Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 453

Airlines are preparing for another busy summer. Are they ready for it?

Alexandra Skores | (TNS) The Dallas Morning News

Carson Shofner and his husband were heading to Costa Rica for a relaxing trip on American Airlines on the morning of May 28.

But their plane didn’t leave Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport until May 29 at 7 a.m. It’s a situation many passengers dealt with after weeks of steady thunderstorms cascaded through North Texas, delaying hundreds of flights just as summer travel was about to take off.

“We were never offered to change flights or any sort of reimbursement,” Shofner wrote in an email from Costa Rica. “And flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, are relatively sparse, so any attempt to change would’ve been thousands of dollars.”

He’s one of many summer travelers who were hoping for a smooth trip this travel season.

Airlines, airports and partners like the Transportation Security Administration are expecting a record number of travelers. At DFW Airport, home to American Airlines, that’s nearly 25 million passengers between May and July. At Dallas Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines, nearly 190,000 travelers were expected to pass through the airport on Memorial Day weekend alone.

Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. airlines, predicts a 6.3% increase in passengers from this summer to last. From June 1 to August 31, that’s over 271 million people who will fly on a major U.S. airline. Last year, that figure was 255 million people.

Shofner and his husband live in Dallas and he posts frequently on his social media and has 67,000 followers on TikTok and 21,300 followers on Instagram. He posted a video to TikTok to talk about his experience of waiting for his flight to take off, from crew changes to communication challenges and delays that took up what could have been an entire day at a beach.

That video has almost 1 million views as of June 4.

And summer has barely even started.

Where to and how much?

Airfares might cool down for some travelers this year.

In its 2024 summer outlook, travel booking app Hopper reported domestic airfare for June, July and August averaging $305 per ticket, down 6% from this time last year. Of course, those numbers fluctuate the longer a traveler waits to book their seat on the plane.

This will be the first year that prices have dropped year over year since 2020.

Airfare prices, tied with fun events this summer, will help bring in many people to North Texas and allow local businesses to benefit from the uptick in visitors this summer.

One of the hot spots to check out, especially as travelers try to stay cool in the Texas heat, is the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine. The attraction has everything from Lego-themed rides, 4-D cinema experiences and even a “mini land” of D-FW made of a million and a half Lego bricks. Travelers can also see DFW Airport made out of Legos.

“There’s a lot of daytrippers…some overnighters definitely in the summer,” said Jordan Thacker, marketing coordinator at Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine.

During the summer, the Legoland Discovery Center can see 1,500 to 2,000 guests daily.

There are also new options for lodging all over North Texas. Chase Chasteen, general manager of Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown is looking at a late June or July opening. The hotel, even though it hasn’t opened yet, is seeing “strong demand” around the major sports entertainment happening this summer.

“Travelers are really looking more now than ever to stay in a hotel that really authentically honors its locale,” Chasteen said, noting the 188 rooms, rooftop bar and pool, at the hotel.

Those sporting events will keep Dallas-Fort Worth busy as summer heats up.

This month, the Dallas Mavericks will play the Boston Celtics for an NBA championship. Later in the month, the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 soccer games will play at AT&T Stadium, with games on June 21, 23 and July 5.

From July 12 to July 16, the MLB All-Star Game and its associated events like the Home Run Derby will be in town. On July 17, No. 1 WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever will play against the Dallas Wings in Arlington.

Add that into all the summer concerts taking place in Arlington, American Airlines Center, Toyota Music Factory and surrounding venues, D-FW will have quite a bit to offer when it comes to attractions.

What does it take?

Despite inflationary pressures, the intent to travel and spend on flights and lodging remains high, according to Deloitte’s annual summer travel survey.

“The intent to travel is pretty, pretty steady,” said Matt Soderberg, U.S. airline practice leader at Deloitte.

One in five people, he said, plan to spend more this year than they did last year on travel. Deloitte’s survey also found that 43% of air travelers are willing to pay for more comfortable flight experiences, up from last year.

Airlines and airports may be at the forefront of everyone’s mind regarding disruptions this summer travel season.

Still, it is a team effort, according to Keith Jeffries, former TSA Federal Security Director at Los Angeles International Airport. It’s all hands on deck when you have record numbers of travelers passing through.

Between May 17 and Sept. 3, American expects more than 72 million passengers. The Fort Worth-based carrier is flying more seats than any other summer, with 10% more departures than last summer. American is also flying to eight destinations in summer 2024 that the airline had not served in summer 2023, including Albany, N.Y.; Appleton, Wisc.; Manhattan, Kan.; Redmond, Ore.; St. George, Utah; Tulum and Veracruz, Mexico; and Barcelona.

This year, DFW’s top five busiest days to travel will be July 8, July 25, July 29, Aug. 1 and July 7, based on the number of flights and the number of seats available, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

“DFW and North Texas, travelers that should have confidence flying through DFW (Airport),” said David Seymour, chief operating officer at American in an interview with The Dallas Morning News last month. “… It’s our largest operation and provides so much connectivity for our customers to be able to connect and go in just about anywhere they want.”

