffs, off the back of “the best rotation in baseball.”

The second was that trading the team’s best power hitter, Jorge Soler, would help the team because it would allow top prospect Marco Luciano to carve out regular at-bats as the team’s designated hitter.

Those claims — as dubious as they seemed in the moment — look downright offensive now.

Zaidi was gaslighting the fanbase.

And after years of preaching patience with this team’s front office and imploring an ever-growing portion of the fanbase to give the unquestionably sharp Zaidi another shot at pulling this team out of its spiral of mediocrity, I’m out.

It’s one thing to insult the intelligence of the media — we’re fair game.

But to insult the intelligence of the fan base, as Zaidi did?

That’s unforgivable.

And in a just world, it’s firable.

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The “best rotation in baseball” is two pitchers deep.

Yes, Webb and a resurgent Blake Snell are as good as it gets in baseball as a 1-2 punch. But after that, this rotation is a disaster. The Giants went all-in on Robbie Ray (coming off of Tommy John surgery) and youngsters Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong, trading No. 6 starter Alex Cobb for a prospect that will never see the big leagues.

How silly does that look just two weeks later?

In a nearly-must-win game Wednesday, Ray couldn’t even complete an inning. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Harrison, in his first full big-league season, has hit a wall — his velocity and spin rates are down significantly in recent starts, leaving him to gut out five innings every start with eminently hittable stuff. Birdsong has a 17.05 ERA since the trade deadline.

Meanwhile Luciano, after two weeks of being buried on the bench, losing at-bats to Jerar Encarnación, who was playing in the Mexican league earlier this year, and Mark Canha, a favorite of manager Bob Melvin, who “took the keys” of the team to trade for him in the final moments before the trade deadline, isn’t even with the big-league team anymore.

Luciano received a grand total of 21 at-bats after the trade deadline.

In six months, the Giants’ stance on the team’s top prospect went from him being the shortstop of the present and future, to no longer being allowed to play the field, to now not being allowed to hit, either.

Culpability for this ultimately lies with the player – Luciano’s poor defense and poor hitting didn’t force his way into the big-league lineup — but it’s also prospect malpractice from the Giants.

Not only have the Giants failed to put Luciano in positions to succeed time and time again, but they’ve also tanked his value in any trade scenario.

He’s become yet another Quadruple-A player for a franchise that has made such players its specialty over the last six years.

I’d ask “What are the Giants doing here?” but I already know the answer: the same damn thing they’ve done for more than a half-decade now.

Every four years, the big question of the presidential election is “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

I have a similar question for the Giants, as they head towards another season without playoff baseball: Is this franchise in a better position than it was six years ago, when Zaidi took over as Director of Baseball Operations?

Zaidi took a job that, at the time, I called the worst in baseball. The roster from the big leagues to the minor leagues was depleted.

Well, six years later, the big-league roster is still middling — the record doesn’t lie — and the farm system that was unquestionably bottom-third in baseball in 2018 was ranked No. 22 by MLB.com on Thursday.

Patrick Bailey and Tyler Fitzgerald (he of just a bit over 200 big-league at-bats) are the only players to be added to the farm system by Zaidi who have graduated into everyday players.

A mediocre present without immediate hope for a brighter future?

What’s there to sell here?

Of course, the Giants had a chance to prove that this team wasn’t the boring, mediocre squad it was in the first 100-plus games of the season this week. They were coming in on yet another hot streak (they’ve had a few this season), beating up on three teams with worse records to put themselves above .500 in the standings and within legitimate striking distance of the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League, with the Braves — the team that’s long held one of those Wild Card spots — coming to town for a four-game set.

The Giants proceeded to drop three of four, with three embarrassing losses proceeding Thursday afternoon’s 6-0 win behind another sterling performance from their ace, Webb.

The series loss leaves the Giants at .500 on the season, 3.5 games back of the Braves in the standings.

Can anyone ignore the looks, sounds, quacks anymore? Average teams always find a way back to the mean.

For the anti-math crowd, I’ll phrase it this way: This isn’t a playoff team. It’s the same squad it was before the trade deadline, which wasn’t nearly good enough to compete for anything serious.

And it’ll be the same kind of team next year, and the year after that.

Of course, the season still has six-plus weeks and the Giants can still consider themselves to be “in it.” Perhaps my take will age like Zaidi’s.

But when Zaidi took over, the expectations for this team were still sky-high, as they always should be for one of the sports’ prestige brands in one of North America’s largest markets.

The goal then was to compete with the rival Dodgers, to contend for World Series titles.

Six years later, there has been one change: now, the best anyone can hope for — and the only thing the organization seems to be shooting for — is to be “interesting” in September.

It’d be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Yes, this team is spinning its wheels on the road to nowhere. And it’s a road well-traveled at this point. That’s no longer acceptable or forgivable.

