Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 423

SF Giants fall to Blue Jays as Jordan Hicks hit hard in final first-half start

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants signed Jordan Hicks, the big question was obvious: How would Hicks hold up as a full-time starter? With his final outing of the first half in the books, San Francisco possesses half-a-season’s worth of data to examine — data that could suggest a shift in Hicks’ role moving forward.

In his final start before the All-Star Break, Hicks allowed five earned runs across 4 1/3 innings, including two home runs. With former Giant Kevin Gausman tossing seven innings of two-run ball in his return to San Francisco, the Giants fell to the Blue Jays, 5-3 on Thursday afternoon at Oracle Park.

“He’s at a point now where he’s battling,” said manager Bob Melvin. “Hopefully, once we get to the break, it will give him a nice little respite he hasn’t had this year.”

On the surface, Hicks had a fine first half given he hasn’t been a full-time starter since his days in the Cardinals’ minor-league system seven years ago, logging a 3.79 ERA. Thursday was the right-hander’s 19 start of the season and pushed his total of innings pitched to 95 — well exceeding his previous career high of 77 2/3 innings in 2018. Hicks, though, was a different pitcher after the season’s first month.

In March and April, Hicks had a 1.59 ERA over 34 innings. His ERA is 5.02 over 61 innings since the calendar turned to May. Hicks pitched at least six innings three times in April but has yet to do so since.

“I’d say the first half of the first half felt really good,” Hicks said. “(My) body felt great. Then, in the second half of the first half, it’s been a slow decline overall. … I don’t know how to say this without making it sound like an excuse — I just haven’t really had it.”

Hicks’ struggles have coincided with declining velocity. In April, his average sinker clocked in at 95.6 mph with opponents posting a batting average of .238 against the pitch. In June, his average sinker velocity was down to 93.8 mph and opponent batting average was up to .462. His average sinker speed was 92.2 mph against the Blue Jays.

“I feel healthy, but that’s not the thing I’m worried about. It’s just more about overall fatigue,” Hicks said. “I wake up and I’m fine. Get to the start of the game, I feel great. That toll on the body as the third inning creeps around. So, (I’ll) find a way and we’ll develop a plan over the next week or two.”

Hicks will likely remain in the rotation to begin the second half. But with Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb getting closer to coming off the Injured List to join Logan Webb, Blake Snell and Kyle Harrison in the rotation, the Giants will have to decide whether they keep Hicks in the rotation or move him into the bullpen.

“Once we get there, we’ll probably have an idea, but as of right now, we know he’s going to have to start until then,” Melvin said. “We signed him as a starter. Obviously, you have to look at the innings at some point in time. I give him credit; he takes the ball every fifth day and goes out there for us and tries to give us as much as he can.”

With the All-Star Break approaching, Hicks will get at least a week off before making his next start, one he hopes goes better than his afternoon against the Blue Jays.

Toronto tagged Hicks for three runs in the first inning, capped by Danny Jansen’s solo home run. After Heliot Ramos hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit to 3-2, Hicks faced the minimum in the second and third, then retired the first two batters in the fourth. On the verge of a third straight scoreless inning, Toronto scored another run on three straight singles. In the fifth, Spencer Horwitz sent Hicks’ sweeper into McCovey Cove on the bounce, extending Toronto’s lead to 5-2. On his 88th pitch of the day, Hicks plunked Justin Turner and his afternoon was over.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. managing hamstring tightness; Jorge Soler returns to lineup San Francisco Giants | Walloping SF Giants, Blue Jays send Logan Webb off to All-Star game on sour note San Francisco Giants | Where Marco Luciano fits in SF Giants’ shortstop picture San Francisco Giants | Blake Snell blanks Blue Jays as SF Giants earn walkoff win San Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ Zaidi: Moving on from Slater, Ahmed a ‘vote of confidence’ in young players

Those five runs were enough for Gausman, who orchestrated an outing that Giants fans have seen on many occasions. Pitching in his first game at Oracle Park since Game 5 of the 2021 NLDS against the Dodgers, Gausman’s only mistake was the home run to Ramos. From there, Gausman didn’t allow a run the rest of the way. Mike Yastrzemski homered off Chad Green in the ninth, the only Giant to reach base from the seventh inning on.

