Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 404
July 30, 2024
SF Giants bet on pitching, prospects at MLB trade deadline: ‘We feel we have the best rotation in baseball’
SAN FRANCISCO — Shortly before the clock on MLB’s trade deadline struck midnight (3 p.m. PT on Tuesday), Alex Cobb walked out of Oracle Park for the final time, with Logan Webb, his close confidant and rotation mate, by his side.
When 3 o’clock came and passed, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi, outlined a direction that doubles down on the contributions his club has received from its young players and a starting rotation finally at full strength, which didn’t have space for the 36-year-old veteran.
Despite long odds from the projection systems, Zaidi said he believes it is a path that leads to the playoffs.
“We expect to be there,” he said.
Cobb was traded for a young pitching prospect to Cleveland, where he reunites with first-year manager Stephen Vogt and bench coach Craig Albernaz, his first two catchers in professional baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Giants also moved on from struggling designated hitter Jorge Soler and reliever Luke Jackson late Monday night and, in the final moments before the deadline, acquired outfielder Mark Canha, a longtime favorite of manager Bob Melvin.
Moving forward with a rotation of Logan Webb, Blake Snell, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong, Zaidi said, “We feel we have the best rotation in baseball.”
“It’s been a long road to get our rotation to the place that it’s in now,” Zaidi said. “When you have starting pitching like that, it can get you on a roll. For us, to keep that group together, seeing how we played this past weekend, was a really high priority. Obviously we have to be open to things that might come up, but that was really our central philosophy going into the deadline. We have a rotation that can carry this team down the stretch and get us on a roll.”
It will take a roll unlike the team has produced to date to overcome their position in the National League wild card standings with 54 games to play entering their series against the A’s Tuesday night. Sweeping the Rockies in four games, the Giants matched their season-long winning streak and pulled within two games of .500 but still trailed the Padres and three other teams by four games for the final playoff spot.
FanGraphs gave them a 17.9% chance of claiming one of seven playoff spots, but Melvin quipped, “I’m not one for FanGraphs and looking at percentages.
“You can win five or six games in a row and it completely turns around. … Things can change in a hurry if you can sustain a run.”
When Ray made his debut last week, it marked one long-awaited reinforcement for a rotation that was at times down to two regular starters, requiring the bullpen to take on the largest workload in the majors. The team determined it didn’t need another boost in Cobb after seeing Birdsong’s first six major-league starts, which have produced a 2.97 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings, including 20 punchouts in his past two starts.
“A lot of the Alex Cobb deal was about creating a spot for him,” Zaidi said.
Moving on from Cobb, who was a leader in the clubhouse and nearing the end of a longer-than-anticipated rehab from offseason hip surgery, Zaidi said, “was tough.” Cobb was set to make his season debut this week before a blister popped in his final rehab start and on Sunday made his case to remain in San Francisco, even if a trade to the first-place Guardians increases his chance of pitching in the postseason for only the second time in his 13-year career.
The Giants are also rolling the dice that Snell’s second-half resurgence continues apace, Webb’s past three starts are nothing but an aberration, the 32-year-old Ray suffers no complications in his return from major elbow surgery and their pair of rookies don’t run into issues as they surpass career-high workloads.
“The job Hayden’s done, for us to really believe in the roll this group of five starters can get on,” Zaidi said, “you’ve gotta sort of take a little bit of a chance and a leap of faith that they’re going to pitch and they’re going to be healthy and if something happens, we’ll have to figure out another plan.”
While the Giants shed about $36 million in salary between Soler, Cobb and Jackson, the moves were not enough to bring them under the luxury tax threshold, meaning they will operate this offseason under harsher restrictions.
Trading Soler less than a year into the three-year, $42 million deal he signed at the start of spring training allowed the Giants to open regular at-bats at designated hitter for Marco Luciano, who has six homers and a .927 OPS since the start of July at Triple-A Sacramento.
Luciano was called up, along with utilityman Blake Sabol, to fill the two open roster spots before Tuesday’s game.
“The (Soler) deal last night was a lot about creating at-bats for Luciano, who’s really come a long way offensively,” Zaidi said, adding that outfielder Luis Matos would be up eventually, too. “I think we have seen his trajectory over the last few years and you talk about how he can be put under such a microscope because he’s been such a highly thought of prospect from the time he signed at 16. Sometimes you lose the zoom out big picture of how much progress he’s made. We’ve really seen that over the last month.”
While Melvin said they could use the vacant DH spot to get Matt Chapman or other position players off their feet and Luciano could still move around the infield —”I don’t think we’re putting in ink that he’s a career DH now,” Zaidi said — he will serve as the club’s primary DH.
Calling Canha, 35, a “perfect fit” and eyeing Melvin in the back of the room as he said, “Bob got ahold of the car keys and brought in another one of his guys,” Zaidi outlined a part-time role the longtime Oakland staple heavy on left-handed pitching and clubhouse leadership.
