Month: June 2014

United States Through to Round of Sixteen Despite Loss to Germany

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By: Joe Lami

The United States Men’s National Team did what many believed wouldn’t happen on Thursday and made it out of the group of death to advance to the Round of Sixteen after a 1-0 loss to Germany.  The advance in the World Cup is happening because of a 2-1 win for Portugal over Ghana.

Both the United States and Portugal ended the round robin portion of the tournament with four points each, but the United States had the advantage with goal differential.  The U.S. had an even goal differential through the first three games, where Portugal was (-3) minus three.

Germany owned most of the game, out possessing the United States 67% to 33%. The ownership in possession showed ad Germany outshot the Americans 13-4 with a 6-0 advantage in shots on goal.  The Germans showed they were the better team in just the opening minutes as the United States hardly had ownership of the ball, and one would begin to worry if the Germans were going to blow out the Americans.

The United States would be able to hold the Germans off of the scoreboard in the first half however with some remarkable play on the back end, especially from Centerback, Omar Gonzalez.  Gonzalez had multiple tackles inside the penalty box to knock away German chances.

Germany would get on the scoreboard in the Second Half, when Thomas Muller would find the right side of the net on a shot at the top of the 18-yard box.  The play happened off of a corner kick, when a German player headed one towards goal when American keeper, Tim Howard would make the save.  However, the rebound found the right foot of Muller for his second goal of the World Cup.

The Americans did have a couple good scoring chances in the second half, but none of them came to fruition, as the game ended in a 1-0 win for Germany.

It would be a different story if Portugal didn’t defeat Ghana 2-1.  Ghana was pushing Portugal in the last 20 minutes of the game with a 1-1 score line.  A win for Ghana would have put them into the Round of Sixteen with a better goal differential than the US.  Christino Ronaldo however ended Ghana’s chances when he put a rebound home in the 80th minute to help the United States survive the scare.

The group stages are coming to an end, and the Americans have made it through the group of death, with the standings being: Germany (7 Points, +5), United States (4 Points, +/-0), Portugal (4 Points, -3), and Ghana (1 Point, -2).

Up next for the Americans is their Round of Sixteen matchup, as they will take on the winners of Group H, most likely Belgium, who has already advanced through two games.

No-No Timmy fleeces the Padres again: Lincecum’s second no-hitter within a year comes against San Diego

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By Morris Phillips

This time, Tim Lincecum pitched his way to a no-hitter.  He really pitched and looked good doing it.

Earlier this season, manager Bruce Bochy had to come get Lincecum after five innings even as the Freak held the Cubs hitless and scoreless.  But he threw 32 pitches in a Houdini-like first inning and 96 pitches in total.  Like a lot of Lincecum’s starts over the last three seasons, the outing was a struggle.

“He worked so hard out there,” Bochy said in why he decided to pull Timmy.  “It was time.”

Last year in San Diego when Lincecum pitched his first no-no, he needed 148 pitches.  The whole Giants’ organization feared the marathon outing that night would led to injury, ineffectiveness or both.  Most of the baseball pundits weighed in too.  Lincecum lost his next start after the All-Star break and went on to lose 14 games versus 10 wins.  The no-no didn’t kill Lincecum, but it didn’t reverse his trend of good and bad, always with slightly more bad, either.

That night Timmy threw a whopping 54 balls.  He struck out 13 Padres, but it was no masterpiece.  He walked four and once again… those 148 pitches.  What pitcher throws that many pitches and accomplishes anything meaningful?

This time, Lincecum was good from the start.  Bochy says he saw it immediately.

“It was just the way he was locked in,” Bochy said of Lincecum’s early pitches Wednesday.  “He looked more compact, putting less effort in it, and hitting his spots.  Sometimes he makes it a little too hard out there.”

Rarely did Lincecum throw fastballs.  Nothing new there.  In receiving his new, bonus baby contract that pays him $17 million this season, he obviously had already convinced the Giants that he could remake himself.  Along with his durability and competitive makeup, GM Brian Sabean, Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti were convinced Lincecum could get it done without his blazing fastball of yesteryear.

And he was that guy on Wednesday: great command, downward action on all of his breaking pitches and changeups while facing a lineup prone to getting itself out.  So without pause, that’s what transpired.

“Today I just tried to be more efficient, take what they gave me,” Lincecum said.  “They were giving me a lot of ground balls and fly balls.  I just tried to get the first out (inning after inning) and go from there.”