Southwest projects almost 57 million travelers to fly between May 24 and Sept. 2. The Dallas-based airline is flying an average of 4,112 flights a day, with July 7 as the peak travel day for the airline with 4,452 scheduled flights and over 641,000 passengers.

But industry analysts have a different take on who’s truly performing well heading into the summer.

Analysts at Melius Research unveiled guidance this week that while the airline industry remains in a “flux,” competitors to the North Texas airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, come out on top. The researchers point to strong indicators like American cutting its sales outlook for the second quarter, Southwest adding itself to Google flights and budget air carriers refining their products.

“We remain dug in on our view that Delta and United are the best way to play the capacity-constrained environment as they play the strengths of the market — premium, loyalty, international and corporate travel,” the June 3 report read. “At the same time, the remainder of the industry is forced to make difficult choices and needs to walk the low end of the fare bucket up, further benefiting Delta and United.”

Delivery delays, Boeing

One uncertainty that looms over the entire travel industry is Boeing.

The manufacturer has faced constant problems since January when an Alaska Airlines door plug blowout left a gaping hole in the side of a Boeing 737 Max 9 fuselage with passengers onboard. The incident went viral and leaders at both Southwest and American have called out Boeing to get it together.

Since this incident, and years of safety concerns like the 2019 grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 8 after two crashes killed all passengers on board each plane, Boeing has been in the public eye.

American said the delivery delays ultimately forced the airline to reduce three long-haul routes from DFW Airport this year. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery delays made the carrier adjust routes for the second half of the year and first quarter of 2025.

American now expects to receive three 787 Dreamliners this year, down from six, cutting down on the number of planes available for long-haul flights.

Southwest also lowered its expectations for aircraft deliveries from plane maker Boeing Co. as well. Where it now expects 20 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft deliveries in 2024, it previously anticipated 46.

Most union contracts are in the rearview

One stressor that travelers and airlines don’t have to think too much about is the ratification of labor agreements among workers.

Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, the union representing American’s pilots, said the airline is more prepared this year than in previous summers to handle its massive summer schedule.

The Allied Pilots Association locked in a contract last summer. Southwest’s pilots, represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, also ratified a contract a few months later. Both contracts, and their competitors, make the average pay for a senior captain flying on an airline’s largest aircraft $348,252, according to aviation consultant Kit Darby.

In April, Southwest’s flight attendants, represented by Transport Workers Union Local 556, voted in favor of a new contract.

However, one major airline workgroup in North Texas remains without a contract. Flight attendants at American, represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, as well as United Airlines, are without collective bargaining deals after years of negotiations.

In a memo to flight attendants on May 31, the union wrote that after two weeks of negotiations with the National Mediation Board, the union’s members should prepare to strike.

“Flight attendants are always there for our passengers,” said Julie Hedrick, Association of Professional Flight Attendants president. “We will make sure our passengers get to where they need to be. We do our job professionally. The flight attendants, they are very frustrated, but they, of course, are going to do the job they need to do until this is done. When I say until this is done, (I mean) until we either have an agreement or until we go on strike.”

Hedrick said strike booklets for flight attendants will be in the mail very soon and the union’s website will be updated with more information. Although, many steps would need to be taken before a strike could take place at a U.S. airline. The last one occurred in 2010 with Spirit Airlines pilots after disputes over pay.

“Summertime — we’ve talked about you know what clouds are hanging over the summer season,” Tajer said. “It’s not the clouds we’re worried about. We can see those. We can maneuver around those. It’s the bright sunlight because you don’t realize you’re burned until it’s too late.”

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Surprise! Stephen Curry returns to Sacramento area to play in local pickup games

Local hoopers at a Lifetime Fitness in Folsom were met with a pleasant surprise over the weekend.

While in town for his daughter’s volleyball tournament, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry stopped by the local gym to join afternoon pickup games, unbeknownst to anyone on the court.

The 10-time NBA All-Star, two-time MVP and four-time NBA champion didn’t change his playing style or his personality even though the competition was far from pro level.

In one video, Curry was seen hitting the game-winning shot and breaking out his infamous “night-night” celebration.

Damarion Vann-Kelly, a 2024 graduate of Monterey Trail High School and former member of the school’s basketball team, shared the court with Curry on Saturday afternoon. He called it an “unreal moment” on X/Twitter.

Curry was accompanied by former Warrior and 12-year NBA veteran Kent Bazemore.

“It’s all about community,” Bazemore said in a video posted to YouTube. “You got the Steph Curry experience.”

Curry led Golden State to a 46-36 record and a 10th-place finish in the Western Conference. The Warriors’ season ended in the play-in tournament when Golden State lost to its NorCal rival Sacramento Kings.

Curry, 36, will be entering his 16th NBA season when he takes the court in the fall. He will be competing at the Olympics in Paris next month as a member of USA Basketball.