“His versatility, ability to play the corners, play first base, start, come off the bench. We’re very left-handed in the corners, so he fits that perfectly,” Zaidi said. “I think the relationships he has in the clubhouse … and really this city and region, he’s a really great fit for us and I know people are excited about it.”
Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants fall to A’s in first game since standing pat at MLB trade deadline San Francisco Giants | SF Giants add San Jose native, former A’s outfielder Canha at trade deadline San Francisco Giants | Kurtenbach: The SF Giants showed their true colors at the MLB trade deadline San Francisco Giants | Alex Cobb’s memorable tenure in SF ends as Giants trade veteran to Guardians San Francisco Giants | SF Giants reunite pair of struggling veterans with Braves in first trade deadline moveMore than Canha, though, the Giants’ fate will be determined by their rotation’s ability to stay healthy and live up to Zaidi’s billing; how much of a load it can take off their taxed bullpen; and whether Heliot Ramos and Tyler Fitzgerald can keep up seasons that have put them in the same sentence as Willie Mays and Barry Bonds.
If so, maybe they can get on a run.
“We have this rotation that we think can carry us, and we’re making an organizational decision — a baseball decision — that we believe some of these young guys can help us get to where we’re trying to get to,” Zaidi said. “I probably look at the playoff odds a little too much because it’s hard to really interpret what they mean beyond the number. At some point, it’s not really about the probably. It’s a discreet question of, ‘Do you have a 10-2, a 14-2, a 13-3 run in you?’ to get to where you need to be. …
“I think what our playoff odds are telling us is, ‘We’ve gotta have a big run in us.’ If we do, we’ll be there. And if we don’t, we won’t.”
In reviewGiants trade deadline moves
Added: LHP Jacob Bresnahan (CLE prospect), UTIL Mark Canha, IF Sabin Ceballos (ATL No. 17 prospect), PTBNL (from CLE), LHP Tyler Matzek (60-day IL)
Subtracted: RHP Alex Cobb, RHP Luke Jackson, RHP Eric Silva (SF No. 12 prospect), DH Jorge Soler
SF Giants add San Jose native, former A’s outfielder Canha at trade deadline
Mark Canha is completing the Bay Area triple.
The San Jose-raised former Oakland A’s outfielder is joining the San Francisco Giants, who acquired him at the MLB trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers.
The 35-year-old Canha heads back to Northern California in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Eric Silva, who has spent 2024 pitching in relief for Double-A Richmond. Silva is not listed among the Giants’ top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline.
Canha, a 2007 Bellarmine graduate, started the season hot, but has cooled significantly since. In his first 29 games, he hit five home runs and batted .278 with a .922 OPS. Since then, he is batting .211 with just two home runs over about two months. Canha’s relative positional flexibility may have been a selling point for the Giants: He has played double-digit games in left field and right field, as well as first base.
Canha will be reunited in San Francisco with former A’s manager Bob Melvin and former Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman. He spent the first seven years of his MLB career in Oakland after playing collegiately at Cal.
The best season of his career was 2019, when he slugged 26 home runs and had an OPS of .913.
He left the A’s in free agency in 2021, signing with the Mets. This is the third time in the last year he has been traded: He was traded on July 31, 2023 to Milwaukee for the playoff push, then was sent to the Tigers in November.
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He will presumably split time in the corner outfielder spots with Mike Yastzemski and Michael Conforto, perhaps occasionally spelling LaMonte Wade at first base. Derek Hill has also recently played a few games in the outfield after the Giants traded Austin Slater.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Kurtenbach: The SF Giants showed their true colors at the MLB trade deadline
The trade deadline was an opportunity for the Giants to pick a direction this season.
Would they be bold, push some chips into the middle of the table, and buy, pushing for a Wild Card playoff berth in the National League?
Or would they see the writing on the wall and sell players amid an outstanding seller’s market? One step back this season (and, at this point, what’s another step?) could net the kind of prospects that could have this team running in years to come.
Well, it turns out they did neither.
Instead, they dumped salary.
Winning big league games? Building up an enviable farm system? No, what really matters to the Giants is exactly what Giants chairman Greg Johnson told everyone last year:
“Our goal is to somewhat break even.”
And I’ll be damned, they might just do it.
By offloading Jorge Soler, Alex Cobb, and Luke Jackson in the 24 hours proceeding Tuesday’s 3 p.m. deadline, the Giants shaved more than $30 million off the team’s payroll and dropped the team down a tier in the luxury tax.
The Giants are a bit worse for trading Soler and Jackson and no better off in the long term for trading them or Cobb.
In exchange for the three players, the Giants landed a mid-tier prospect from the Braves (Atlanta has a bad farm system for position players) and a non-ranked prospect from the Guardians.
Money out, nothing in.
These moves obviously don’t help the team this season, and they did nothing to bolster the farm system — something other selling teams were able to do with aplomb over the last few days.
It does help the bottom line, though.
The Giants tried out spending this past offseason, taking on second-tier free agents like Soler after another high-profile rejection. The ruse of spending like a big-market team didn’t even last a full season.