‘Teen Torture, Inc.’ review: In the troubled teen industry, major profits and major allegations of abuse

In “Teen Torture, Inc.,” the three-part documentary on Max about abuses children and adolescents have survived at various boarding schools, boot camps and religious programs intended to curb rebellious behavior, a phrase comes up again and again: The troubled teen industry. It’s an industry.

That’s a chilling reality describing what author Evan Wright calls a “grab bag of all these different programs based on the idea that no matter what it takes, we’re gonna make these kids follow the rules because what they’re doing is so dangerous, it will destroy their lives.”

In many cases, the abuse is the treatment.

Director Tara Malone talks to a handful of now-adult survivors who recall, in detail, their harrowing experiences. Alas, the seriousness of their stories is continually undermined by Malone’s stylistic choices, from the use of what appear to be grainy dramatic recreations to a score that seems intended to emulate a horror movie. It’s entirely misjudged and suggests the documentary isn’t a Max (HBO) original, but something made for Discovery’s more sensationalist programming, which also (not incidentally) streams on Max. This blurring might be intentional. Either way, it detracts from the overall quality of the work.

The survivors deserve better than a documentary this shameless and crass.

Even so, they tell their stories with clear-headed disgust. The pain is still very close to the surface. One survivor says she was forcibly injected with Haldol when she refused to get out of bed one morning. Another survivor talks about being waterboarded as a 10-year-old. “What does that do to somebody?” he asks. “What does it do to everybody that watched that?”

Allen Knoll and Dave Bowsher standing outside the City of Refuge hoping to get answers in the documentary “Teen Torture, Inc.” (Talos Films/Max/TNS)

Malone interviews experts besides Wright, but his insights are strongest, perhaps because he also had first-hand experience with these programs, which he details in “The Seed: A Memoir.” (As a journalist, Wright has written for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, and he is probably best known as the author of the 2004 non-fiction book “Generation Kill.”)

There are a thousand known troubled-teen programs operating across the country, he says. Some are run by large corporations. Some are small businesses that exist under the radar as far as state regulators are concerned. Employees are not necessarily licensed mental health or medical professionals. “You’re basically signing away custody (and therefore) that program has the right to make medical decisions for your kid,” says Maia Szalavitz, author of “Help at Any Cost.” But it’s not therapeutic, she adds: “‘Troubled teen’ is not a diagnosis.”

In many cases, when kids act out, they are working through untreated mental health issues, or are coming from homes where they are being abused or neglected. Behavior modification becomes the focus. If that sounds like an innocuous term, Wright pushes back: “The only difference between brainwashing and behavior modification is that if it’s done in a Chinese prison camp, we call it brainwashing. If it’s done in a rehab for teens, it’s called behavior modification. But it’s the same thing.”

All told, these programs affect somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred thousand young people a year, at a cost of $30,000 to $60,000 per person. According to Wright, the programs are more profitable if they “fail” because “the longer the child is held there, the more money they make.”

The documentary allows survivors to recount their experiences with dignity, but it doesn’t go deeper. It doesn’t tell us about what relationships exist, if any, between the survivors and their parents. Or — with the exception of one woman seen briefly at home with her young child and partner — what their lives are like now.

They are, of course, entitled to privacy. But from a filmmaking perspective, Malone’s approach is so limiting that each person is reduced to the worst moment in their lives.

“Teen Torture, Inc.” — 2 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: Max

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

Travel & Leisure readers pick their No. 1 resort in the U.S. It’s in California

It may have taken a quarter century to develop a luxury waterfront hotel in Oceanside, California, but it’s apparently paid off.  The Mission Pacific Beach Resort, which made its debut three years ago, has been named the No. 1 resort in the continental U.S. by Travel and Leisure’s readers.

The 161-room, seven-story hotel, which boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant on the premises, was also named the top resort in California. It outranked many long acclaimed properties, including Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, which frequently garners recognition in national rankings. It came in at No. 11 in this year’s reader survey of best resorts in the U.S., although it was fourth in 2021.