Steph Curry hits the ‘Night Night’ celebration after hitting a three at an open run in Sacramento

(via jessicabrogan/ig)
pic.twitter.com/JQgRYZ7o7G

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 9, 2024

 

 

Horoscopes June 10, 2024: Kate Upton, choose your battles

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kate Upton, 32; Leelee Sobieski, 41; Shane West, 46; DJ Qualls, 46.

Happy Birthday: If you look on the bright side, you’ll learn something about yourself and those you encounter. A positive attitude will deter unnecessary arguments and keep you proactive in making headway and connections. Refuse to let what others choose impact you negatively or stop you from reaching your goal. Discipline, focus and putting your energy where it brings the highest return will pay off. Choose your battles. Your numbers are 3, 14, 21, 24, 35, 37, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take on an exciting venture; physical activity or making a difference will offer satisfaction and put you front and center when trying to make an impression. A change to how you manage your money will lead to financial freedom. Disciplined spending will pay off. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be careful who you trust. Someone will try to outmaneuver or pressure you into something that isn’t in your best interest. Be cautious of scammers. Question everything and everyone trying to separate you from your cash. Keep your money, passwords and personal information private. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pay attention to your surroundings and make changes to encourage a manageable lifestyle. Adjustments that improve productivity and enhance how you feel about your life will make a difference in how you approach your day. Take advantage of an opportunity to expand your interests, friendships or skills. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A change may be necessary to advance professionally. Keeping up with technology or adopting new methods will help you protect against falling behind. Initiate what you want instead of waiting for someone else to step in and take over. Avoid situations that can cause sorrow or setbacks. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Participate in functions that offer insight into new possibilities. Get the lowdown, but don’t buy into someone else’s dream. By putting yourself first, you’ll discover a path that leads to your good fortune instead of paving the way for someone else to benefit. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may desire a change, but question, research and determine the pros and cons first. An offer will fall short of your expectations, leaving you vulnerable. Don’t get caught in someone else’s misfortune. Offer insight, but don’t take on something that isn’t your responsibility. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An open mind will help you overcome fear and encourage you to bring about positive change. Participation will enhance your awareness and offer insight into something that can enrich your life. Traveling, learning and expanding your interests are favored. Make learning a priority. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Use common sense. Refuse to let impulse cost you emotionally or financially. Walk away from pressure tactics and arguments. You can’t put a price on peace of mind. Proceed with caution, and don’t be afraid to walk away. Protect against physical and financial mishaps. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look at the big picture, but don’t feel obligated to agree to or join something that doesn’t appeal to you or fit your budget. A partnership will lead to difficulties due to differences in beliefs, lack of equality and the distribution of funds. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Channel your energy into what has meaning and purpose. Putting accomplishments behind you will ease your mind and make a difference in how much you save. Refrain from doing what others want you to do; look out for your interests and follow your instincts. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Explore the possibilities and expand your projects at home. The changes you make, how you use your space or how you open doors to new activities and friendships will enhance your disposition and encourage you to embrace physical and mental upgrades. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A chance to make a change will grab your attention, but before you act, consider the investment of time and cost. Don’t take on anything that will disrupt your life or cause you to lose sight of your responsibilities. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are outgoing, entertaining and compassionate. You are proactive and versatile.

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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Former Raiders star tight end Darren Waller retires at age 31

By TOM CANAVAN (AP Sports Writer)

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement from playing football on Sunday, saying he “found a lot of joy” in the sport, but “the passion has slowly been fading.”

In a nearly 18-minute video posted on his YouTube channel, the 31-year-old Waller confirmed he’s stepping away from the game after spending the last several months mulling his future.

The Giants had been waiting for Waller to decide whether he wanted to play this season. He had not attended the team’s offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp begins Tuesday.

Darren Waller (12) of the New York Giants looks on during the first half of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 18, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images/TNS)

Waller detailed a “very scary” medical situation last November while dealing with an injury suffered in a a game a few days earlier. He said he was going home in New Jersey after shooting a music video when he began feeling ill and later started ”shaking like pretty violently” and couldn’t breathe. He said he called 911 and ended up hospitalized for 3 1/2 days.

“I go back into my daily life and I’m pretty clear I almost just lost my life and don’t know if I really feel like if I would have died that I would have felt great about how my life was going if I died at the time,” Waller said. “I’m doing something that I found a lot of joy in and have had amazing moments with, but the passion has slowly been fading.”

He said the experience “kind of forced me into a position to re-evaluate, you know, and I’ve made the decision that I’ll be retiring from the NFL.”

Waller, who dealt with hamstring issues the last three years, was limited to 12 games and had 52 catches for 552 yards and a touchdown in his only season with the Giants. He was due to make $10.5 million in 2024 and count $14.1 million against the salary cap. With his retirement, the Giants save $11.6 million in cap money and take a $2.5 million hit in dead money.

Drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round in 2015, Waller overcame early drug problems to establish himself as one of the NFL’s top tight ends. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy and again for the 2017 season for a second violation of the policy.