And my goodness, what a missed opportunity this deadline was for the Giants.
Half the teams in baseball are in financial straits as their regional television contracts have gone up in smoke, and there were only a handful of teams that (like the Giants) were trying to sell players of consequence.
Had the Giants retained some salary from Soler, Jackson, or Cobb, they could have landed a couple of prospects of consequence.
The Orioles traded the No. 5 prospect in their loaded farm system for a lefty starter who has a 4.92 ERA over his last 230 innings.
Closer Carlos Estevez landed the Angels two of the Phillies’ top-10 prospects and then the Marlins landed three of the Padres’ top-five prospects for two (maybe three) months of closer Tanner Scott, a pending free agent.
Meanwhile, the Giants traded a player they just signed to a three-year, $42 million deal — a slugger with serious bonafides who has posted a .899 OPS in his last 140 at-bats — for a toss-in player.
Cobb, an All-Star last year, landed the Giants Baseball America’s No. 491 in the 2023 MLB Draft.
But perhaps I’m being harsh on the Giants, after all, they did add a big leaguer at the deadline.
Former A’s standout Mark Canha — a favorite of now-Giants manager Bob Melvin — will be coming back home to the Bay.
Seeing as Canha has been unplayable this season (bottom five percent in expected batting average, slugging percentage, and seventh percentile in bat speed), I’m sure Zaidi’s former lieutenant, Tigers top executive Scott Harris, cackled after hanging up the phone.
But Zaidi, a former A’s exec, couldn’t go more than a few weeks without using the friends and family discount — a hallmark of the team’s offseasons. He did some solid, cost-cutting work for ownership, and they let him make a trade for himself before the deadline passed.
And why wouldn’t Zaidi want to reassemble the A’s, a team that, when Melvin was in the dugout, won a single playoff series (a three-gamer over the White Sox in 2020)?
It’s been true for a while now, but now it’s undeniable: the 2024 Giants are going nowhere because this is an organization that’s going nowhere. They can make move after move, but nothing ever really changes.
And that will be the case so long as this organization, which is in the baseball business, cares more about the business than the baseball.
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Classic Car Week estimated to bring 80,000 to Monterey Peninsula
Classic Car Week is around the corner and organizations across the county are gearing up for the 10-day event on the Monterey Peninsula.
More than 30 events will take place from Aug. 9-18 in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Carmel, Carmel Valley and Pebble Beach, from car shows, races and auctions to lectures and talks with renowned names in the luxury and classic car industries.
See Monterey will be working as a primary hub and information resource throughout Car Week, hosting a place for event listings, traffic tips and interactive maps for guests on their website.
“Each year is different, there are new hotels, new restaurants and different tourist sites, so it’s a new challenge each year,” said Rob O’Keefe, CEO of See Monterey.
More than 80,000 people are expected to attend this year’s Classic Car Week events, and hotels are going to be at or near capacity.
Select shuttle services will be offered for Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance through the Carmel Chamber of Commerce for $40 per person, which will offer unlimited rides all day, with children under 12 riding free. Shuttles will depart from Carmel Plaza and run every 15-30 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 18.
The Monterey-Salinas Transit will also continue its normal route through Car Week, making stops in downtown Monterey.
Monterey County will be monitoring traffic, with the county Emergency Department working with state and federal resources to ensure updates are made.
In addition to all of the events and shows, there will be several free events for the public, many of them hosting their own family-friendly events throughout the week:
• Monterey Car Week Kickoff (Friday, Aug. 9)
• Classic Motorsports Monterey Kickoff (Tuesday, Aug. 13)
• The Little Car Show (Wednesday, Aug. 14)
• Pebble Beach Motoring Classic (Wednesday, Aug. 14)
• Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance (Saturday, Aug. 17)
• Pebble Beach RetroAuto (Thursday, Aug. 15 – Sunday, Aug. 18)
• Concours Village (Thursday, Aug. 15 – Sunday, Aug. 18)
• Prancing Ponies Women’s Car Show (Thursday, Aug. 15)
• Porsche Club of America Werks Reunion (Friday, Aug. 16)
• Pacific Grove Rotary Concours Auto Rally (Friday, Aug. 16)
• Concours d’Lemons Monterey (Saturday, Aug. 17)
• Exotics on Broadway (Saturday, Aug. 17)
For more information visit seemonterey.com and the monterey county website for updated traffic details.
Imjin Parkway Widening and Roundabout Project taking shape in Marina
MARINA – The Imjin Parkway Widening and Roundabout Project is making strides in coming together as the last two weeks saw continued grading for paths and roads, and forming and placing concrete curbs, along with other construction work.
The Imjin Parkway project is a two-year effort to widen and increase safety on an artery linking the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley for about 30,000 daily motorists through the city of Marina. The project will affect 1.7 miles of Imjin Parkway from Reservation Road to Imjin Road and will include the construction of four roundabouts and increase the stretch of roadway to four lanes.