So where does the Franchise go from here?  Hopefully to a winning record for the first time since 2010.  He’s 6-5 after beating San Diego with a 4.42 ERA.  Prior to the historic second no-hitter against the same opponent–a feat accomplished only by Hall of Famer Addie Joss in 1910—Lincecum ranked among the bottom five NL starters in ERA through 15 starts.  In 2012, his ERA topped five (5.18), 2013 was incrementally better (4.42), so Timmy still got some work to do if he’s to complete his transformation.

“Sometimes less is more, and that’s what I think if anything, hopefully he learned today,” Bochy said when asked about Lincecum’s new ways.

One thing’s for sure: Lincecum’s in the right place.  AT&T Park roared with excitement in anticipation and then completion of the feat in the ninth inning.  The outs the Padres made were free of drama, but that did little to temper the building excitement in the stands.  His Giants’ teammates played their roles astutely in between innings: short bursts of encouragement, nothing different than normal even down to some playful banter with Tim Hudson.  When it was over, the embraces from his teammates were genuine and powerful.

In the clubhouse, Bochy made sure to thank his pitcher for putting a halt to a seriously horrid stretch. The Giants avoided a sixth-straight home loss for the first time since 2008.  In going 4-11 in their last 15 games, the big NL West lead the club enjoyed has evaporated.  Even with the no-no and the win, the Dodgers remain just three games back in the division.

“This club needed something because they’ve gone through some tough times,” Bochy said.

The axiom never rang more true; coming to the ballpark, you never know what you’re going to get.  In that respect, the Giants and Tim Lincecum are a lot alike.

The Giants were the team with the best start to a season by any team since 2005.  Then they went feeble against some of the least imposing competition out there.  Against the Padres, it took three days for them to figure out San Diego’s struggling.  After the loss, the Padres are hitting .182 in June, and you could have seen leadoff hitter Will Venable’s 0 for 4 afternoon before your ticket was scanned at one of the stadium gates.  Venable led off for the Padres Wednesday despite a season batting average that now sits at .199.

But those last-place guys wore down Matt Cain on Monday, and smashed Tim Hudson on Tuesday.

Lincecum’s season been up and down similar to the last three seasons.  He lost his previous start in Arizona by allowing four runs and seven hits while striking out just one guy. From start to start, he’s an asset or a liability, but in total, he’s all history.

With the no-hitter, Lincecum joins Sandy Koufax, Roy Halladay and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to have multiple Cy Young awards and multiple no-no’s.  He’s one of only four active pitchers to have thrown multiple no-hitters (Mark Buehrle, Homer Bailey and Justin Verlander) and Bailey, Nolan Ryan and Koufax are the only other guys to throw two no-hitters within a 12-month period.

How about two no-hitters, two Cy Young’s and two World Series titles?  Only Lincecum and Koufax on that list.

On Thursday, the Giants welcome the Reds with Ryan Vogelsong facing Cincinnati’s Mike Leake at 7:15pm.

One Dollar Buys A’s a Split in New York

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By Matthew Harrington

In a reversal of fortunes from Tuesday’s 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the New York Mets, the Oakland Athletics shelled promising youngster Zack Wheeler early on Wednesday to split the a two-game series at Citi Field. Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss homered for Oakland in the 8-5 contest while Yoenis Cespedes went 3-for-4 with a three-run double to give starter pitcher Brad Mills his first win with the green and gold despite a late comeback bid by the Metropolitans (36-42).

The A’s (48-30) scored twice in the first inning off Wheeler on Moss’ team-leading (along with Josh Donaldson) 18th long ball of the season that came with two outs and a runner on base. A four-run second, highlighted by Cespedes’ bases-loaded double, wrapped up the night for Wheeler (3-8, 4.45 ERA). The former San Francisco Giants draft pick, acquired by New York in the 2011 Carlos Beltran trade, went only two innings. He allowed a season-high six earned runs in his first start since going the distance in a 1-0 shutout over Miami on June 19th.

A Coco Crisp solo shot, his sixth round tripper of the campaign, off Dana Eveland put Oakland up 7-0 in the fourth while a Mills double play ball plated Josh Reddick from third base for the A’s eighth run and final run in the sixth frame.

While Wheeler scuffled, Mills thrived in his second start since replacing the injured Drew Pomeranz in the rotation. While he was tagged with a no decision in Oakland’s 4-2 win over the Red Sox last Thursday, Mills (1-0, 4.35) picked up his first win in the Big Leagues since 2012.