Waller has been open about his struggles with addiction, as well as dealing with depression and anxiety.

“I’m eternally grateful for the game of football,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to have this conversation or to think things through or be self-reflective if it wasn’t for an opportunity to save my life and go to rehab, which the NFL offered me. They also gave me an opportunity to reestablish myself to come back into the world and do something productive, provide an example, be a leader, be a difference maker in my craft, but also just in the day to day wherever I go.

“So man, I’m eternally grateful.”

Waller finished his career with 350 receptions, 4,124 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns in 86 games. He played with the Ravens and Raiders before spending his final season with the Giants, who had acquired him in an offseason trade.

“We have great respect for Darren as a person and player,” the Giants said in a statement. “We wish him nothing but the best.”

The Ravens waived Waller before the 2018 season and he was signed to the Raiders’ practice squad. He appeared in four games and had six catches.

His breakout seasons came in 2019 and ’20, when he had a combined 197 catches for 2,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 2020 season and would have also gone the previous year as an alternate, but a thumb injury prevented that.

Waller and Giants coach Brian Daboll exchanged text messages in the offseason, but the coach said last Thursday the team was still waiting for him to make a decision about his playing future.

Much was expected of Waller last season, but he did not deliver for a team that went 6-11 and missed the playoffs a year after Daboll led them to their first postseason berth since 2016.

Waller married WNBA star guard Kelsey Plum in in March 2023, but they filed for divorce in April.

New York drafted Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth round in the recent draft in case Waller did not come back. Daniel Bellinger and Lawrence Cager return from last season. New York also signed veteran Chris Manhertz in free agency.

Looking back: Gallatin’s Restaurant in Big Sur, 1948

Learning new ways to appreciate the artichoke at this year’s festival

The (artichoke) hearts of festival-goers seemed full as they left with plenty of recipe ideas for the region’s famous thistle after Saturday’s 65th annual Monterey County Artichoke Festival.

Held at the county fairgrounds on June 8-9, this year’s festival theme was “Where Fun Blossoms.” To establish the theme, people were welcomed with endless food trucks, many with artichoke-themed dishes, vendors, a farmers market, live music and live cooking demonstrations.

“The selection of food was why we came here. We wanted to see how artichokes are used in a variety of different ways and I think we’ve eaten ourselves to capacity in doing that,” said first-time attendee James Angelo.

“I’ve got a good culinary background, but watching the chefs showcase the artichokes in ways that I hadn’t thought of before was pretty cool,” said Angelo. After making his way to the wine tasting, Angelo said the festival and tasting had both lived up to his expectations.

Nick Stefanko, a sales representative for Quintessential Wines, was one of the many stops for people looking to enjoy both local and imported wines on Saturday.

The Vineyard Oasis, the festival’s wine tasting, saw a steady stream of festival-goers stopping by to taste test both local and imported wines. (Courtesy of Karzell McMillian)

Perhaps the most populated spot at the festival at any given time, Stefanko said there was a “good, constant stream of folks visiting all the booths here. My wines have been very popular, not to toot my own horn.”

Setting the tone for the wine tasting as the booth closest to the entrance, Stefanko served Quintessential Wines’ fruit-infused Moscato from Italy. “Given that we’re in the summertime, people want something light and easy to drink with low alcohol, so these have been perfect,” he said.

“We focus more on imports than local and I find that’s a very strong thing to bring to people because we all get stuck in our little wine boxes, living here in wine country, so it’s hard to look past that when it’s right in our backyard,” said Stefanko.

Katherine Parish, president of the Artichoke Festival, has had roots in the event since 1959, when her parents helped organize the first festival in Castroville.

As a non-profit organization, Parish says her favorite part of the festival is “giving back to the community after… particularly the children’s programs, the sports and arts.”

Parish spent time in the farmers market, which sold lettuce, cauliflower, grapes, kiwis, and of course, cases of artichokes. Heirloom and Taylor Farms donated all of the produce for the farmers market, according to Parish.

Volunteers ran the farmers market on Saturday, selling a variety of locally-grown produce. President of the Artichoke Festival Katherine Parish (far left) helped out in the market. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)

While she learns new artichoke-inspired recipes each year, Parish said her go-to is still steamed artichoke, as that was how her family indulged in the vegetable growing up.

Even when she moved away from Castroville after college, Parish would still come back each year to volunteer. When she retired, she decided to work with the festival full-time.

“When your parents are in it from the beginning, you get swept into the volunteering,” said Parish.

There was no shortage of appreciation for the region’s most popular thistle, as the campgrounds were stocked with various artichoke-themed snacks. “I had a really good marinated artichoke heart,” said Amy Aubuchon. After the festival she’s “planning on making an artichoke frittata.”

This was Aubuchon’s second festival, and she said things have changed since she was here six years ago. “This time, I actually think there’s more here. There’s definitely more vendors and food trucks than there were in 2018.”

While artichokes require a bit of work to prepare and get to the tasty part, according to Aubuchon, they are not hard to eat “if you know how to do it right.”