“I think everyone was completely surprised,” Tim Obert, area managing director of Mission Pacific Beach Resort, said of Tuesday’s announcement. He also manages the hotel’s sister property, The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa, which was ranked 14th.

“It’s our guests who voted for us, and they’re well traveled and experienced. They know what great is, so it’s flattering that they were kind enough to take the time to vote for us. We had hoped we would score well, but I don’t think any of us expected that we would be No. 1.”

View of Oceanside pier from Mission Pacific Beach Resort. (Mission Pacific Beach Resort)

Travel and Leisure’s article announcing the top resorts is headlined, “The Resort Voted Best in the Continental U.S. Overlooks an Underrated California Beach and Has a Michelin-star Mexican Restaurant.”

It describes the resort on N. Myers Street, as “a place you never really need to leave to have a good time. It’s home to both a Michelin-starred restaurant (Valle, which serves tasty Mexican bites) and a rooftop bar serving craft cocktails that are ideal at sunset.”

Included within the resort is the “Top Gun” Victorian house featured in the 1986 movie. (Mission Pacific Beach Resort)

The resort, it points out, is also home to the original “Top Gun” house, a 19th century Victorian cottage that appeared in the original Top Gun film released in 1986.

Mission Pacific Beach also made it onto Travel and Leisure’s Top 100 Hotels in the World for 2024, ranking No. 11. The only other California hotel to rank higher was the Pendry Newport Beach.

To compile the list of top resorts, Travel and Leisure asks its readers each year to weigh in on their travel experiences, not only for hotels and resorts, but also for cities, cruise ships, airlines and other hospitality segments. More than 186,000 readers completed the 2024 survey, the magazine said, and more than 700,000 votes were cast across all categories.

Hotels were specifically rated on such criteria as rooms and facilities, location, service, food and value.

The two sister resorts in Oceanside had something of a tortured history as the city sought to bring a destination resort to the oceanfront site since the 1970s. It began courting developers in the 1980s for the two-block site bisected by the western end of Mission Avenue, with boundaries at Pacific and Myers streets, Pier View Way and Seagaze Drive.

Back in 2005, the city of Oceanside chose S.D. Malkin Properties from a field of three finalists. It was Oceanside’s fourth try in 25 years to land a luxury hotel for the site. The project would eventually break ground in 2019.

“When it opened in May of 2021, it opened during COVID, a difficult time to launch any hotel,” Obert said. “So it started slowly and now has gained its footing and competes very well in the market. We run around 67, 70 percent occupancy for the year, but this year we’ll be closer to the low 70s. Like all resorts during the summer through Labor Day, we run well north of 80 percent occupancy.

“Our owners continue to reinvest in the property on a regular basis. They have a luxury retail background and they continue to reinvent the product to be current and relevant.”

So much for the Pixar slump. ‘Inside Out 2’ just achieved a huge box office milestone

Ryan Faughnder | Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LOS ANGELES — Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has achieved a major box office milestone, going a long way toward easing anxiety (pun intended) surrounding the Disney-owned computer animation studio’s prospects.

The summer family blockbuster sequel on Tuesday passed the $1.25 billion mark at the global box office, passing 2018’s “Incredibles 2” to become Pixar’s highest grossing movie to date on a non-inflation-adjusted basis, according to Disney estimates.

“Inside Out 2,” the sequel to the beloved 2015 original that personified a young girl’s emotions such as Joy and Anger, has generated $543.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, still shy of Pixar’s non-inflation-adjusted domestic record of nearly $609 million for the “Incredibles” follow-up.

In today’s dollars, “Incredibles 2’s” U.S.-Canada total is $758.5 million.

Pixar had been having a rough time since the COVID-19 pandemic, which cut the legs off the box office of its largely forgotten 2020 title “Onward.”

Related ArticlesEntertainment | ‘Teen Torture, Inc.’ review: In the troubled teen industry, major profits and major allegations of abuse Entertainment | ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ review: Scarlett Johansson can’t fully rescue this space rom-com Entertainment | ‘MaXXXine’ review: A porn star goes Hollywood as Ti West’s horror trilogy ends with a thud Entertainment | Fireworks bundt cake: Confessions of a very amateur baker Entertainment | Spanish label handling extensive Motown vinyl reissue campaign The next three Pixar titles — all originals — went straight to the Disney+ streaming service: “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red.” The Emeryville-based animation pioneer’s next effort, “Lightyear,” bombed amid middling reviews and political backlash for including a same-sex kiss.