So after six years of little to no change, here’s hoping there’s a big one coming this offseason.

PHOTOS: Scenes from the Tour d’Elegance

The interior designs are a favorite amongst car enthusiasts, as many older models had bright and contrasting colors. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder owned by Jonathan and Wendy Segal. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1970 Mercedes-Benz C 111/II Sports Car owned by Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Hundreds of people crowded around the starting point in Pebble Beach to grab photos of the drivers in their vehicles as they took off on the tour. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet Series I owned by Jerry Roehl. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A couple stops to take a photo of a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Scaglietti Competizione Berlinetta owned by David MacNeil. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Part of the allure to Classic Car Week is the chance to see historic cars that were originally built decades ago. However, that also means last minute maintenance to several cars, especially models from before World War II. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1970 Mercedes-Benz C 111/II Sports Car with the car doors opened to display the interior, owned by Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1953 Bristol 404 Prototype Coupe owned by James Timpson. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Dozens of cars taking part in the 2024 Tour D'Elegance were lined up in Pebble Beach for visitors to check out up close. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1909 Alco 40 HP Runabout owned by Bruce McCaw. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

A 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports from the Pearl Collection and Fritz Burkard. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

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The interior designs are a favorite amongst car enthusiasts, as many older models had bright and contrasting colors. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

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Classic cars and happy drivers at the 2024 Tour d’Elegance

PEBBLE BEACH >> For those wondering what Monterey Car Week is like, one passerby said it perfectly: “look at awesome cars and look at people looking at awesome cars.”

Thursday’s Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance saw over 150 entrants ready to take the drive to Big Sur and back. Drivers, spectators and car restorers oohed and awed at the classics, some of which were over 120 years old. Drivers lined up at 7 a.m. on the lot and spent the next two and a half hours sizing up their soon-to-be road companions before setting off at 9:30 a.m.

All of the classic cars had unique backstories, including a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB that has a personal history with its namesake, Enzo Ferrari. According to Jim Trofitter who works on the car, it was originally purchased by John Frankenheimer, director of the 1966 film Grand Prix.

A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Scaglietti Berlinetta owned by James and Victoria Trofitter. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

Because of Frankheimer’s work with the brand, Ferrari ended up giving the director a $1,000 discount on the car which was “absolutely unheard of,” according to Trofitter. The car has never been fully restored but impeccably maintained and was purchased by its current owners in 2016. “It’s just a great car, it drives really nice. I think (the tour) will go great,” said Trofitter.

A few cars down the road was the 1922 Leach 22 A Seven Passenger Sedanette presented by the Petersen Automotive Museum. There were 275 models of this car made and the museum owns the last surviving one, according to Dana Williamson, conservator of the museum’s collection.

The car previously resided at the Los Angeles National History Museum and was obtained by Robert Petersen, who went on to found the Los Angeles-based nonprofit which is home to one of the largest collections of automobiles in the world.

A 1922 Leach 22 A Seven Passenger Sedanette from the Petersen Automotive Museum. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

The 70-mile drive might seem like a lot for a classic like the Leach, but Williamson said he thinks the car will do fine on the trip. “She’s 102-years-old, but she’s running well,” he said.

Dave Reabe works for the owner of the 1953 Nardi which was based on a 203 Chassis. The car is one of three known to exist. It’s also a Frua body design, recognizable by its rounded lines. This year’s Concours d’Elegance will feature a class on Pietro Frua’s iconic Italian designs as well as his work with the Maserati.

Reabe described the vehicle as “really rare, really neat (and) really fun.” John Breslow, owner of the car, is also in town this week to participate in the 50th annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, an opportunity for owners to test their vehicle’s racing capabilities.

According to Reabe, Breslow and his 1953 Nardi are set to race against a 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA. Breslow’s son-in-law is also participating in the race, with a classic 1965 Austin Mini Cooper. Reabe expects the race to be “neck and neck.”

Car Week isn’t only about the cars – the people play a big part, too. Reabe is from Scottsdale, Arizona and for him, this is almost a reunion for old friends.

“There’s all sorts of people along the peripherals of the car world,” he said. “Whether it’s the people that do international shipping for you, or they do maintenance or they do parts. It’s a real small world, so you know lots of the people and you only see them once a year and (Car Week) is where you meet up. I’ve seen probably a dozen people already in the last hour that I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Many of the people walking around on Thursday were long-time Car Week participants. Greg Henkels spent his morning volunteering for the fourth time, but he’s attended events for 50 years. His family has been restoring Lincoln’s since the 1950s and in 1987, he showed his 1934 Lincoln. His brother showed a 1928 Lincoln in 2007.