Sitting for a moment in the shade directly in front of the silent auction stand, there is surely a temptation to bid on an item.

“I do love those niners things,” said first time festival-goer Matt Lee.

“We were definitely intrigued by the signed Christian McCaffrey jerseys,” added Aubuchon.

Amy Aubuchon and Matt Lee standing in front of the silent auction, dawning their artichoke souvenir-crowns. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)

All of the money raised from the silent auction goes toward local charities, according to Stevie Godfryd, president of the Pacific Auction Company.

Items being auctioned off included artwork, home decor, a 49ers poster signed by Fred Warner and a pink guitar signed by Taylor Swift. Also being auctioned was a five-night stay in a private Tuscan residence with a starting bid of $3,500 and estimated value of $5,500 and a Los Cabos getaway starting at $1,750 with an estimated value of $3,500.

“Our business is 21 years old… the way we source art is real different from sports, jewelry, home decor and vacation packages. They all come from very different kinds of channels,” he said. “What you can rely on is that all of the signed collectibles are guaranteed authenticated. That’s really the key, is the authentication,” said Godfryd.

With the abundance of artichoke-infused snacks and souvenirs, one might question how well everything goes together. In Stefanko’s opinion, “what doesn’t go good with artichokes?”

Ex-SF Giants pitcher on becoming an analyst: ‘I’ve had to tippy toe a little bit’

SONOMA – Former San Francisco Giants reliever Sergio Romo habitually watched pre-and post-game shows during his 15-year MLB career.

“Not that I cared what they said, but I cared what they said or how they said it,” Romo said Sunday before the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, where he drove the pace car for the NASCAR Cup Series event. “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it, that type of thing.”

Now that Romo is an analyst for some Giants pre- and post-game shows on NBC Sports Bay Area, he is fully aware that not every honest take he has will be warmly received inside the team’s clubhouse, which still has several of his friends.

Romo, though, says his existing relationships with those players help smooth over any hard feelings they may have over something that was said on air. Romo spent nine seasons with the Giants from 2008 to 2016, winning three World Series titles, and spent some time with the team in spring training last year.

“I’ve had conversations, through texts or phone calls with players this season, and I’ve let them know that, ‘Hey, this is what I thought. I know I said this on air, and … I meant what I said. But there was also this, this, and this,” Romo said. “I think there’s a fine line. We want to respect the players, and you want to respect the guys in the gauntlet because it’s not easy. It’s not easy at all.

“But being on the other side and having to speak about it, I’ve had to tippy toe a little bit up to this point. It’s something new, also. But these guys are my friends, too. I played with some of these guys; I’m still not that far removed. So being able to speak to them and tell them honestly how I feel on a personal level means a lot because then they know that when I go on on air, they know that I’m going to do what I can, to be honest, but at the same time, I’m not going to try to bury anybody.

“And if I do have something more serious to say, I feel privileged to be able to say that I can text these men and call them and have those conversations on a friend level.”

The Giants entered Sunday at 32-33 and in third place in the National League West. Romo feels the Giants can go on a run once they figure out their identity. He said younger players like Heliot Ramos and Patrick Bailey are starting to establish themselves, and older vets like Logan Webb and Mike Yastrzemski are finding a groove.

“It’s not surprising that the team has shown glimpses of greatness because they have the tools to be a very, very solid team,” Romo said, “a very competitive team.”

Romo, 41, officially retired with the Giants before the start of the 2023 season after appearing in a Bay Bridge Series game at Oracle Park on March 27 of last year. He said he has received valuable advice on transitioning from player to broadcaster from J.T. Snow, Shawn Estes, George Kontos, and Randy Winn.

“When they told me that I have the personality for it, and if I’m confident on the mound, why can’t I be confident on stage?” Romo said. “I’ve always been confident in my own skin and what you see is what you get. So that helped me out a lot.

“Slow the mind down, too. The mind wants to go a million miles an hour, and you want to say everything at once. So many cool things to say on air, I thought. Then you get to the moment, and the red light turns on, it’s like, ‘Whoa.’”

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Romo is still learning the ins and outs of NASCAR, but followed the sport, to some degree, during the heyday of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other drivers of that era. He was certainly introduced to the infamous traffic that usually envelops the area when the Cup series makes its annual stop at the corner of Highways 37 and 121, causing him to be a bit late to his scheduled media availability.

“Either way, my excitement is more so that they can do something that even if I practice, I don’t believe I can ever do, and they can do it at a level even multiply it on top of that,” Romo said. “It’s dangerous, it’s exciting, it’s exhilarating, and it’s fun to watch the skill that they have, creating the draft and then the way they maneuver on the track. It’s hard to not get excited about it.”

Keaton Winn knocked around in return from IL, SF Giants can’t complete sweep of Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Returning Sunday afternoon from a three-week absence to start the Giants’ series finale against the Rangers, Keaton Winn resembled the same pitcher who landed on the injured list last month, which can’t be good news for Bob Melvin’s pitching-starved club.