The struggles led some to question whether Pixar has lost a step in terms of quality, and whether Disney had trained its audience of kids and parents to wait to watch its movies at home instead of going to the multiplex.

But “Inside Out 2” has helped assuage those concerns. Family films have performed well at the box office as of late, especially franchises. Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me 4,” powered by the yellow, gibberish-spewing Minions, debuted with $123 million domestically over the long Fourth of July weekend.

Pixar’s next effort, slated for 2025, is “Elio,” an original about a boy who becomes Earth’s intergalactic ambassador.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

‘Fly Me to the Moon’ review: Scarlett Johansson can’t fully rescue this space rom-com

In “Fly Me to the Moon,” a shiny, tinny hunk of speculative fiction with a lunar dust sprinkling of fact, Channing Tatum plays the NASA launch director in charge of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. But it’s Scarlett Johansson, as the Madison Avenue wizard selling that mission to the American public, who emerges as this movie’s real launch director.

She has an ear for this stuff, and this “Mad Man”-adjacent era — the brio and energy, an easy facility with dialects (her character’s a born deceiver) and an instinct for navigating the story’s whiplash transitions from screwball to pathos to patter to angst to aggressively chaste romance. In theory, Tatum is along for the ride to provide the “va” in conjunction with Johansson’s “voom.” But he seems lost here, and in any case is not really your man for quippy, fast-moving banter of any quality. The stars’ chemistry feels tentative to the point of the opposite of lift-off: drift-off.

Miraculously, Johansson salvages whole flaming chunks of director Greg Berlanti’s rom-com/political conspiracy/faked-moon-landing hybrid. Going for laughs one minute, solemn heartbreak the next, it’s a movie about advertising and the ethical limits of deceiving the public in the name of space-racing against the Russians. “Fly Me the Moon” is also a movie about the narrative limits of cramming six movies into one, and the challenge of selling a luxe period romance (production budget: a reported $100 million, much of it going to star salaries) without blatant deception regarding what “Fly Me to the Moon” is, and isn’t.

Here’s the fact part. The real NASA, clouded by the 1967 test launch fatalities incurred by the Apollo 1 disaster, turned around its public image and wavering political support with the help of public relations and marketing consultants. Screenwriter Rose Gilroy takes it from there, ginning up a push/pull attraction between Johansson’s glamorous Kelly Jones and Tatum’s straight-arrow Cole Davis. Jones more or less takes over the Apollo 11 project, in the weeks leading up to the summer ’69 launch, with her aide-de-camp (Anna Garcia) in tow. Kelly has been recruited for the assignment by a shadowy government operator (Woody Harrelson) who is all too aware of her shady, blackmail-able past.

From there, the selling of Apollo 11 goes beyond marketing tie-ins (Tang, Omega watches, etc.) and into “Capricorn One” land. Doing her handler’s bidding, Kelly is tasked with establishing a secret film set within the NASA facilities, where an artful pretend moon landing is prepared (without Cole’s knowledge) under the direction of Kelly’s temperamental gay cliché of an auteur (Jim Rash). This complication puts the movie in a really tough bind, the tangling and untangling of which leads to at least 20 too many minutes. Ray Romano does nicely as Cole’s right-hand NASA man, playing for sweet sincerity more than laughs. This is right alongside feline slapstick involving a presumably unlucky black cat running around the NASA facilities, to Cole’s dismay.

Johansson sells all the disparate elements as well as possible, even the inevitable sour section of “Fly Me to the Moon” where Kelly must atone for her amorality. But the script never quite feels itself; it feels like contradictory impulses playing out in shuffle mode. And the scale of the movie does the putative romance no favors.