Jason Shane (left) and Greg Henkels (right) waiting for the Tour d’Elegance to begin Thursday morning. (Kyarra Harris/Monterey Herald)

“I just love coming here every year and my wife loves me to leave so here I am,” said Henkels, who travels to Monterey every year from San Diego. “I know so many people and have so much fun.”

Self-proclaimed “used car mechanic” Jason Shane displayed a completely opposite set of emotions than Henkels. A day before the tour, Shane got the dreaded phone call no Car Week participant wants to receive: the car he worked on was damaged in transit. The 1939 Packard now has a scratched front fender. Shane stood a few feet away from the car, hoping there would be no more bumps in the road (figuratively and literally speaking).

14 years ago, Shane got a phone call from his dad asking if he wanted to restore cars. Shane said “sure,” and that was it. “It found me, literally,” he said. While it’s hard to pick a favorite car he’s worked on, he said “the one that keeps running is my favorite.”

First-time Tour d’Elegance driver Lorenzo Triana was behind the wheel and ready to go in his 1957 Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster 15 minutes before the green “GO!” sign was in the air.

“I’m very excited (and) very nervous, actually. It’s very humbling when you see all the other cars but it’s just a fantastic experience.” He purchased the car in 1985 but only started the major restoration around five years ago.

According to Triana, his Roadster was the only one ordered from the factory without bumpers, most likely because the original owners were racing the car. Now, 67 years later, Triana “just wants to make sure it starts, which it will, but those are just the kinds of things we worry about.”

Triana’s vehicle and many others will be parked on the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links Sunday afternoon. Collectors will be competing to be named Best of Show as experts critique each car’s history, mechanics and elegance.

McCray, Webb help SF Giants stop bleeding, avoid sweep vs. Braves

SAN FRANCISCO — The first hit of Grant McCray’s major-league career won’t be remembered for how hard it was struck or how far it traveled. The bunt single didn’t didn’t make it beyond the dirt in front of home plate and would have been more accurately measured in inches than the two feet estimated by Statcast.

McCray’s first career hit helped the Giants score the only run they would need Thursday afternoon behind Logan Webb, but his second had to feel even more satisfying.

Launching the first home run of his career and the Giants’ second of the sixth inning, the 23-year-old center fielder padded the Giants’ lead in an eventual 6-0 win to avoid being swept by the Braves over a four-game series for the first time since 1960, six years before they moved to Atlanta.

“I’m still overwhelmed with excitement, man,” said McCray, who finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBIs in his second game in the majors. “First big-league hit, first big-league RBI, did a job for my team and got the scoring going. Can’t be more thankful for that.”

San Francisco Giants’ Grant McCray hits his first major league home run against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/ Bay Area News Group)

Reaching base three times, McCray helped the Giants snap a four-game losing streak and even their record back to .500, at 62-62. Still, after dropping the first three games of the series, they finished the day further back of the final National League wild card spot — trailing Atlanta by 3½ games — than when the series began.

“It really was kind of a must-win for us,” said manager Bob Melvin, who felt good about the Giants’ chances when he handed the ball to Webb. “Those are the guys that you want on the mound in those types of games, and he came as advertised.”

Walking off the mound to a standing ovation from the 29,319 on hand one out shy of completing eight shutout innings, Webb pitched with the determination of an ace trying to single-handedly will his team to a win and eventually October. He struck out seven, walked one and allowed four hits over 7⅔ scoreless innings.

The only trouble Webb ran into came in the fourth inning and was hardly of his own doing. He stared down the NL’s second-most prodigious power hitter this season, Marcell Ozuna, with runners on first and second and nobody out after Casey Schmitt bobbled Matt Chapman’s throw on a potential double-play grounder.

Webb raised his arms in disbelief and let out an expletive when umpires ruled replay confirmed that Schmitt hadn’t secured the ball enough to even retire the lead runner. But he was out of the inning just two batters later, carefully attacking Ozuna and Matt Olson with 15 pitches — not one above the belt. Ozuna took a knee-high sinker for strike three, and Olson lined the ninth pitch of his at-bat — a changeup below the strike zone — right to Mark Canha, who stepped on first for an unassisted double play.

“I don’t know how that didn’t get overturned,” Webb said. “I thought they should have called him out in the first place. I think I used that to try to get the hitters out. There were a couple really good hitters coming up, so I was just trying to get a ground ball and go from there.”

The Giants hadn’t scored more than four runs in any of the first six games of their home stand, but they understood if they could scratch across just one it could be enough with Webb’s recent streak of dominance, lowering his ERA over his past four starts to a minuscule 0.61 (2 ER, 29⅓ IP).

After they loaded the bases to start the second inning against Max Fried and Curt Casali struck out, bringing up their rookie No. 9 hitter with one out, Melvin was determined to get at least one run out of the situation. He asked McCray to lay down a bunt, which dribbled so closely in front of home plate that Jerar Encarnacion would have been forced out had Travis d’Arnaud been able to hang on to the flip from Fried but instead opened a 1-0 lead.