They had to settle for a series win against the defending World Series champions after Winn surrendered all seven of the runs the Rangers scored — five in the first two innings — while handing the visitors a 7-2 loss, preventing them from securing their first road sweep of the season.

Winn said he was “rattled” when the first pitch out of his hand sailed inside and struck Marcus Semien on the flap of his helmet, and he never quite recovered.

“Look, I mean, you try to get him a rehab so when he makes his start, he’s prepared for it,” Melvin said of Winn, who threw 3⅔ innings Tuesday in Arizona in his final tuneup from his bout of forearm tightness. “Obviously the command wasn’t great early in the game there. They got some hits off him early and had him on the run.

“Five runs after two innings puts us in a little bit of a hole, but I expect him to be better next time.”

The Giants (32-34) will return home two games under .500, the same mark they were at when they left, after going 3-3 on the swing through Arizona and Texas, where climate-controlled ballparks protected them from the sweltering temperatures outdoors, 88 degrees by Sunday’s 12:07 p.m. first pitch.

“We had a chance to at least sneak out one more, in my opinion,” Melvin said. “I think we responded well after, you know, doing that losing streak and losing the first two in Arizona. I thought we responded pretty well after that.”

Winn’s day went off the rails as soon as the very first pitch left his hand, a 95 mph fastball that put the leadoff man on base and caused a temporarily scary scene. Just one of his first seven pitches found the strike zone, and by the end of the first inning, the Giants were in a 3-0 hole.

Catcher Patrick Bailey was quick to check on Semien, and the scary hit-by-pitch put a hush in the 34,912 on hand. But he stayed in the game, swiped second base for the first of four Texas steals, and then truly avenged the errant fastball in his next trip to the plate, launching the first pitch for a two-run homer to left to make it 5-0 after 2.

“It definitely rattled me a bit,” Winn said of the first pitch. “Anything you do something you don’t mean to do, especially hit a guy in the head, it shook me a little bit. It just comes down to execution, I guess.”

Texas would tack on two more runs before Winn’s line for the day was closed, raising his ERA to 6.94.

The four stolen bases Melvin attributed to Winn, who he said was “too slow to plate, even his slide steps.” It was the fourth time the Giants have allowed their opponent to swipe at least four bags in a game this season, already their most in one year since 2014.

Adolis Garcia scored the Rangers’ third run of the first inning when Wyatt Langford broke from first base with Garcia on third. With two outs already recorded, Bailey fired through to second base to attempt to end the inning but bounced the ball to shortstop Brett Wisely, whose throw back home was off-line and too late to nab Garcia, who was credited with a steal of home.

“(Garcia) wasn’t going; it’s just when the ball bounced, then he took off,” Melvin said. “If the ball gets there on the fly, I don’t think he does.”

Winn’s ERA was a sterling 3.18 only three starts prior to hitting the injured list. Over his first six starts of the season, he allowed a total of 12 runs and completed six innings four times, but opponents in the four starts since have tagged him for 24 runs and knocked him from the game before the end of the fifth in each one.

“He’s got good stuff,” Melvin said. “It’s just about commanding it, locating it. And I think you’ll see a tick up in the velocity next time, too.”

Winn, who regularly races his fastball into the upper 90s, registered only 12 of his 37 heaters at 96 mph and didn’t hit 97 once, down about a half-mile an hour on average between his four-seamer and sinker.

“I’m not super worried about that,” Winn said. “I wasn’t trying to max out on the gun today. I’m trying to be smart (coming back from injury). I just have to be finer. I can’t make as many mistakes as I did today. … I felt like when I made pitches, I had success. And I just didn’t make (enough) pitches.”

Trailing 5-0 by the end of the second inning, the Giants clawed a couple runs back when Bailey singled home Casey Schmitt in the third and Mike Yastrzemski sent a solo shot just clear of the right-field foul pole in the fourth, but put just two men on base in 19 trips to the plate after that.

They were never able to recover from Winn’s rough start, losing for the fourth straight time with him on the mound.

“Definitely going to start diving deep. I’ve been trying to figure things out,” Winn said. “But we’re going to really hammer it this next week.”

Notable

Requiring a roster spot to activate Winn from the injured list before the game, the Giants optioned IF/OF Tyler Fitzgerald to Triple-A Sacramento.

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3B Matt Chapman was held out of the lineup for only the second time this season. The Giants had been seeking to get him off his feet and took the opportunity with Chapman “a little banged up” after his diving attempt on a pop-up in foul territory late the previous night.

“I think his hamstring just tightened up,” Melvin said. “Whether it was a cramp or not – probably more likely – but it was a pretty good cramp. … Hopefully it’s just a day.”

Up next

The Giants travel back to San Francisco, where they continue their stretch of American League West foes with three games apiece against the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels. They are 4-7 so far through three interleague series.

LHP Kyle Harrison (4-3, 4.18) gets the ball to open the home stand against RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-5, 5.79), with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Monday.