The man supposedly purchased for one dollar from the Milwaukee Brewers on June 17th went 6 1/3, allowing only three runs. All three tallies came on the first pitch of a pinch-hit at-bat for Lucas Duda which resulted in a three-run shot that chased him from the game.

Dan Otero finished off the seventh, but set-up man Luke Gregerson scuffled with his inning of work, allowing a two-run homer to former Athletic Chris Young, the chief culprit in Tuesday’s thrashing after mashing two dingers. Sean Doolittle struck out the side in the ninth to seal the 8-5 win for his 11th save of the season.

On Thursday, the A’s receive a second dose of respite this week after having a day off Monday to make the trek from Oakland to the East Coast. They’ll have a day off in Miami before opening a three-game weekend set against the Marlins Friday in Oakland’s first visit to Miami’s new ballpark which opened in 2012. Right-hander Jesse Chavez takes the hill for the Athletics while the Marlins counter with righty Anthony DeSclafani and his 7.59 ERA.

Kings give Isaiah Thomas a qualifying offer

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings made guard Isaiah Thomas a restricted free agent today extending a qualifying offer to him. By extending the offer to Thomas, the Kings now have the first right of refusal if another team makes a contract offer to the point/shooting guard. It would surprising if Thomas is not pursued by other NBA teams.

Thomas is a three-year veteran who was selected at number 60 in the 2011 NBA Draft. For his career, he has averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.03 steals per game. Thomas has started 153 times over the three-year period.

It has reported by multiple sources that the Kings are interested in acquiring a true point guard. If that should happen, the general consensus is Thomas would become the sixth man off the bench – a role he has played before for Sacramento.

Sounders advance to Quarterfinals on penalty kicks

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TONY OVERMAN — Staff photographer for The News Tribune?

By Pearl Allison Lo

Seattle goalie Marcus Hahnemann outshone the San Jose Earthquakes’ goalie David Bingham in the last part of the game, as the Quakes fell 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup Tuesday.

Bingham, who made a number of outstanding saves, mostly in the second half and extra time, was unable to stop any of the penalty kicks he faced.

Hahnemann saved JJ Koval’s shot and the Sounders’ Lamar Neagle helped his team advance.

In the first half, a goal kick by Bingham went all the way to Atiba Harris. #24 Steven Lenhart then headed the ball and got his own ball back to score in the 24th minute against Hahnemann.

Seattle’s Kenny Cooper scored his 10th Open Cup goal by positioning himself on the left side of the field. Neagle, who received the ball from Leonardo Gonzalez, passed it to Cam Weaver and then received the ball back. The final play came as the ball went to Cooper who was closer to the goal now, as he scored in the 26th minute.

San Jose’s Clarence Goodson almost gave his team an own goal in the 43rd minute.

The Sounders had the majority of chances in the second half, outshooting the Quakes 21-9.

At one point, San Jose’s Khari Stephenson had a free kick attempt right outside of the box straightaway.

Seattle had at least 18 corners.

In the penalty round, Stephenson once again converted on a penalty kick, as he took the first shot. It was his second conversion in as many game as he scored against Sacramento Republic FC. The Quakes’ Alan Gordon’s shot hit the post and was saved.

Game notes: In the quarterfinals, the Sounders will face their nemesis Portland Timbers in the Cascadia Clash.

San Jose will still play also in another exciting match. For MLS, the California Clasico, against  rival Los Angeles Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, will be June 28 at 7:30pm.

Kazmir’s Rough Three Innings Dooms A’s, Oakland Loses 10-1

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NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 24: Scott Kazmir #26 of the Oakland Athletics pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 24, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 24: Scott Kazmir #26 of the Oakland Athletics pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 24, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

 

By Kahlil Najar

NEW YORK – Scott Kazmir is allowed to have one bad game a year. This was it. In three innings Kazmir gave up eight hits and seven runs – of those eight hits, three went for home runs.

“I just wasn’t throwing my pitches where I wanted to at all,” said Kazmir. “Any change up was belt high or even higher, and they put good swings on them. They didn’t miss any of those pitches that were up in the zone. For the most part, everything was right down the middle.”

It seemed as though Kazmir wasn’t on his game tonight. Head Coach Bob Melvin echoed that sentiment, “It was a performance that we haven’t seen so for me it just looked like some balls were up in the zone and he wasn’t locating like he normally does.”

The three homers tonight were also a shock for Kazmir. Known for not giving up the deep ball, Kazmir gave up the home run ball to Curtis Granderson, former Athletic Chris Young and Travis d’Arnaud.