A 21-year veteran of the manager’s seat, Melvin couldn’t remember the last time he called for a bunt with the bases loaded.

“It doesn’t happen very often,” he said. “Just based on everything that has transpired, and you have a guy that can handle the bat and bunt like that … we’ve been in that situation a bunch and haven’t scored. So we had to try something different.”

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McCray drew a four-pitch walk in his second trip to the plate, then in the sixth displayed the raw power that produced 53 home runs in 437 minor-league games. After Schmitt lined a two-run shot that extended the Giants’ lead to 4-0, McCray made it 5-0 two batters later with a 414-foot solo shot into the visitors’ bullpen.

The speedy young outfielder had made it halfway to second base before he slowed his pace to a trot, slapped his hands in celebration and, as he crossed home plate, made a heart with his hands and held it up to his family in the stands behind the first-base dugout.

“I just blacked out, honestly,” McCray said. “I rounded second and was just like, ‘This is for real.’ Got it out of the way. Just overwhelmed with excitement.”

The home run guaranteed he will have more on the back of his baseball cards than his father, Rodney, who appeared in 67 games without a homer.

“I already told him,” McCray said, smiling. “I was like, ‘You don’t have a home run in the big leagues and I do!’”

Up next

After a day off Friday — their first in 14 days — the Giants head across the Bay Bridge for their final series at the Oakland Coliseum. RHP Hayden Birdsong (3-2, 5.40) is scheduled to oppose RHP Osvaldo Bido (3-3, 3.92) on Saturday (4:07 p.m.) before LHP Blake Snell (2-3, 3.91) and LHP JP Sears (10-8, 4.32) face off in their final meeting Sunday afternoon.

From Milan to Monterey: Three generations of Italian automotive passion

DEL REY OAKS >> The distinctive scream of a vintage Lamborghini Countach 5000 roars through its four exhaust pipes in an unassuming auto garage in Del Rey Oaks.

Peering over its V12 engine are three generations – Roberto Cairati, a graying Italian car mechanic, his middle-aged son, who is a former F1 test driver and former F2 and F3 driver turned car restorer, and two teenagers.

They are the Cairati family and they are bringing Italian craftsmanship and passion to the Monterey Peninsula via their eight-month old business Cairati Monterey.

”I was born in the garage,” said Massimo Cairati, the 45-year-old Milan-born former race car driver. “I never made it to Formula 1 – my family didn’t have the means – but I know the cars, I prefer to work on them.” Massimo learned from his father Roberto who worked out of a small garage in 1985.

The Cairati family works on a vintage Lamborghini Countach 5000. (Ruby Dirksen)

Parked in the garage behind the Countach and featured in Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auction next week at the Parc Du Concours are a Azzurro Cielo (Sky Blue) 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 (coachwork by Bertone) and a Rosso Dino (Dino Red) 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT (coachwork by Scaglietti). Both meticulously restored by Cairati –  in the Dino’s case the mechanical and bare metal paint along with its original black upholstery were completed by the family and their team.

The business was established near Monterey for a variety of reasons.The Carirati family had been doing business for a while with their partner Vince Finaldi, a Los Angeles lawyer who relocated to Carmel. It made better economic sense that they should be closer to their main collector clients in the U.S. Restoring a car in Italy is much more expensive than in the states. Massimo explained that shipping costs, bureaucratic red tape, taxes, language barriers and other uncertainties made it smarter to do business in the U.S., especially the Monterey Peninsula due its international reputation as being a magnet for car collectors.

”This work is 4,000-5,000 hours per car, it must be a passion,” said Massimo, his two sons Lorenzo, 15, and Samuele, 13, smiling with pride. “Italian cars are very complicated and needy.”

Lorenzo, a Monterey High student, and his brother Samuele, a seventh grader, just returned from spending the summer in Milan. His father has a photo of his sons in racing suits on his phone and a video of Lorenzo racing. Lorenzo has followed in his father’s footsteps by also being a racer in junior karting.

“My dream is to be a driver and a lawyer – these are important cars. For me it’s normal to be around these cars, normal people don’t understand the internal workings of the car. I want to continue my father’s work and I have the best teacher – my father,” said Lorenzo.

This is Lorenzo’s second year in the U.S. and he is working with his family during Classic Car Week.

The chatty and friendly teen has taken to America easily. He’s studying for this driver’s license and has a lot to say about Italian and American driving standards.

“People are safe drivers (here), compared to Milan. You’re able to make a lot of modifications to cars here and it’s perfectly legal. In Milan they will take your car if you change it.”