Marina is the lead agency for the project which is also the second regional Transportation Agency for Monterey County Measure X project to be built.
Work on the bike path and roadway section of Imjin Parkway between Preston and Abrams drives continued as well as the importing of material to construct fill slope between Abrams and Marina Heights drives over the last two weeks. Construction also centered on the continued forming and placing of concrete for median curbs along Imjin Parkway between Preston and Abrams drives. Workers striped and reset forms for the concrete retaining wall near Abrams Drive, and there was the monitoring of contractor activities and maintenance of the perimeter fencing, as well as the removal of existing pavement west of Marina Heights Drive.
In the next two weeks, workers will strip and set the formwork for the concrete retaining wall near Abrams Drive and place concrete for portions of the wall. Importing material will continue for the construction of the fill slope between Abrams and Marina Heights drives. The setting of forms for the concrete retaining wall near Marina Heights Drive will begin, and the environmental monitoring of contractor activities job-wide will continue.
Upcoming tasks in the near future include the continued installation of underground utilities for irrigation, street lighting and fiber conduits, along with the completion of earthwork to construct fill slopes between Abrams and Marina Heights drives. Work will also include completing the forming and concrete for retaining walls near Abrams and Marina Heights drives. Grading operations for the roadway section between Reservation Road and Abrams Drive will also continue.
The project’s $40.5 million in funding sources include $2 million from Marina generated from development impact fees, $18.25 million from Transportation Agency for Monterey County’s Measure X and $20.25 million from California’s SB1 local partnership program.
Measure X was the November 2016 ballot measure that was approved by 67.7% of Monterey County voters for the Transportation Agency’s Transportation Safety and Investment Plan.
The measure is anticipated to generate an estimated $20 million annually for a total of $600 million over 30 years through a retail transactions and use tax of a three-eighths’ of one percent to fund transportation safety and mobility projects in Monterey County.
California’s Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, SB1, created the Local Partnership Program and continuously appropriates $200 million annually from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account to local and regional transportation agencies that have sought and received voter approval of taxes or that have imposed fees, which taxes or fees are dedicated solely for transportation improvements.
Upon completion of the project, the Imjin Parkway Widening and Roundabout Project will provide transit and pedestrian improvements, add on-street buffered bike lanes, stormwater treatment areas, retaining walls and a sound wall.
The improvements will benefit commuters who travel through the corridor, as well as those who live along Imjin Parkway at Cal State Monterey Bay and the neighboring homes in Marina Heights, Sea Haven and Preston Park.
Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Wednesday, July 31
Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Wednesday, July 31.
Highlights include the swimming finals in the women’s 1500 free where Katie Ledecky is a favorite after winning gold in the event in Tokyo (11:15 a.m., NBC) and the U.S. men’s basketball team faces South Sudan (11:45 a.m., USA).
ARCHERY5:05 a.m.
USA — Individual: Round of 64, 325:45 a.m.
E! — Individual: Round of 326:50 a.m.
USA — Fencing, Archery7 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — BoxingBADMINTON1:15 a.m.
USA — Group Play: Singles, DoublesBASKETBALL8:15 a.m.
E! — Basketball, Basketball 3×311:45 a.m.
USA — Men’s Group C: USA vs. South SudanBASKETBALL 3X32:05 a.m.
NBC — NBC Late Night (July 30)3:30 a.m.
USA — Pool Play8:15 a.m.
E! — Basketball, Basketball 3×3Noon
E! — Pool Play1:30 p.m.
NBC — Men’s Pool Play4 p.m.
USA — Pool Play
BEACH VOLLEYBALL1 a.m.
E! — Pool Play3 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Beach volleyball and diving6 a.m.
NBC — Pool Play1:45 p.m.
USA — Pool Play6 p.m.
USA — Beach Volleyball, ShootingBOXING7 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — BoxingCANOEING10:45 a.m.
USA — Slalom: Women’s Canoe Final5 p.m.
USA — Slalom: Women’s Canoe FinalCYCLING4:10 a.m.
USA — Final: BMX Freestyle5:45 a.m.
USA — Final: BMX FreestyleDIVING2 a.m.
E! — Women’s Synchro 10m Platform Final3 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Beach volleyball and divingEQUESTRIAN7 a.m.
E! — Dressage: Grand PrixFENCING6:50 a.m.
USA — Fencing, Archery1:30 p.m.
E! — Men’s Team Sabre Bronze/Gold FinalsFIELD HOCKEY4:15 a.m.
E! — Women’s Pool B: Australia vs. USAGOLF3 a.m.
GOLF — Golf Central – Paris PreviewGYMNASTICS8:30 a.m.
NBC — Men’s All-Around Final8 p.m.
NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 31)HANDBALL3 p.m.
USA — Men’s Group PlayROWING2:50 a.m.
E! — Finals: Quadruple Sculls & moreSHOOTING7 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Boxing6 p.m.
USA — Beach Volleyball, ShootingSOCCER9 p.m.
USA — Men’s Group A: USA vs. Guinea8 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Brasil vs. SpainUNIVERSO — Japan vs. Nigeria9:30 a.m.