“It’s almost a shock when you see him give up home runs,” said Melvin. “He got some balls up, missed location with a few of them, and they didn’t miss them. The wind was blowing out to left, and they got some in the air out there, took advantage of it.

The only highlight of the night for the A’s was when Yoenis Cespedes hit his 20th double of the year and scored Brandon Moss in the first inning.

The Mets started former Athletic starting pitcher Bartolo Colon who earned his eighth win of the year as he went 8 strong innings and struck out 8 on 112 pitches.

When asked about Colon, catcher Stephen Vogt said, “What he did tonight is what he did for us all of last year. He’s so frustrating to play, especially someone who has caught him and knows him well. He threw me three sliders in one at-bat. I don’t think I’ve seen him throw three offspeed pitches to anyone. That’s just what he does. Just when you think you’ve got him figured out, he’s going to throw you something you have no idea about. That’s just a testament to how good he is.”

The A’s hope to turn it around tomorrow when Brad Mills (0-0, 4.50 ERA) takes on the Mets Zack Wheeler (3-7, 3.93 ERA), game time 4:10pm PST.

Rookies dominate Giants again

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After watching Odrisamer Despaigne just dominate the San Francisco Giants in the series opener on Monday night, there was no way it could happen two games in a row.

Jesse Hahn, who made his major league debut on June 3, went six inning, allowing two run on four hits, walking two and striking out eight and the San Diego Padres made it two in a row with a 7-2 over the Giants before a crowd of 41,546, the 286th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

Will Venable, the son of former Giants outfielder Max Venable got the Padres on the board in the top of the third inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Cameron Maybin from third base.

Alexei Amarista added another run in the top of the fifth inning after he doubled to score Jake Goebbert.

Venable made it 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning after he grounded out to score Maybin from third base.

Pablo Sandoval broke up the Hahn attempt at the Padres first ever no-hitter, as he beat out an infield single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Michael Morse followed Sandoval and singled Sandoval to third, and Tyler Colvin got the Giants on the board after a ground out Amarista at second base.

The Padres broke the game wide open in the top of the sixth inning, as Maybin reached on a infield single that scored Chase Headley from third base.

Headley reached after his long double went to the base of the of the left-centerfield wall, and on the play, Gregor Blanco was able to throw to Brandon Crawford, who threw to Buster Posey to get Seth Smith on a great play at the plate after Smith led off the inning with a single.

Amarista drove in the second and third runs of the inning, as he singled to score Yasmani Grandal and Goebbert.

Tim Hudson could not get out of the sixth inning, as he went five and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits, walking two and striking out four and fell to 7-4 on the season.

Posey got the Giants within four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he doubled in Blanco, who led off the inning with a single.

Crawford beat out a single in the bottom of the seventh inning that was challenged by Bud Black, but after two minutes and nine seconds, the play stood.

Tommy Medica hit his first career pinch hit home run in the top of the eighth inning for the Padres, as he batted for Goebbert.

Sac Kings arena at the Plaza: Opposition builds up a frenzy against arena, claims of unethical financing

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by Jerry Feitelberg

SACRAMENTO–With $255 million approved for funding by the City of Sacramento for the Sacramento Kings new arena lawyers opposed to the new arena due to environmental and housing issues and accusations of the city making funding possible by private susidies. Attorneys representing three citizens Patrick Soluri and Jeffery Anderson are working on blocking the Kings new arena which is scheduled to go under construction at the Downtown Plaza.

The city plans to spend upwards to $755,000 to defend itself against the suit that says that the appropiration of the funds to be spent by the city on the arena were done in a back room deal and that the funding transaction was not tranparent as the city and Kings are spending $477 million for the new Kings digs at the Downtown Plaza.

The suit was filed but a Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled that the lawsuit didn’t have merrit because a preliminary term sheet was approved last year by the city council when working on the financing plan. Soluri and Anderson readjusted the suit and adding a $255 million contribution which had been approved from the council and that difference allowed for the amendment.

The suit says that the parking lot properties in Sacramento were not listed as gifts when Soluri and Anderson said that the city’s proposal is fraud and they are asking the court to block the construction of the Kings arena. The city has argued in their previous appearence in court that the value of the garage property is worth almost nothing.

The city also argued that the parking properties need extensive upgrade improvements and the city had made it clear to the public that the garage and other particulars of the agreement was made to the public through public meetings and the media.