The family business does it all – from sourcing parts, to electrical work to fabricating and painting. Attention to authenticity and keeping their projects as OEM (original equipment manufacturing) as possible is how they work.

“It’s not possible to make a lot of cars like these,” said Lorenzo as he pointed to another Countach on a lift. “They take a lot of care with passion in every part from the front to the back.”

Lorenzo is spending Classic Car Week on the lookout for some of their favorite cars including the Mercedes CLK GT. Samuele sheepishly admits wanting a Corvette C-6. Both are excited to see concept cars as well.

The Cairati family works on a vintage Lamborghini Countach 5000. (Ruby Dirksen)

Ruby C. Dirksen is a Monterey High student journalist. 

Everything we know about the 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk extension saga

SANTA CLARA — Six months ago, after a crushing 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, Brandon Aiyuk was cleaning out his locker and appeared unsure of what the future held.

Under contract for the 2024 season at a salary of $14.124 million, Aiyuk, like Nick Bosa before him in 2023, had performed in a way that far exceeded his option figure. A second-team All-Pro selection, Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 17.9 yards per reception.

Aiyuk, two days after the Super Bowl loss, was emotional and non-committal regarding his future with the club.

Asked about remaining with the 49ers, Aiyuk said, “If that’s the right move, yeah.” Asked a follow-up about what the right move would look like, Aiyuk said “being a champion.”

Aiyuk then turned his face to his locker and said, “That’s all I got.”

That was on Feb. 13, and a half-year later, Aiyuk, the 49ers and an anxious fan base are still waiting for a resolution as the market for wide receivers skyrocketed as comparable players landed huge deals.

A timeline of the Aiyuk saga:

April 15: DeVonta Smith signs a three-year, $75 million extension with Philadelphia with $51 million guaranteed.

April 24: Amon-Ray St. Brown signs a four-year, $120 million extension with Detroit with $77 million guaranteed. Average per year $30 million.

April 25: With the No. 31 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, the 49ers select wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. of Florida, fueling speculation they could be in the market to trade either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel.

April 30: A.J. Brown signs a three-year, $96 million extension with Philadelphia with $84 million guaranteed. Average per year: $32 million.

May 20: The 49ers hold their first voluntary organized team activity session (OTA) and Aiyuk is not present. He will skip all voluntary practices leading up to training camp.

May 28: Nico Collins signs a three-year, $72.5 million extension with Houston with $52 million guaranteed. Average per year: $24.25 million.

May 30: Jaylen Waddle signs a three-year, $84.75 million extension with Miami with $76 million guaranteed. Average per year $28.25 million

June 3: Justin Jefferson signs a four-year, $140 million extension with Minnesota with a reported $110 million guaranteed. Average per year: $35 million.

#49ers Brandon Aiyuk walks onto the field and headed straight to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan pic.twitter.com/JPdTzwDv92

— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) July 31, 2024

June 4: The 49ers sign Christian McCaffrey to a two-year extension reportedly worth $38 million. On the first day of mandatory minicamp, the only no-shows are Aiyuk and tackle Trent Williams. Shanahan said Aiyuk’s absence was due to “contract stuff.”

June 16: In a TikTok post, Aiyuk tells Jayden Daniels of Washington, a former Arizona State teammate, that the 49ers “don’t want me here.”

June 24: Aiyuk has a face-to-face meeting with the 49ers at his request, but no details are divulged.

June 28: Asked by host Ryan Clark on his podcast “The Pivot” what uniform he’d be in for the 2024 season, Aiyuk said “If I were to take a guess, probably a Niners uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform.”

July 16: Multiple outlets report Aiyuk has requested a trade from the 49ers, first reported by NFL Network.

July 23: The day before training camp opens, 49ers general manager John Lynch is asked at a press conference whether he expects Aiyuk to practice. “We expect all our players to practice,” Lynch said.

July 24: Aiyuk reports to the 49ers on the first day of training camp, but as a “hold-in” with no intention of practicing until a trade or contract extension is worked out. “We expected it, and I understand the situation fully,” Shanahan tells reporters. Aiyuk walks past reporters as practice is about to begin and makes a left-hand turn and walks toward Levi’s Stadium. While Aiyuk is on site, Williams is not. Shanahan confirms Williams is working out a contractual situation.

July 31: Aiyuk greets Lynch warmly and exchanges a hug with Shanahan as practice was beginning, with speculation that he had either agreed to terms on a contract or was saying goodbye after learning of a trade. Meanwhile, D.J. Moore signs a four-year, $110 million extension with Chicago with $82.6 million guaranteed. Average per year: $27.5 million.

Aug. 2: Shanahan downplays the significance of his on-field hug with Aiyuk at practice. “That’s usually how we greet each other, honestly. Bro hug, nothing more, nothing less,” Shanahan said.