E! — Women’s Group B: Australia vs. USA10 a.m.
UNIVERSO — Australia vs. USANoon
UNIVERSO — Colombia vs. Canada8 p.m.
USA — Women’s Group B: Australia vs. USASURFING12:05 a.m.
NBC — NBC Late Night (July 30)SWIMMING2 a.m.
USA — Heats: Women’s 200m Fly & more7 a.m.
NBC — Heats: Women’s 200m Fly & more11:15 a.m.
NBC — Finals: Men’s & Women’s 100m Free & more8 p.m.
NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 31)TABLE TENNIS3:45 a.m.
E! — M&W Singles: Round of 32TRIATHLON11 p.m.
USA — Women’s Final7 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Boxing7:45 a.m.
NBC — Women’s FinalVOLLEYBALL5 a.m.
UNIVERSO — men’s volleyball8 a.m.
USA — Women’s Pool Play2 p.m.
NBC — Women’s Pool PlayWATER POLO10 a.m.
USA — Women’s Group: Italy vs. USARelated ArticlesOlympics | What to watch at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, July 31 Olympics | Stephen Nedoroscik waited his whole life for one routine. The US pommel horse specialist nailed it Olympics | Simone Biles and Team USA earn ‘redemption’ by powering to Olympic gold in women’s gymnastics Olympics | Here’s what to know about Seine River water quality during the Paris Olympics Olympics | French police investigating abuse targeting Olympic opening ceremony DJ over ‘Last Supper’ scene49ers camp: Purdy intercepted on four of final five throws
SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy had four of his final five passes intercepted Tuesday, yet there was no sulking as he came off the 49ers’ practice field.
“He’s not throwing a temper tantrum or anything like that,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said of Purdy’s typical demeanor. “He’s hard on himself and generally stays pretty positive.”
This was training camp fodder on a sunny summer day, just as it was in 2019 when Jimmy Garoppolo had five consecutive passes intercepted on his very bad day at camp – en route to a Super Bowl that season.
No, this was not a red flag that Purdy’s surgically repaired throwing arm suddenly lost its magic, or that his mind is drifting toward next year’s contract extension bonanza.
“I’ve seen improvement, even if he had few picks today,” Juszczyk added. “In general, Brock has improved. His confidence seems to be there more. His arm strength is there more. … I expect only good things from him.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy speaks during a press conference on July 24, 2024, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)The whole world does after Purdy’s storybook rise to stardom, having guided the 49ers to back-to-back NFC Championship Games and perhaps a touchdown pass shy of a Super Bowl win six months ago.
His Pro Bowl form flashed Tuesday when he opened with eight consecutive completions, highlighted by a 50-yard bomb to Deebo Samuel down the left sideline and a 20-yard throw to Christian McCaffrey over linebacker De’Vondre Campbell.
Then came back-to-back throws that were nearly intercepted by Fred Warner and Ji’Ayir Brown. After a completion to George Kittle, the interceptions flowed:
No. 1: Brown plucked a late throw intended for Samuel.
No. 2: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles snared an over-the-middle toss toward Samuel.
No. 3: After Purdy completed a pass to Juszczyk with Warner in tight coverage, George Odum swooped in to intercept a 40-yard bomb that deflected off the hands of a jumping Jauan Jennings near the sideline.
No. 4: Looking again for Samuel, Purdy instead shorted a throw that Deommodore Lenoir picked off in stride for a would-be pick-six.
Cue the reminder that this is Purdy’s first training camp taking all the first-team reps, having been limited last year amid elbow rehabilitation and in 2022 as a rookie afterthought.
“Putting pads on (for a second straight day), the pass rush gets more real, so it may take a day or two to adjust,” Juszczyk noted.
Interceptions aren’t derailing Purdy’s confidence or demeanor, nor should he feel compelled to call out the ongoing absences of left tackle Trent Williams and No. 1 wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Once practice ended, Purdy walked to a collection of fans who chanted his name – “PUR-DY! PUR-DY” – and proceeded to sign autographs for members of the military in attendance.
“We love you, Purdy,” one shouted.
“Appreciate you guys. Thank you for your support,” Purdy responded.
Purdy completed 10-of-16 passes overall in 11-on-11 drills in Tuesday’s second straight practice in full pads. He also had a pass intercepted by Lenoir early in one-on-one action between wide receivers and cornerbacks. Purdy certainly wasn’t perfect a day earlier, either, when he threw three interceptions.
Camp is when chances should be taken. A tip here, a late pass there, a pocket collapses, a route is askew, the defense anticipates things, and, voila, picks happen.
Purdy had 11 passes intercepted in 444 attempts last regular season (a 2.5% rate that ranked 24th), and his only interception in the playoffs came before he led their NFC Championship Game comeback. As a rookie, he had three interceptions in nine games upon assuming the starting role, with no interceptions in three playoff games.
