MONDAY: JULY 18 SHOW #6

TOPICS:

-NATE THURMOND DIES:

*Chron
-Stats

Joe Lacob, Warriors owner: "We've lost one of the most iconic figures in the history of not only our organization, but the NBA in general, with the passing of Nate Thurmond. Nate represented this franchise with class, dignity and humility as both a player and community relations ambassador for over 40 years. Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved figures to ever wear a Warriors uniform and both a Hall of Fame player and Hall of Fame person, hence his No. 42 jersey hanging from the rafters at Oracle Arena. On behalf of the entire Warriors organization, our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family, including his wife, Marci. We'll miss his presence in his customary seats at our games next season, but his legacy will live on forever.

Rick Barry, former Warriors player and Hall of Famer: “Nate was one of the greatest centers to ever play the game and I was privileged to call him a teammate and dear friend. He battled his illness until the very end, like a true Warrior. His legacy is one of passion, fierce competitiveness, a love of basketball and selfless devotion to others. My heartfelt prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.”

Jerry West, Hall of Famer and Warriors executive board member: “This is an extremely difficult day for me. We have lost an incredible person and someone whom I admired as much as any player I ever went to battle against on any level. Nate Thurmond was, without a doubt, one of the fiercest competitors that I played against during my entire career. He played with unbelievable intensity and was simply a man among boys on most nights, especially on the defensive end. On the other hand, off the court, Nate was about as caring and loving as they come, extremely kind and gentle. He was the total package as an athlete and as a man and someone we should all aspire to emulate. I’ll miss him dearly.”

Alvin Attles, former player, coach, general manager, and community relations ambassador: "Although I had prepared for this news for the past several days, I was heartbroken and devastated when I was informed of Nate's death earlier today. In typical Nate fashion, he did not let many people know about his illness and how serious it was and, unfortunately, it proved to be one of the few things in life tougher than him. Looking back, he was as ferocious as any player in the history of the game on the court, but one of the kindest and nicest souls in his everyday life. He was just a terrific human being who I loved and respected more than words can describe and, fortunately, I was blessed to spend a great deal of time with as a teammate, coach and, most importantly, a friend for a good portion of our adult lives. For that, I am extremely thankful."


-GIANTS SWEPT: 40-15 IN GAMES STARTED BY BIG 3, 0-3 THIS WEEKEND

*Bullpen woes again - Santiago Casilla balk on Saturday - If not Casillla, who?

Romo, Strickland, Osich....??? Going to trade...

*Sunday: Almost no hit by Edwin Jackson

*Off to Boston - Peavy Tuesday, Cain Wednesday

*Pence leaves rehab game early

One day after walking off the field with a trainer and making an early exit from his first rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento, Hunter Pence is taking a break.

The Giants are backing off their rehabbing right fielder, who aggravated the right hamstring he had surgically repaired June 9.

But Giants manager Bruce Bochy insisted Pence's setback was minor, the decision to rest him Sunday was precautionary and the 33-year-old reported feeling much better Sunday morning.

"He's probably texting (head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner), wanting to play," Bochy said. "I'm sure he's wearing him out."

Pence was supposed to play five innings for Sacramento at Round Rock (Texas) on Saturday and then play five more innings Sunday. His stay was expected to last at least a week, and the Giants planned to activate him after he got roughly 30 at-bats with the River Cats.

Bochy did not offer a revised timetable, but he was hopeful the right fielder could resume playing Monday. Pence reported feeling something while trying to avoid getting hit by a pitch in the first inning; he was lifted for a pinch runner after hitting a single in the third.

Bochy said he wasn't sure if Pence simply broke up some scar tissue, which is part of the healing process.

THE PITCHING WEEKEND:

Bumgarner surrendered four runs, and Samardzija did the same, each putting his team in a hole. On Saturday, the Giants rallied to take a lead on Posey’s 10th-inning homer, but Santiago Casilla blew the save opportunity and took the loss after surrendering three singles and balking.
Cueto nearly was scratched Sunday, still under the weather from a virus that he had since Tuesday’s All-Star activities and also feeling discomfort in his left side early Sunday, though he said it didn’t bother him in the game. The Giants told Peavy (who threw 40 pitches off a bullpen mound Saturday) to be ready as an emergency starter and put him in the bullpen the first four innings.
“We had Jake ready to go,” Bochy said. “We had some concerns with Johnny. He said he was good to go. He pitched pretty well despite how he was feeling.”
Cueto, who was pushed back a day and flip-flopped with Samardzija because of his All-Star workload, opened with three scoreless innings. But five days after surrendering two homers in an inning in the All-Star Game, he did it again: Matt Kemp and Christian Bethancourt went deep.