Aug. 7: Aiyuk reportedly rejects a contract offer worth $32 million per season from New England due to uncertainty at quarterback, according to The Athletic.

Aug. 9: Aiyuk rejects a trade to Cleveland that would have brought the 49ers wide receiver Amari Cooper as well as second- and fifth-round draft picks, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.

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Aug. 13: The 49ers and Steelers agree on the parameters of a deal that would send Aiyuk to Pittsburgh, reportedly one of his preferred destinations. No deal is announced as the 49ers have reportedly re-engaged in contract talks to retain Aiyuk, according to the NFL Network.

Aug. 14: Aiyuk watches practice on the sideline, appearing engaged and talking with teammates George Kittle, Samuel and Kyle Juszczyk.

Aug. 15: Aiyuk watches practice from a distance, at one point having a brief conversation with Samuel.

Horoscopes Aug. 15, 2024: Jennifer Lawrence, attitude is everything

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Jennifer Lawrence, 34; Joe Jonas, 35; Anthony Anderson, 54; Debra Messing, 56.

Happy Birthday: Stop second-guessing yourself. Ask questions, make up your mind and put your plans in motion. Refuse to be a follower or let someone take advantage of you. Do your own thing, consider what you want and refuse to attach yourself to someone else’s dream. Attitude is everything, and if you are confident and fun to be with, you’ll get the response and support you require to make your journey memorable. Your numbers are 8, 12, 23, 29, 35, 38, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be careful who you trust. Verify everything before passing it along. Ease stress through relaxation or an activity that helps you maintain emotional stability. Keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear. Someone will lead you astray or take advantage of your gullibility. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t fool yourself into thinking someone will help you out of the goodness of their heart. There will be a price to pay or hidden costs that come your way if you aren’t cautious about who you hire or how you invest your time and money. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look for legitimate opportunities, not hype. If something sounds too good to be true, take a pass. Invent opportunities rather than tag along. The easy path will not pay off long-term. Do your best, work hard and use your skills, experience and knowledge to advance. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An open mind will gather wisdom, knowledge and the path to success. Travel, education and observation will help you gauge trends and figure out how to take advantage of an opportunity. Seize the moment. Don’t fear change; embrace it and bask in your good fortune. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Reach out to interest groups or people who can contribute to your success. Start a dialogue and determine what’s available and the cost involved. A friendly but knowledgeable and confident attitude will ensure you receive the information you require and hands-on help. Call the shots. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Work behind the scenes. Stay out of the way and out of trouble. Use wisdom and experience to navigate through situations threatening your position or prosperity. Choose discipline over bravado, and let your results be your calling card. Stick close to home and nurture meaningful relationships. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Point yourself in the direction you want to go, then run to the finish line. Create opportunities, learn as you go and let your intelligence and charm help you attract helpers who can make your journey notable. Abide by the rules, and don’t take shortcuts. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Look over your shoulder and protect your ideas, possessions and reputation. Be careful not to give anyone inside information that allows them to beat you to the finish line. Take the high road, show discipline and be innovative. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep the information flowing, learn all you can and incorporate your findings into your routine. Efficiency is the path to freedom; don’t rely on others to decide for you. Opportunity begins with you and your ability to believe in yourself. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Truth matters. Emotional deception is prevalent. Whether you fool yourself into believing what’s false or allow someone to lead you astray, regret will follow. Get the facts and do whatever it takes to get back on track. It’s always possible to turn a wrong into a right. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A change is overdue, but first, figure out how to make things happen. Check to see if there are any incentives or offers that can bring you closer to your objective. Look for opportunities, and talk to people practicing what you want to mimic. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplify your life. If you let others intervene or lure you into temptation, you will fall short of your expectations. Don’t take a risk with your relationships, health or assets. Establish what’s important to you. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are entertaining, helpful and trendy. You are indulgent and tense.

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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SF Giants’ playoff hopes take another hit in drubbing by Braves

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ playoff hopes aren’t dead, but the road ahead just got much more difficult.

Needing to secure at least a split of this four-game series against the Braves to capture a potentially important head-to-head tiebreaker, the Giants did themselves no favors by dropping the first two contests and by the time they came to bat Wednesday could pretty much kiss those hopes goodbye.

A game that was about as must-win as they come began with a clunker of epic proportions from Robbie Ray and ended, 13-2, with another left-hander — outfielder Mike Yastrzemski — having about as much luck finding the strike zone to the amusement of the 27,460 who stuck around for the drubbing.

“This is one we really needed to come back and try to win,” manager Bob Melvin said of the loss that sent his squad back under .500, at 61-62, four games after hitting their high-water mark. “Tomorrow, I don’t want to say anything is a must (-win) game, but we need to get back to .500 tomorrow and then have an offday to regroup.”