Is money the real enemy here? Maybe. When commercial entities as disparate as “The Fall Guy” (which I liked, for an hour), “Don’t Look Up” (smug, shrill), and “Fly Me to the Moon” cost close to or well over $100 million to make, it’s because a significant percentage of their budgets went to above-the-line movie star salaries. And suddenly you’re talking about movies that should be a certain size becoming immense in terms of what they’ve gotta make to make any meaningful profit. (“Anyone But You,” meantime, made hay on a medium budget and only semi-expensive stars.)

“Fly Me to the Moon” director Berlanti and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski create a lush, spacious widescreen frame, with scads of extra room for the costly complement of visual effects. Meantime, weird little misjudgments undermine the visual quality of how the movie actually looks. Early on there’s a sight gag, an explosion that sends Tatum hurtling through the air, that’s too much of a jump scare to be funny. With all the convincing Apollo launch trickery, you’d think the effects teams could come up with better flames for a simple scene of a NASA test lab on fire. Also, what’s with the mystery of the Tatum character’s plastered-down hair? I checked, and there’s not a real-life equivalent haircut in all of 1969-era America.

Ordinarily, one bum haircut doesn’t merit mention in a movie review. But here the little things add up, and help explain why bigger things don’t. When one of your stars periodically saves the movie’s behind, while the other star can’t get a characterization together or even breathe properly through a few lines of dialogue, what chance does the mission have, really?

“Fly Me to the Moon” — 2 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG-13 (for some strong language, and smoking)

Running time: 2:12

How to watch: Premieres in theaters July 11

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

Quick Fix: Steak with Shallot Sauce (Steak aux Eschalot) with Potatoes and French Green Beans

Linda Gassenheimer | Tribune News Service

With thoughts of French Bastille Day, July 14, and the Olympics coming to Paris, I thought it would be fun to savor a simple, classic French Bistro dinner, Steak with Shallot Sauce (Steak aux Eschalot).

To go with the steak, I cooked some potato cubes with French green beans. These beans, also called haricot vert, are thinner and sweeter than other green beans. They can be found in most markets. The potatoes and green beans are cooked in the microwave to save time and washing another pot. I then sauteed the vegetables for a few minutes in the skillet used to cook the steak.

HELPFUL HINT:

Any type of quick cooking steak can be used such as skirt or sirloin.

Trimmed green beans can be used instead of French green beans.

Balsamic vinegar can be used instead of red wine vinegar.

COUNTDOWN:

Prepare ingredients.

Microwave potatoes and green beans.

Saute steak.

Cook shallots.

Brown potatoes and green beans.

SHOPPING LIST:

To buy: 3/4 pound grass-fed tenderloin steak, 1/2 pound French green beans, 3/4 pound red potatoes, 2 large shallots, 1 bottle wine vinegar, 1 can olive oil spray and 1 bunch fresh parsley(optional).

Staples: olive oil, butter salt and black peppercorns.

Steak with Shallot Sauce (Steak aux Eschalot) with Potatoes and French Green Beans

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes, (about 2 cups)

1/2 pound French green beans cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons water.

Olive oil spray

3/4 pound grass fed tenderloin steak

1 cup sliced shallots

1 tablespoon butter, divided use

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash potatoes do not peel and cut into 1 inch cubes. Cut the green beans into 1-inch pieces. Place both in a microwave-safe bowl and add the water. Cover with another plate or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave, leave covered and set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Spray with olive oil spray and add steak. Saute 3 minutes without moving the steak. Turn steak over and saute 3 to 4 minutes for 1/2-inch steak. A meat thermometer should read 130 degrees for medium rare. Saute a few minutes more for medium 135-145 degrees. Remove to a cutting board to rest. Add the shallots and 1/2 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Saute shallots for 4 to 5 minutes and add the remaining butter and red wine vinegar. Continue to saute until shallots are transparent. Divide the steak into two portions and place on two dinner plates. Spoon the shallots on top. Sprinkle with parsley if using. Add the 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Uncover the potatoes and beans and add to the skillet. Toss for 2 minutes to slightly brown the potatoes. Divide in half and add to the dinner plates. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 517 calories (39 percent from fat), 22.3 g fat (9.0 g saturated, 8.8 g monounsaturated), 99.5 mg cholesterol, 42.3 g protein, 42.6 g carbohydrates, 6.1 g fiber, 211 mg sodium.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.” Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.)