WHY THE RELUCTANCE TO TRADE PROSPECTS FOR TITLES?:

Giants prospects:

2013: KYLE CRICK p (13TH NOW), JOE PANIK, CHRIS STRATTON P, GARY BROWN, MIKE KICKHAM

2012: GARY BROWN OF, TOMMY JOSPEH (PHILLIES, IN PENCE TRADE 11-21 .255 W/ PHLLY THIS YR ), HEATH HENBREE (RED SOX IN EAVY TRADE), JOE PANIK, FRANCISCO PEGUERO. (OUT OF BASEBALL .200 CAREER HITTER)

2011: GARY BROWN, BRANDON BELT, ZACK WHEELER (Carlos Beltran), , FRANCISCO PEGUERO, OF GARY NEAL


2010:  1. POSEY, BUM, THOMAS NEAL OF, ZACK WHEELER, ROGER KEISHNICK OF

Crawford was 19th that year: 19) Brandon Crawford, SS, Grade C: Excellent glove. I do not believe in his bat. Baseball America ranks Adrianza and Crawford much higher than I do.

2009: MAD BUM, POSEY, ANGEL VILLALONA, TIM ALDERSON P,(PLAYING FOR SUGARLAND SKEETERS - never MADE IT TO MAJORS) NICK NOONAN.



MLB STORY GETTING NO RUN:

Jeff Passan

✔ @JeffPassan

Former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa sentenced to 46 months in jail for hacking Houston Astros' computer system, per @dfbarron.

-- A federal judge sentenced the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals to nearly four years in prison Monday for hacking the Houston Astros' player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.
Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis. He was fired last summer and now faces 46 months behind bars and a court order to pay $279,038 in restitution. He had faced up to five years in prison on each count.
Correa read a letter in court before he was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Hughes and he said he was "overwhelmed with remorse and regret for my actions."
"I violated my values and it was wrong ... I behaved shamefully," he said. "The whole episode represents the worst thing I've done in my life by far."

-PHIL COMES CLOSE......
*Phil shot a 65 on Sunday: 63, 70, 69, 65 - Phil's score would have won all but 4 championships
-Henrik Stenson just was better


READING MMQB TODAY: HOW MUCH HAS ALDON SMITH LOST?:

2011 NFL draft: Miller #2, Aldon #7, Watt #11



Von Miller: 6-$114M / 70M guaranteed  - 60 sacks / 35 first 3 years


JJ Watt 6-$100M / $52M guaranteed  - 74.5 career sacks  - first 3 years 36.5

Aldon Smith: 2 years $1.5M Zero gurnateed - 47.5 career sacks  / 42 in first 3 years in 43 games


Meanwhile, the player taken five spots after Miller and four before Watt at one point seemed on track to be the best of the three. Former 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith had 33.5 sacks in his first 32 games, an average of 1.04 per game. After his third season, which featured 8.5 sacks in 11 games, the average was still at 0.976 per game.
But for an inability to stay out of trouble, Smith currently could be making as much or more than Miller or Watt. Smith, now with the Raiders, remains suspended by the league, with the ability to apply for reinstatement in November.

Other defensive players in 2011 draft::

Marcell Darius (3): 6-$96M   / $60M guaranteed
Patrick Peterson (5): 5-$70M  / $47M guaranteed
Robert Quinn (14): 4-57M   / 41M guaranteed, 2 years left.
Muhamad Wilkerson (30) 5-86M   / $53M guaranteed
Justin Houston (70) 6-101M   / $52M guaranteed


MORE LOCAL:

Warriors bench:

Old: Iguodala, Livingston, Speghts, Barbosa, Ezeli, Verajao, McAdoo, Clark

New: Iguodala, Livingston, West, McCaw, Kevon Looney, Damian Jones, Verajao, McAdoo, Clark

Per Mote Poole:

The starters presumably are Curry, Durant, Green, Pachulia and Thompson.
The first three off the bench presumably are Iguodala, Livingston and West.
The next four: Clark, McAdoo, Varejao and Looney (health permitting).
That leaves Jones and McCaw, the rookies, to find their way.
And, oh yeah, the Warriors still have one more spot on the roster.


NATIONAL:

-Miles Plumlee....of the Bucks got 4-$52M today: 61 games played 14 MPG, 5 ppg / 4 rpg last season,

Career: 18 MPG - 5 PPG / 5 RPG

Tom career: 18 MPG 6.5 PPG / 4.0 RPG

FA CONTRACT MADNESS:

MIKE CONLEY 5-153 (30.5 PER)
DEMAR DEROZEN 5-139/ 27 PER
NIC BATUM 5-120  / 24 PER
HARRISON BARNES 4-94 / 23 PER
ALLEN CRABBE 4-75 / 18.7 PER
BISMACK BYOMBO 4-72 / 18 PER
KENT BAZEMORE 4-70  / 17.5 PER
EVAN TURNER 4-70  / 17.5 PER
TYLER JOHNSON 4-50  / 12.5 PER
MYERS LEONARD 4-41 / 10+ PER
DELLY 4-38  / 9.6 PER



FUN STUFF:

-Gronk rocking out with Paul McCartney in Boston

-Cyborg Santos fractured skull on knee to head

-Johnny Gomes wants o go to the white house though he didn't play in the playoffs

-Smoking out of a brain is too far for me