JUSZCZYK’S FRESH APPROACH
Juszczyk returned to practice along with Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey after all three were off Monday. It was Juszczyk’s first “veteran” day of rest in his career.
“It only took 12 years. But I embraced it,” Juszczyk said, before quipping: “I had to ask Christian for tips. He’s well-versed in them.
“But, no, Kyle (Shanahan) and I talked before camp about mixing some in this year. It was good for me. I felt fresh today. … I’m not necessarily thinking specifically about January. We’re all very conscious and aware of how long the season is and how long it’s been for us the last four or five years. you do have to think about that now in pacing yourself.”
ONE-ON-ONE HIGHLIGHTS
The best catch in the one-on-one action came when undrafted rookie Terique Owens, after nearly yielding his spot in the rotation to Jauan Jennings, stayed in to beat Ambry Thomas on a 30-yard go-route to catch Brandon Allen’s pass.
Jennings won all three of his earlier matchups to catch passes from Purdy, including jumping for a contested ball with Isaac Yiadom.
Purdy’s three passes to Samuel resulted in an interception (by Lenoir), a breakup by Lenoir in tight coverage, and a drop by Samuel on a well-thrown deep ball.
Missing from those one-on-ones and in practice overall was rookie cornerback Renardo Green, for unknown reasons.
PEARSALL’S PROGRESS
Related ArticlesSan Francisco 49ers | How are 49ers’ key position battles shaping up? Here’s an early review San Francisco 49ers | 49ers mailbag: When to panic over Trent Williams’ absence? San Francisco 49ers | 49ers camp: Are Nick Bosa and few good men enough at defensive end? San Francisco 49ers | How much the 49ers paid to become a political player after moving to Santa Clara San Francisco 49ers | Let’s get ready to rumble — 49ers put on the pads Monday at training campFirst-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall was held out of the one-on-one drill but did join 11-on-11 action for the first time this camp, and he caught a 15-yard throw from Allen on his first target.
FIRST PSEUDO-FIGHT
The first scuffle of camp saw defensive tackle T.Y. McGill charge after rookie offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston before the scene deescalated relatively quickly.
KICKOFF CHAOS
Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider continues to adapt to the NFL’s ongoing kickoff rule changes. “It’s more target practice. Hang time is out,” Schneider said.
Kicker Jake Moody is faring well in that regard, and after closing out practice yet again with a successful field goal, Moody broke down the post-practice huddle. “It’s always fun seeing guys in their second year come into building when camp starts,” Schneider said. “… It’s a whole different feel, how their body feels, how comfortable they are. They’re excited. It’s a different mentality in Year 2.”
Horoscopes July 30, 2024: Lisa Kudrow, shoot for the stars
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Simon Baker, 55; Terry Crews, 56; Lisa Kudrow, 61; Laurence Fishburne, 63.
Happy Birthday: You’ll be running on emotional fuel this year, contributing to what matters to you most and being the one to make a difference. Hold your head high, and continue until you are satisfied with your accomplishments. Being passionate will help you gain respect. A change of heart will encourage you to handle your financial, contractual and professional issues differently. Build a robust platform and shoot for the stars. Your numbers are 7, 23, 26, 32, 40, 43, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Use your skills, knowledge and experience to make more cash. Promote what you can offer and expand your self-worth. Don’t wait for opportunities. Think about how you spend your day and earn your living. Decide what success means to you, and take responsibility for your achievements. 4 stars
TAURUS (April 2-May 20): Be careful how much you share. Get your ideas and plans up and running first and avoid a conflict with someone competitive. A change in your routine will help you avoid divulging secrets. Pay attention to detail; everything else will fall into place. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Uncertainty will taint progress. Show resilience and an eagerness to learn, and expand your options. Don’t let a know-it-all attitude set you back or cause others to withhold information. Use charm, intellect and compliments to reach your goal. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Verify information before you pass it along. A backup plan is essential before you enter something with many variables. Knowing what you are up against and doing your research before executing your plans will ensure your likelihood of success. Know your limits. 3 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take stock of your reaction. Let your actions speak for you if you want to avoid interference. Reflect before you make the same move that has cost you emotionally. Change can be cost-efficient if you compromise or offer incentives to get what you want. 4 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Assemble your thoughts before you present your ideas. You’ll have to jump through hoops to prove your point. Don’t jeopardize your health or financial security. Aim to please, but don’t pay for someone else’s mistakes. Pay attention to detail, listen to suggestions and tighten up weak links. 2 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Set standards and goals, and make a beeline to reach your target. Refuse to let procrastination and disappointment take over. It’s up to you to make things happen and to follow through with a doable timetable and a plan that separates you from any competition you encounter. 5 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You may crave change, but before you launch your plans, invest more time in preparation and detail. Backtracking wastes time and will give adversaries a chance to outmaneuver you. Don’t let anyone talk you into a scam that can limit your intake. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can test possibilities, but don’t sign up for something you can’t finish or for the wrong reason. Investigate and determine which path leads to a sustainable lifestyle. Set boundaries and avoid poor behavior and unnecessary conflicts. Take care of yourself first. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Investigate possibilities and explore options. Change can be a good thing and save you money. Take part in every aspect of decision-making, contracts and investments, and define your concerns. The input you offer will make a difference and help you gain respect. 3 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Tidy up domestic matters before it’s too late. Address issues concerning anyone who lives with or near you who may have a problem with your plans. A direct approach will show goodwill and help you impart incentives that appeal to those who may derail your plans. 5 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You aren’t likely to get an accurate picture or complete presentation if you listen to secondhand information. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted or structure decisions based on hearsay. Be secretive regarding your intentions until you have a foolproof plan. 2 stars
Birthday Baby: You are responsive, daring and robust. You are persistent and meticulous.