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Recipe: Canned tuna is a key ingredient in this tasty pasta dish

Years ago, I discovered the culinary joy of canned tuna packed in olive oil. I love the meaty texture that flakes to perfection. There’s not a hint of mushy wateriness. It can be a delicious protein element in pasta dishes.

In this recipe, it teams with orecchiette, that small, round pasta with a concave shape. The name translates from Italian as “little ears.”

Just before serving, the dish is sprinkled with toasted panko breadcrumbs, giving the finished dish a lovely crunch. Buon appetito!

Orecchiette with Tuna, Red Onion, Dill, and Toasted Panko

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Salt for salting water

1 pound dried orecchiette pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium-size red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 3/4 cup

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 (5-ounces each) cans of olive oil packed tuna, drained (leave some oil in the tuna, just drain off the excess)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Optional garnish: Snipped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add orecchiette and cook until just al dente following cooking time on the package. Give the pasta a couple of stirs while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking together. Remove 1 cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta in a colander in the sink; give it a good shake to remove excess water.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil on medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add onion and cook about 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to onion. Stir to combine and cook until garlic softens but doesn’t brown, about 1 minute (onion will still probably have a little crunch). Stir in tuna and dill; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved cooking water and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of water cooks away. Remove from heat.

3. In a small skillet, lightly toast the panko breadcrumbs on medium heat, shaking handle very frequently to redistribute the crumbs. Monitor it to prevent burning.

4. Serve pasta in shallow bowls topped with breadcrumbs. If you like, sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com

Related Articles Quick Fix: Steak with Shallot Sauce (Steak aux Eschalot) with Potatoes and French Green Beans Gretchen’s table: Ancho chile-spiced beef street tacos make for a sweet and spicy treat 3 summer cocktail recipes from cocktail influencer Julianna McIntosh Recipe: Is it a blueberry cake or a cobbler? Either way, it’s delicious TasteFood: Top this easy grilled pizza with summer corn, poblano chiles

Horoscopes July 11, 2024: Justin Chambers, promote your goals

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Justin Chambers, 54; Lisa Rinna, 61; Richie Sambora, 65; Sela Ward, 68.

Happy Birthday: You can gain ground this year by using your ingenuity and discipline to reach your goal. Embrace change; it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing. Put your heart on the line and express your desires. Reach out to people you love, and implement activities that bring you joy. Be the one to make the effort to promote your goals. Your numbers are 8, 13, 20, 24, 32, 35, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stop being so hard on yourself. Let the past go and focus on the here and now. Take control of your happiness, and set a path that encourages learning something new, starting a hobby or participating in an activity that broadens your circle of friends. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have what it takes to up your game and finish what you start. Use your imagination, and you’ll figure out how to improve your surroundings and lifestyle. Talk to an expert, research and forge ahead. Self-improvement and love will build confidence and boost your morale. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Reach out to people heading in a similar direction. The information you gather will help you put things in perspective and assist you in making decisions regarding your habits. Shake things up and do what’s best for you. A healthy lifestyle is encouraged. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Get organized, move things around and make your surroundings functional. The convenience of having everything in its place and keeping only what’s important to you will ease stress. Make an effort to reach out, participate in community events and connect with people of interest. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Apply pressure if it will get you on track and heading in a positive direction. Embrace the chance to meet new people, and consider different ways to use your skills. Look for moneymaking opportunities and explore what’s trending. Market yourself for success and expand your options. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Learn, be open to suggestions and participate in talks leading to interesting proposals and possibilities. Partnerships look promising, and taking a unique approach to using your skills and living your life will pay off. A change of scenery will inspire change. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Let your intuition guide you, and you’ll gain insight and energy to turn your thoughts into something tangible. Be cautious when dealing with professional connections. Someone who can make you look bad will misinterpret your actions. Protect your reputation, position and prospects. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Call on those with something to offer, and you’ll discover alternatives that help you make an intelligent move. Emphasize what you have to give to someone in a position of power, and you’ll gain insight into possibilities. A partnership will experience highs and lows. Keep the peace. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Knowing who you can trust will be a big deal. Use your charm to access what others think and plan to do next. Don’t share personal information, ideas or concepts prematurely. Knowledge is vital to discovering who you want on your team. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are overdue for a change. Sign up for something that interests you. Socialize, network and challenge yourself mentally and physically, and you’ll gain insight into what you want to pursue and how to turn your plans into a reality. Traveling, learning and focusing on relationships are favored. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): People and interests that stimulate your mind will prompt you to reconsider what’s important to you and how to redirect your energy to support your mental and physical needs. Proceed with caution; a change of heart will likely backfire. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Too much of anything will work against you. Look for opportunities within your means, and don’t take on too much. Focus on saving, changing what isn’t working for you and taking better care of your health and well-being. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are original, helpful and kind. You are practical and homey.