The city has hired the law firm Myers Nave to defend the city against the suit, funding for the law suit would come out of the city’s general funds. The city so far has dropped some $500,000 already fighting the three citizens in legal fees, represented by Soluri and Anderson. With the additional $755,000 that will bring that figure up to over $1.2 milllion fighting the arena opposition all out of the general fund.

Sacramento Coucilman Jay Schenirer said that the city is already bleeding red ink and this is money that should be going to other city departments that badly need funding rather than fighting arena opponents in court, “it’s $750,000 that we cannot spend on police, that we cannot spend on community centers and cannot spend on providing services for young people, all of which should be our priorities.” said Schenirer.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the new arena developments for the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Thats Amaury’s News and Commentary: Anticipation building for what could be U.S.’ biggest soccer game in history

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–The U.S. in the World Cup gets an opportunity to try and move up to the next level on Thursday with Germany. They got some competition against Germany and the U.S. has played very well. They played Portuagal to a 2-2 loss on Sunday but they have a opportunity to be the best team in the history of the United States as a soccer team as we know it today.

With the U.S. not considered a soccer country that’s changing as the U.S. team is now playing with the best of them in Brazil’s house. There are many power house teams here and the ratings for ESPN for the World Cup has been huge. Eventually the U.S. can be the team to beat someday and it’s going to be a battle for the U.S. on Thursday and it’ll be fun for the fans watching.

The Brazilians are so far the favorite and they beat Cameroon convincingly 4-1 and they’re picked to finish on top. Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico those are powerhouses and when we mention Brazil there’s no doubt that the critics know what they can do. I was at the World Cup in 1994 and it was one of the highlights of my career so when you talk about Brazil that’s the ultimate soccer country of the world.

SF Giants and their struggles: The Giants do have a good nucleolus of pitching but their pitching is not what it was earlier this season. They have a lot of problems and their on a slide right now losing ten of their last 13 games. The Dodgers are going to go heavy and get some help be it pitching or in the line up and close the gap on the Giants.

Needless to say the Giants have hit a really rough patch and they have a number of injured players and the pitching is suspect and the hitting at times is non existent. The Giants are really having some problems and Giant pitcher Matt Cain got shelled on Monday night by the lackluster Padres offense in a 6-0 loss to drop his record to 1-6.

Cain’s problems are a combination of factors, he said after the game on Monday night that he feels fine but the losses mount, Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum is having his own struggles at 5-5 with an ERA of 4.90 Lincecum has lost two of his last four games.

Giants rookie second baseman Joe Panik who debuted on Sunday in Arizona with two hits is impressing the club with his glove and his keystone partner at shortstop Brandon Crawford says he’s got some fine tuning needed but he’s going to do just fine, “There may have been a few things he needed to work on, but he’s a good athlete. He adjusted pretty quickly.”

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Los Angeles Angels and does News and Commentary each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Tony Gwynn Remembered Before Giants vs Padres Game

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San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, left, shakes hands with San Diego Padres manager Bud Black, left, as he offers his a baseball plate in memory of former San Diego Padres baseball player Tony Gwynn before the start of a baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, June 23, 2014. Gwynn died of cancer at the age of 54. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, left, shakes hands with San Diego Padres manager Bud Black, left, as he offers his a baseball plate in memory of former San Diego Padres baseball player Tony Gwynn before the start of a baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, June 23, 2014. Gwynn died of cancer at the age of 54. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

By Peter Qaqundah

On the first night back in AT&T Park since the tragic loss of MLB Hall of Famer and lifetime Padre Tony Gwynn, the Giants paid tribute to the legend in fitting fashion. Before the contest with Gwynn’s former team, the San Diego Padres, Bruce Bochy presented Padres manager Bud Black with a base from Gwynn’s final game played in San Francisco. In addition, Bochy hailed Gwynn as the greatest player he had the privilege to play with, coach, and manage.

Among the Giants legends who paid respects to Gwynn was Will Clark, saying “Tony and I got to be real good friends because he was always at first base–we couldn’t get him out…he was the best hitter of our era.”

Gwynn’s legacy far exceeded the game of baseball, as shown by the outpouring of admiration from members of all communities in the Bay Area. 49er great, Roger Craig encapsulated Tony Gwynn’s life and spirit perfectly: “You could go on and on about his baseball career, but he was even better as a man, husband, father and so humble…he never talked about himself and was embarrassed if you did…I loved his famous giggle…yes, he touched all the bases–in baseball and his life.”

The Padres paid tribute to Gwynn their own way, topping the Giants 6-0 behind a strong outing from Odrisamer Despaigne, who pitched 7 scoreless innings in his Major League debut.