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.
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July 29, 2024
SF Giants reunite pair of struggling veterans with Braves in first trade deadline move
Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson had, respectively, underperformed the contracts they received the past two winters to such a degree that each player was thought to be unmovable leading up to Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline. Only a team that had known them in better days could have even a whiff of interest.
Farhan Zaidi picked up the scent Monday night and shipped both players to Atlanta, where they will reunite with the team they helped to the 2021 World Series. The Braves agreed to send minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos and veteran lefty Tyler Matzek in exchange, the Giants announced.
According to reports, Atlanta will also assume the remainder of the three-year, $42 million contract Soler signed at the start of spring training. Jackson signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract before the 2023 season and had a $7 million club option for 2025 that the Giants were unlikely to pick up.
Even with a pair of leadoff home runs since the All-Star break bringing his season total to 12, Soler didn’t bring the thump the Giants believed they were getting when they signed the free-agent designated hitter the week pitchers and catchers reported. In 93 games, he batted .240 with a .749 OPS, well below his 2023 marks with Miami.
Jackson was effective in his return from Tommy John surgery last season, posting a 2.90 ERA in 33 appearances, but struggled to find the same success this season while dealing with nagging back issues and had been demoted to largely pitching when the team was behind, sporting a 5.40 ERA in 35 games.
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For the Giants, the move is more opportunistic than necessarily indicative of a larger selloff to come in the next 24 hours. By shipping off Soler, it should be easier for manager Bob Melvin to find at-bats for younger players such as Luis Matos or Marco Luciano.
Luciano, 22, has been at Triple-A Sacramento since a strained hamstring ended his brief tenure in the big leagues this season and has been heating up of late, with six home runs and a .970 OPS in July. After making five errors at shortstop, he split his time in Sacramento between both middle infield spots and could slide directly into Soler’s vacated DH role.
Ceballos, 21, was Atlanta’s third-round draft pick in 2023 and was ranked the No. 17 prospect in its organization by MLB.com. He has a .707 OPS in High-A this season while spending most of his time at third base.
Matzek, 33, is currently on the 60-day injured list and hasn’t pitched since May 4 with left elbow inflammation.
Paris Olympics Day 3: Nadal loses in what is likely his final singles match of storied career
By JENNA FRYER, AP National Writer
PARIS (AP) — On the clay court where he won 14 French Open titles, Rafael Nadal likely bid adieu to Roland Garros on Day 3 of the Paris Olympics.
Nadal was feted Monday by a rowdy crowd as he met Novak Djokovic in the second round of the men’s tennis tournament for a record 60th — and probably final — time.
Related ArticlesOlympics | What to watch at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, July 30 Olympics | Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Tuesday, July 30 Olympics | A record 191 openly LGBTQ+ athletes are competing in the 2024 Olympics Olympics | Here’s a look at the uniqueness of the Paris 2024 Olympic medals Olympics | Simone Biles to compete on all four events at Olympic team finals despite calf injuryThe Spaniard wouldn’t say if he plans to retire after the Olympics, but his 6-1, 6-4 loss to Djokovic showed just how diminished his game has become at age 38. The chants of “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” began as soon as Nadal walked on the court and even helped him win four consecutive games in the second set, including a forehand winner to break to make it 4-all.
After the defeat, the two-time Olympic champion was weary of being asked about his future. He’s still playing at the Olympics, pairing with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles for Spain, and what comes next he does not know.
“I cannot live every single day with the feeling that it’s going to be, or not going to be, my last match. I come here, I try my best, I play. And when I decide to stop playing, or when I decide to keep going, I will let you know. I don’t know,” Nadal said. “If I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically I am not … ready to keep going, I will stop, and I will let you know.”
Coco cruisesCoco Gauff is making it look easy at the Paris Olympics so far, adding a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Maria Lourdes Carle of Argentina in the second round of singles to her growing collection of lopsided results.
Gauff had more than twice as many unforced errors, 26, as winners, 11. She only put 55% of her first serves in play and wound up with six double-faults and zero aces. And even though it took nearly 1 1/2 hours for the reigning U.S. Open champion and No. 2-ranked Gauff to finish off an opponent who is ranked 85th, has never won a tour-level singles title and owns an 0-2 career record at Grand Slam tournaments, she was satisfied.