Dropping their fourth straight game, the loss guaranteed that no matter the outcome of Sunday’s series finale the Giants (61-62) will have an extra game to make up by way of losing the season series and the potential determining factor should they to catch Atlanta (64-56) in the win-loss column, where the gap grew to 4½ games.

The Giants lost each of the first two games of the series in extra innings and fell to 2-4 against Atlanta with one matchup left. They own the head-to-head tiebreakers against the Reds, Cubs and Mets but as it stands now, the Braves are who they must chase down with 39 games to play and six games separating them in the loss column.

At the end of play Wednesday, FanGraphs gave the Giants 5.2% odds of making the postseason, their lowest point all season, down from 16.3% when the Braves arrived into town.

“Not ideal,” said Yastrzemski, who made the first pitching appearance of his career. “Today’s just a tough one to swallow. Obviously we’ve been going out there and giving it our all, but it looks like we’ve got a little bit of fatigue. We’re going to just really mentally lock back in and try and forget about the aches and pains. … Just keep the optimism as much as you can.”

Ray walked off the mound after his 39th pitch sailed wide of the strike zone and issued his third free pass of the first inning. He also hit the first two batters he faced, spiking Jorge Soler in the foot with a slider and running a fastball in on Austin Riley’s hands, and served up a knuckle curve on a such a shiny silver platter that Michael Harris II, in his first major-league at-bat since June, sent it on a 107.3 mph line directly into McCovey Cove.

Ray’s second walk of the inning, to Orlando Arcia, forced in the Braves’ first run and Harris made it 5-0 with his grand slam, the second home run to reach the water this season and the first by an opponent. The five runs represented the most Ray has allowed in an outing as a Giant, while the two outs matched the shortest start of his career, but the way it took place put it in an entirely different dimension.

“I don’t know if I’ve completely processed everything from what happened yet,” Ray said. “It was just kind of a weird outing. … I don’t really have an answer for it, but I’m sure I will in the next couple days.”

Harris’ grand slam was the only hit Ray allowed, making him the third pitcher in Giants history and the first since 1951 to allow five or more runs on one or fewer hits. So erratic and short-lived was Ray’s outing that it put him in the company of only 17 other pitchers (six starters) to walk at least three batters and hit at least two in an outing of an inning or less.

The Braves continued to pile on with another six runs on three home runs against Sean Hjelle, Erik Miller and Taylor Rogers.

“He was just struggling with his command,” Melvin said of Ray, whose ERA in seven starts since Tommy John surgery rose to 6.00. “Coming off a long time off, you’re going to have some tough ones. I couldn’t let him go anymore than that. I couldn’t let him throw more than 40 pitches with what he’s been through. Sometimes there’s going to be some soft spots and today it was more about his command.”

Leading off the bottom half of the first, Tyler Fitzgerald began cutting into the deficit as soon as he could, connecting on the first pitch he saw from Atlanta starter Grant Holmes and sending it into the left field bleachers for his second home run in as many games. But Atlanta’s onslaught proved too much to overcome for an offense that had failed to eclipse four runs in any of the first five games of the home stand.

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The Giants pounded out nine hits — only two shy of the Braves’ total — but manufactured just one other run, when Patrick Bailey led off the seventh with a double and Brett Wisely singled him home. Falling to 2-4 on the home stand, the Giants are batting .183 (36-for-197) — 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position — while averaging 2.5 runs over their past six games.

“We’ve just played a lot of close games, a lot of tough games,” Yastrzemski said. “You go from the two-rain delay game, you’ve got a flight. You play three tough ones with Detroit. Then you play two extra-inning games. I think those innings start to add up on you. …

“Everyone’s going out there and playing as hard as they can, but sometimes the legs are a little heavy. Sometimes the hands are a little slow. That’s part of the mental aspect of the game because you’re rarely going to feel 100%. That’s how baseball is. To get into that mindset takes some effort, so I think we’ll be focusing on that and trying to do all the little things the right way to try to win these close ballgames that we keep finding ourselves in.”

Notable

Yastrzemski threw 27 pitches, ranging from 44.7 mph to 67.3 mph and only two that were called strikes by home plate umpire Adam Beck.

“Definitely didn’t have my ‘A’ stuff,” Yastrzemski said. “Thought I could have gotten a couple more calls, but I guess that’s how it goes some days.”

Up next

Looking to avoid being swept, the Giants send RHP Logan Webb (10-8, 3.32) to the mound against LHP Max Fried (7-6, 3.56). First pitch is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.

Why SF Giants optioned Marco Luciano just 2 weeks after opening role for him

SAN FRANCISCO — Two weeks since the Giants’ top prospect was welcomed back to the majors with a public proclamation of playing time from the team’s top boss, Marco Luciano found himself in an increasingly familiar setting Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old shortstop was summoned into manager Bob Melvin’s office and braced himself for more bad news.