High School baseball: Carmel’s Sanchez, Maxon named co-Players of the Year

CARMEL – Like the paths each have paved for themselves, JJ Sanchez and Matt Maxon’s numbers are nearly identical.

Not just on the mound, where both exhibited why each has a Division I baseball scholarship awaiting them, but at the plate where the Carmel High sluggers’ batting averages hovered around .400.

Neither Sanchez or Maxon have given up on the thought of hitting and pitching at the next level. Yet, their golden arms took the Padres to their first league title in eight years.

“My hitting dream has not left me one bit,” Maxon said. “I still want to hit in college. I still feel it is a possibility. But it won’t be easy. I’ll have to work really hard for it.”

Maxon will be around another two years before that decision comes to fruition. Sanchez closed one chapter of his career with a 6-0 record and a .380 batting average.

“I just wanted to compete on the field with my friends for the one last time,” Sanchez said. “I wanted to enjoy this last ride. We were able to do that. It was fun.”

While Sanchez – last year’s Herald’s Player of the Year – left his stamp on the program. Maxon is just dialing in as both were named The Herald’s co-Players of the Year in baseball.

Told he will be given an opportunity to pitch and hit next spring for Loyola Marymount, the left-handed Sanchez sprayed the ball around the field this past spring, where his average soared when runners were in scoring position, driving in 21 in 30 games.

With his team-high 14 walks, the 17-year-old Sanchez compiled a .466 on-base percentage, striking out just three times in 108 at-bats.

“One of my goals coming into the year was being patient at the plate,” Sanchez said. “The objective was to get on base. I was really selective at the plate.”

In a lineup littered with hitters, Sanchez collected 33 hits in the No. 3 slot in the order, finishing with eight doubles.

“He got comfortable in what we did in preparation,” Carmel coach Mike Kelly said. “We didn’t want JJ swinging at the first pitch he saw. He learned how to hit with two strikes.”

Carmel High starting pitcher Matt Maxon is one of the Herald’s Co=Players of the year. (Raul Ebio — Herald File)

In addition to hitting .388, Maxon became more of a power hitter during his sophomore season with a team-high five homers, driving in 25 runs, while scoring 24.

The Stanford-bound hurler finished with a .423 on-base percentage, with 15 of his 33 hits going for extra bases.

“I feel like I’m a guy that will hit the ball hard,” Maxon said. “I feel I have good presence in the box. People are aware when I step in the box. I feel I can hit for power and contact.”

Maxon carried that demeanor to the mound for the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division champions, posting a 7-3 record with a 2.46 earned run average, tossing a no-hitter and one-hitter in back-to-back games.

“I took the biggest strides in the way I played – with the confidence I played with,” Maxon insisted. “Last year I was more tense and anxious. I had to let that go. I was more myself this year.”

With a fastball reaching into 90 mph,  the 16-year-old multi-sport standout struck out 75 hitters in just 59.2 innings for the Padres.

“All my stuff has more velocity this year,” Maxon said. “I was more in command with my splitter, which I fed off instead of my fastball.”

As his splitter became more effective, Maxon began relying on it as a money pitch, with his fastball being more of a setup pitch.

“It was so much fun watching Matt pitch,” said Sanchez, who played first base when Maxon was on the hill. “Just watching him compete out there. I got a good look at first base.”

Sanchez didn’t lose a game in eight starts this year for Carmel, finishing with a 1.48 earned run average, striking out 41 in 41 innings.

“I was hitting my spots, trusting my catcher,” said Sanchez, who won his last 10 regular season starts over the past two years.

Sanchez effectively threw five pitches this past spring for Carmel, turning to his off-speed stuff to complement his fastball that was hitting 90 mph on the radar gun.

“I still need some work on my change-up,” Sanchez said. “Once I’m dialed in with the pitch, it can be lethal. I believe it will be my money pitch in college.”

For Maxon, it wasn’t hard to recall a memorable moment, as the 6-foot-2 right-hander brought up the no-hitter against Palma.

“Throwing my first no-hitter was pretty cool,” Maxon said. “Everything was working that day. My defense played well behind me, giving me the confidence to throw certain pitches.”

Maxon had a stretch in the Gabilan Division where he allowed just five hits and one run over 20 innings with 33 strikeouts.

“I have not seen anything like that with this recent run,” Kelly said. “It was unusual. He didn’t know what high school was going to bring for him last year. He had to settle into himself.”

For Sanchez, the Padres’ last win in the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs sticks out as a moment where Carmel proved it belonged among the top eight teams in the section.

“Los Gatos was talking a lot when we were warming up,” Sanchez said. “We had to show them who Karma was.”

Before Sanchez will see at-bats at Loyola Marymount, he’ll have to earn a spot on the pitching staff, where he is projected to begin his collegiate career as a reliever.

“I will likely be used in relief my first year to see where I’m at,” Sanchez said. “Ultimately, I see myself as a starter. I feel like I’m someone that can go the distance.”