“You can’t argue with the scoreline, to be honest,” the 20-year-old American said.
Super swimCanadian phenom Summer McIntosh claimed her first gold medal with a dominating victory in the 400-meter individual medley. The 17-year-old McIntosh collected her first medal of any color on the opening night of swimming, taking a silver in the 400 freestyle behind Ariarne Titmus — and ahead of Katie Ledecky.
She pushed the pace hard through the first half of the grueling race — the butterfly and backstroke legs — to leave everyone in her wake except American Katie Grimes.
Grimes, who is also swimming the open water event in Paris, held on to claim the silver and the Americans also grabbed the bronze when Emma Weyant touched third.
Another teen rulesDavid Popovici made the teenagers 2 for 2 on the night when he pulled off a thrilling victory in the men’s 200 freestyle.
The 19-year-old Romanian was among three swimmers who swapped the lead back and forth on the final lap. Popovici mustered everything he had to get to the wall a mere two-hundredths of a second ahead of Britain’s Matthew Richards, with American Luke Hobson just 0.07 back to earn the bronze.
The top four were separated by a mere 0.15 seconds.
Australia wins againMollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus made it a 1-2 finish for Australia in the women’s 200-meter freestyle.
O’Callaghan’s victory denied Titmus her second consecutive gold of these Games. Titmus won the gold on Saturday in the 400-meter freestyle.
Men’s team all-around finalThe Japanese men’s gymnastics team claimed Olympic gold with an epic comeback over its top rival.
With China looking poised to claim its first Olympic title in 12 years with one rotation to go, Japan surged ahead to win the men’s team competition after an intense and nail-biting duel.
Daiki Hashimoto, of Japan, gets hugged by teammates after performing on the horizontal bar during the men’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)The Japanese overtook their rivals on the final rotation, after China’s Su Weide fell twice off the horizontal bar. Japan won with a small margin of 0.532 points.
The Americans, meanwhile, earned bronze for their first medal since 2008.
After qualifying in fifth place, the U.S. men ended a 16-year drought to the delight of the dozens of fans waving American flags who chanted “USA! USA!” throughout the evening.
The Americans posted a total of 257.793 points to edge Britain for the bronze.
U.S. women’s water polo losesThe U.S. women’s water polo team was handed a rare loss at the Olympics, falling 13-11 to Bea Ortiz and Spain in a rematch of the final at the Tokyo Games.
The U.S. is going for its fourth consecutive gold medal. No team — men or women — has won four straight water polo titles at the Olympics. It was the program’s second loss at the Olympics since it dropped the 2008 final. It went 5-0-1 in London, 6-0 in Rio de Janeiro and 6-1 in Tokyo.
After its 10-9 loss to Hungary in group play in 2021, the U.S. ripped off four straight wins by a combined score of 63-26. That included a dominant 14-5 victory over Spain in the final.
China dominates divingChina passed the one-time powerhouse United States for the top spot in gold medals in diving when Lian Junjie and Yang Hao breezed to victory in synchronized 10-meter platform. It was the 49th gold medal in China’s history.
China came into the Paris Games favored in all eight events and essentially a sure thing to take down the American record for most golds. The Big Red Machine is now 2 for 2 at these Olympics as it looks to become the first country to sweep all eight events since the program was doubled at the 2000 Sydney Games.
China’s Lian Junjie and Yang Hao celebrate on the podium after winning the gold medal in the men’s synchronised 10m platform diving final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)Since that expansion, China has won 40 of 50 golds, including seven of eight at each of the last two Summer Games.
There hasn’t been a diving sweep since the U.S. claimed gold in all four events at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
Canada Soccer appeals penaltyCanada appealed being docked six points by FIFA in a drone-spying scandal at the women’s soccer tournament, and a verdict is expected hours before the team plays its last group-stage game Wednesday.
FIFA punished Olympic defending champion Canada on Saturday — and banned coach Bev Priestman and two assistant coaches for one year — for allegations of using a drone to spy on New Zealand’s practices.
The expected legal move by the Canadian soccer federation and Olympic body was formally registered Monday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a fast-track case.
CAS said it aims to have an appeal hearing Tuesday with its panel of three judges giving a verdict by midday Wednesday. The coaches’ bans are not part of this case.
Canada plays Colombia in Nice on Wednesday night and needs to know where it stands before the game starts.
Triathlon swimming canceled, againConcerns about the water quality in the Seine River led officials to call off the swimming portion of an Olympic triathlon training session for a second straight day.
Organizers overseeing the event at the Paris Games are optimistic that triathletes will be able to swim in the city’s famed waterway when the competition starts Tuesday.
The sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team and city officials are banking on sunny weather and higher temperatures to bring levels of E. coli and other bacteria below the necessary limits to stage the swim portion of the race, which also includes biking and running.
World Triathlon made the decision to cancel the swim workout early Monday following a meeting over water quality in the Seine, which is closely linked to the weather. Rain deluged Friday’s opening ceremony and showers persisted Saturday.