“It’s a hard one when you’ve done it a few times. He’s heard me. He kind of knows the drill,” Melvin said Wednesday, explaining the news that he informed Luciano of the previous night, that he had been optioned back to Triple-A Sacramento after another limited look in the big leagues.

Despite Farhan Zaidi outlining everyday opportunities for Luciano at designated hitter after dealing Jorge Soler to the Braves, the role never materialized and the Giants determined just two weeks into the experiment that their roster required more speed, athleticism and defensive versatility.

Those needs were better-served by Grant McCray, the club’s 87th overall draft pick in 2019 who was called up and made his major-league debut in center field, batting ninth, Wednesday night against Braves right-handed starter Grant Holmes.

“Things can change in a hurry,” Melvin said. “We’re trying to run our best lineup out there and have our best complement on a particular day. It was easy at that point in time to envision more at-bats for Luciano, but it kind of dried up in a hurry.”

With the Giants struggling to score runs and Jerar Encarnacion and Mark Canha already providing right-handed options off the bench, Melvin explained the move was “about the defense right now and some more athleticism,” noting the contributions from another rookie and fellow member of the 2019 draft class, Tyler Fitzgerald.

“It’s just as much about the defense and what we’ve seen Tyler bring to the table as well as far as athleticism on the bases and so forth,” Melvin said. “And he’s swinging the bat well. We’ll see how it goes, but for now we’re excited about having another athletic guy out there in center field.”

The son of former major-league outfielder Rodney McCray, the former third-round pick has been considered one of the most dynamic athletes in the Giants’ farm system since they selected him out of Lakewood Ranch High School (Brandenton, Fla.) but has only begun to mature offensively since reaching Triple-A in June.

In his first 47 games at the level, McCray has struck out at the lowest rate of his career — 25.5% of his plate appearances — while batting .272 with six home runs, 12 doubles, four triples and an .818 OPS. In 437 career minor-league games, McCray has batted .265/.361/.443 with 53 homers, 85 doubles and 27 triples, striking out 29.1% of the time.

“Once I got called up to Triple-A, I felt like everything just got a little easier,” McCray said, attributing the success to “just trying to be early. As early as I can seeing the ball. Get my foot down early and just be relaxed. Just be patient and not try to do too much. … I realized I’m one step away from the big leagues. Just play hard, play the game and work and everything will fall into place. It looks like it has.”

McCray said his parents were planning to surprise him by meeting him in Sacramento on Thursday. He got to call them Wednesday morning with even more exciting news. Luckily Rodney and Penny were able to change their travel plans and make it to Oracle Park in time for first pitch.

“I thought I was still dreaming. I cried a little bit and then called my mom, called my dad and everything,” McCray said. “I was like, ‘Hey, surprise!’ … My mom cried. My dad was out playing golf — always — but he was just excited, saying I knew it was coming. It was about that time.”

McCray should challenge Fitzgerald (30.0 feet per second sprint speed) and Matt Chapman (28.7 ft/sec) as the fastest runners on the team.

While he has slowed down with only 14 stolen bases this season, between Single-A San Jose and High-A Eugene in 2022 and ’23, McCray swiped 95 bases in 115 opportunities, an 82.6% success rate. The Giants rank last in the majors with 47 steals in 65 attempts, led by Fitzgerald and Chapman with 12 apiece.

“I think (my speed) will play as it always does,” McCray said. “Help me steal them hits. Get them hits for myself. Change the game as a base runner. … I take pride in my defense and I work really hard for my pitchers and my team.”

Luciano’s role had been reduced to mostly being used as a late-inning pinch-runner, receiving 21 at-bats since Soler was traded July 30. He started five of the first six games but had only three hits while striking out eight times and appeared in only two of their eight games since.

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In 11 games since debuting Aug. 2 in Cincinnati, Encarnacion is batting .237 with a .687 OPS. Canha has batted .333 with a .757 OPS in eight games since being acquired from Detroit.

At Triple-A, Melvin said Luciano will continue to get work at both second base and shortstop.

The Giants’ second base platoon pairing of Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt hasn’t exactly been tearing the cover off the ball either — a combined 93 wRC+ since the start of August — but Melvin said they weren’t comfortable with playing Luciano there. He only began getting work at second after he made five errors at shortstop in a seven-game stretch.

“We didn’t want to do that to him, basically. He just started playing second base and we felt more than anything it was the bat we were looking for for some help and that it would maybe take a little off his plate defensively,” Melvin said. “It’s more about, ‘Hey, look, at some point in time you’re going to have an opportunity and you have to take advantage of it. It looked like it was a real time for you, but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. Some of the other guys were swinging the bat a little better.’”