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

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

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

Steve Kerr’s U.S. Olympic team shakes off rust in game vs. Canada

LAS VEGAS — For USA Basketball, the road to the Paris Olympics has started with a win.

Anthony Davis scored 13 points, Stephen Curry added 12 and the United States opened its tune-up schedule for the Paris Games by topping Canada 86-72 on Wednesday night.

Jrue Holiday scored 11 points and Anthony Davis finished with 10 for the U.S., which has four more exhibitions before getting to France.

RJ Barrett scored 12 points for Canada, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks each had 10.

President Barack Obama was at the game, as were many NBA coaches and dozens of USA Basketball dignitaries in town for the federation’s 50th anniversary celebration. Among them: Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards, Swin Cash, Lindsay Whalen and many more.

And the total attendance was 20,757, a record for any game at T-Mobile Arena, USA Basketball said.

Cold start

The U.S. was down 11-1 midway through the first quarter, having missed its first six shot attempts. The rest of the half: U.S. 40, Canada 22, and the Americans shot 18 for 28 — 64.3% — in that span. The lead was 41-33 at the break and the Americans stretched it to 69-54 going into the fourth.

It was easy to see where the Americans, who have been together for less than a week, still are figuring things out; there were at least four occasions where simple passes ended up in the first row of seats because someone thought a zig was coming instead of a zag.

Second unit

The second unit for the U.S. — Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum — was particularly impressive. Each of those five players had a plus-minus of plus-10 or better, meaning the U.S. outscored Canada by at least 10 points with them on the floor.

And that’s as it should be. Only the Americans can trot out a lineup of “bench players” at the Olympics, all of them being All-Stars. That fivesome has 21 combined All-Star nods, two NBA champions in Davis and Tatum, and two perennial All-Defense players in Davis and Adebayo. It’s clearly not a typical second unit.

Oh, and remember: The U.S. didn’t have Kevin Durant (calf strain) and Derrick White (not yet with the team) available Wednesday.

For Starters

The first starting lineup of the summer rolled out by U.S. coach Steve Kerr: Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Joel Embiid.

It certainly could change going forward. But if last year is any indication, it’s a clear view into Kerr’s thinking right now.

Kerr has cautioned in the past about not reading too much into lineups, especially from the first scrimmage. That said, the first five he had in the first exhibition game last summer going into the World Cup — Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Ingram and Anthony Edwards — were the starters in the tournament opener against New Zealand.

Next Up

The U.S. plays Australia in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday.

Walloping SF Giants, Blue Jays send Logan Webb off to All-Star game on sour note

SAN FRANCISCO — A lot has changed since Logan Webb was a 22-year-old rookie in 2019.

The Giants’ roster has been churned to such a degree that Webb is one of only three players, along with Mike Yastrzemski and Tyler Rogers, who remain on the team. The personal growth Webb has accomplished over those four-plus years transformed him into the Giants’ ace in 2021 and into an All-Star for the first time this season.

But, in his final start before jetting off to Arlington, Texas, for the 94th midsummer classic, Webb provided a reason to think back to 2019.

Handed a 10-6 loss by the Blue Jays, Webb’s pitching line featured a seven in the run column for only the second time in his career. The only other time the right-handed sinkerballer had been hit around so hard was September 5, 2019, when he was tagged for eight (seven earned) in a 10-0 loss in St. Louis.