With 11 seniors graduating, Maxon will inherit a leadership role on a team that will need to replace six starters, as well as three quality pitchers.

Maxon is eager to embrace the role, while providing a different outlook going forward for a roster he believes is geared to take another step forward.

“I think our team needs to play more clean ball and feed off each other’s energy,” Maxon said. “Be ready when your name is called and contribute to team baseball, not be so caught up in yourself.”

The Herald’s softball player of the year: Milestone season for Salinas ignited by Jones’ arm and bat

SALINAS – You can hear it in the tone of her voice — the elation when recalling celebrations at home plate with her teammates upon hitting a home run.

Yet, it pales in comparison for Abi Jones when she sends a hitter back to the dugout with a strikeout – which occurred 300 times this past spring.

“I like hitting,” the Salinas High pitcher said. “But nothing will compare to striking someone out and having all that control in the palm of my hands.’’

Jones was masterful in the circle this past spring in carving up opponents. Her bat, though, was vital in Salinas’ drive to its first Central Coast Section Division I softball title in 27 years.

Reshaping her game has opened more avenues for the junior, who was named The Monterey Herald’s Softball Player of the Year.

“Winning that CCS title was extra special,” Jones said. “We peaked at the right time. Avenging what happened the year before, I really don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet.”

Having hit 67 mph on the radar gun, the 5-foot-9 Jones won 18 games for the Cowboys, posting a 1.58 earned run average.

“I gained some speed and my location was better,” Jones said. “I got better at knowing when to throw certain pitches, getting on the same page with coach Ron (Guzman).”

While Jones relied on a rise and drop to send hitters back to the dugout, she has a variation of eight pitches that are all a part of her arsenal.

“I will seldom use all eight in a game,” said Jones, who went 5-1 in the postseason. “What I throw often depends on the batter and how many times they’ve been through the order.”

All eight pitchers, however, were in effect in the CCS title game against Monterey, an opponent that had seen Jones twice this year and five times over the past two years.

“I used every single pitch I had in the CCS finals,” Jones said. “In that game, I went in and brought them all out. I was looking for any edge I could gain.”

Jones put together an outing to remember, striking out a season-high 17, while allowing just four hits and one earned run in bringing home the program’s first section title since 1998.

In five postseason games, Jones struck out 60 hitters. In eight career playoff games, she is 6-2 with 81 strikeouts.

“If you had asked me last year, I would have told you I loved hitting more than pitching,” Jones said. “But since my pitching has developed, I have grown to love it 10 times more.”

Over the course of the 32-game season, Jones recorded 17 strikeouts three times, meaning only four outs were produced by the defense. She finished with 10 or more strikeouts 16 times.

“It was more about where her comfort level was at,” Salinas coach Guzman said. “It’s about using the pitches at the right time. What’s working in warmups? Let’s not overthink this.”

Having recently decommitted from San Jose State, Jones became a pitcher in demand on the market, as she will showcase her talents over the summer on a travel team.

“I just had a change of heart,” the 17-year-old said. “I will take a couple more visits and make what I feel is the right decision for me.”

Colleges that have re-entered the recruiting wars have told her hitting is also an option if she wants to be a two-way player.

“What some schools have told me is if you can get the job done in the circle, we will give you an opportunity to shine at the plate,” Jones said.

With good reason.

In addition to hitting a team-high eight home runs, Jones led Salinas in walks with 14, compiling a .414 on-base percentage. She also drove in 20 runs – seven coming in five playoff games.

“I think I have an advantage as a hitter because I know where the umpire’s strike zone is,” Jones said. “I can gauge from the box. There are no expectations as a hitter. I’m just more relaxed.”

Guzman believes Jones has a bat that would translate to the college game and that there will be suitors willing to let her do both.

“Look at her slugging percentage and the runs she driven in,” Guzman said. “When you strike out 17 and drive in two runs to help win a game, that’s a huge impact.”

The next step for Jones going into her senior season is creating a mental edge in her game, trusting her pitches, lowering her pitch count by being more consistent.

Too often she found herself wasting pitches when ahead in the count, which at times provided a reprieve for the hitter, as evident by her issuing 54 walks in 178 innings.

“When I’m ahead in the count, I need to make sure I finish the job,” Jones said. “When I get two strikes on a hitter, I tell myself don’t throw a strike. I need to trust my spins more.”

Guzman, who calls the pitches, wants Jones to have input, not be afraid to shake him off if she does not feel comfortable throwing that pitch at that moment.

“Some of those walks were about just being smarter in her decision making,” Guzman said. “The key is to present something that a hitter wants to swing at, but won’t be in the zone. You don’t need much velocity, but you need spin. I want her to have the confidence to call that pitch.”

While Jones is still basking with her teammates in winning a section title, the bar has been raised after reaching the Northern California Division II semifinals. Challenges await as she embraces the next chapter.

“We’ll have a different mindset next season,” Jones promised. “We have raised expectations. That kind of pressure is good pressure. It will push us even harder. There’s another step to take, a goal to achieve.”