It was a difficult outcome to envision as Webb walked back to the dugout after a nine-pitch fourth inning, holding a 2-0 lead. He had exhausted only 42 total pitches and allowed one runner to reach base, while his offense had forced Toronto starter Chris Bassitt to labor through 30-plus pitches in each of the first two innings.

“It’s one of those games where it’s just baseball sometimes and you can’t explain it,” manager Bob Melvin said.

It started to go south when the second batter of the fifth inning, Davis Schneider, laced a single into right field that proved to be the beginning of the end for Webb. He would allow eight of the final 10 batters he faced to reach base, with a three-run homer from newly minted Giant killer Ernie Clement and a two-run double from George Springer responsible for the bulk of the damage on the scoreboard.

“I got mad after the Schneider base hit,” Webb said. “That’s never a good thing to do when you’re out there. I kind of just let it snowball after that.”

Clement, on his third team in four seasons, went about six inches below the strike zone to whack a two-strike changeup over the left-field wall in the fifth inning, flipping a 2-0 Giants advantage into a 3-2 deficit. Despite seven major-league home runs to his name entering the series, the 28-year-old journeyman has left the yard twice in two games, recorded three hits Wednesday and had the section of Blue Jays fans behind the first-base dugout chanting his first name.

“The homer changed some things,” Melvin said. “He didn’t execute pitches like he was doing earlier.”

The Giants evened the score at 3 in the bottom half, courtesy of Michael Conforto, who doubled home Patrick Bailey, but the wheels came off when Webb took the mound again to begin the sixth. The Blue Jays plated six more runs, all but two charged to Webb, to blow the game open.

Patrick Bailey and Matt Chapman clawed back two runs in the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back solo shots, but the Blue Jays’ big inning proved too much to overcome.

“A couple hits and a homer can change things in a hurry,” Melvin said. “We score a couple runs (in the first) and feel pretty good about (Webb) pitching deep in that game. … It was a complete flip. It looked like we had a chance to get (Bassitt) out of there after the third inning. All of a sudden it turned around on his end and he ended up going five innings and Logan ended up going five innings.”

When Melvin came to get Webb with two runs already in, two men on base and nobody out in the sixth, it snapped a streak of 11 straight starts of six or more innings.

Ending his first half of the season with four games left on the Giants’ schedule, Webb extended his advantage atop the National League leaderboard of innings pitched, increasing his total to 124⅓ through 20 starts, but saw his ERA spike to 3.47, tied for 14th in the NL, from 3.09 entering his start.

When the Giants wrap up the first half Sunday, Webb and Heliot Ramos will make their way to Texas as the Giants’ two All-Star representatives. For the first time since 2021, Webb wasn’t tasked with making the final start of the first half, which should make him available to National League manager Torey Lovullo.

“I’m excited,” Webb said. “Not as excited right now, to be honest with you.”

Because of the way the schedule lines up, even if he appears in the game, it should amount to a well-deserved break for the majors’ top workhorse since the start of 2022. Webb’s 532⅔ innings in that span are 20 more than the next-closest pitcher, the Phillies’ Aaron Nola.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | Where Marco Luciano fits in SF Giants’ shortstop picture San Francisco Giants | Blake Snell blanks Blue Jays as SF Giants earn walkoff win San Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ Zaidi: Moving on from Slater, Ahmed a ‘vote of confidence’ in young players San Francisco Giants | SF Giants DFA Nick Ahmed; activate Blake Snell, 2 infielders from injured list San Francisco Giants | SF Giants fans share personal memories of Willie Mays at memorial event

If the Giants tab Webb to start their second-half opener in Colorado, he would go nine days between starts.

“We’ve needed him to go deep in games this first half because we were pitching a lot of innings out of the bullpen,” Melvin said. “He’s been up for it every time. It is a little bit of a break for him, but he’ll probably pitch an inning or two in the All-Star Game. I don’t think (the workload) affects him. I really don’t.”

Notable

Conforto’s double was the Giants’ 65th since the start of June, trailing only the Mets (74) for the most in the majors.

Up next

RHP Jordan Hicks (4-5, 3.47) gets the ball in the rubber match against RHP Kevin Gausman (6-8, 4.64), making his first start at Oracle Park since departing in free agency after the 2021 season. First pitch is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.