POSTGAME NOTES: Ishikawa’s glove by Extra Baggs

POSTGAME NOTES: Ishikawa’s glove, Bowker in review, etc.

–Ishikawa has the potential to be among the top defensive first basemen in the league. He made the best play I’ve seen all spring, making a full-extension dive to take a hit away from Mike Lamb. He also made a nice stretch to complete a double play.

“If you see me doing the full splits, I’m in trouble,” Ishikawa said. “I’m probably not getting back up.”

There’s a lot of concern from the general populace about Ishikawa at first base, but the Giants could do much worse than have a solid glove man there who hits for occasional power and gets on base in the lower half of the order. That pretty much described J.T. Snow, didn’t it? And that guy played on a lot of winning teams. Of course, Ishikawa doesn’t have the cast that played with Snow, notably that Bonds fellow.

Asked if he’d be satisfied to have a career like Snow’s, Ishikawa responded immediately: “Oh, absolutely. If I could get a 10-year career in the big leagues like his? You wouldn’t hear me complaining.”

Internment camp detainees risked all to fish

Internment camp detainees risked all to fishBy Ed Zieralski (Contact) Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. March 21, 2009
He was known as “Ishikawa Fisherman,” a seemingly mythical person who disappeared for weeks at a time and returned with a stringer of trout.
But Heihachi Ishikawa actually was a legendary and brave Japanese-American who would risk his life and sneak out of the well-guarded Manzanar World War II internment camp north of Lone Pine to go fishing.
Ishikawa's mini-journeys from the mundane life in the relocation camp took him high into the Sierra where he created his own adventures with handmade fishing gear and caught California's golden trout.
For 65 years, a photo taken of Ishikawa by fellow Manzanar internee Toyo Miyatake was the only photographic evidence that more than 150 of the Manzanar internees “escaped” camp to go fishing. Manzanar was the first of 10 internment camps that housed an estimated 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes on the West Coast at the start of World War II. From March 31, 1942 to Nov. 21, 1945, Manzanar would hold more than 11,000 internees.
Ishikawa's incredible story of living off the land in the hard Sierra mountain range for a couple of weeks at a time is one of many incredible stories of survival that make up Cory Shiozaki's work in progress. Shiozaki's partially completed documentary, “From Barbed Wire to Barbed Hooks,” will preserve the stories of how Japanese-Americans used their ingenuity and called on their bravery to fish Sierra streams and lakes.
“The most important message I got after getting all the oral histories and experiences of the internees is how they were able to endure,” said Shiozaki, 59, a film maker from Gardena. “The fabric of their character was like bamboo. They bent, but they bounced back and rebounded. There is an expression in Japanese, 'shigataganai,' which loosely translated means, 'it can't be helped.' They embraced that and found a way to live through it. That, more than anything, has inspired me to continue this project and has made me proud of my Japanese-American heritage.”
Shiozaki will display photos, fishing equipment made in the camp and other items from Manzanar at next week's Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show which runs Wednesday through Sunday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. He said he has exhausted a $30,000 grant from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program that enabled him to begin the project. Now he seeks funding so he can finish it.
“I'm determined to get this done, one way or the other,” Shiozaki said. Even though his parents were in internment camps, Shiozaki didn't learn of the camps until he read about them in a U.S. history class in high school. He later used Manzanar as the subject for his senior film project at Long Beach State.
“When I first heard about them I was angry because this country took over 120,000 Japanese-Americans out of their homes and businesses without due process,” Shiozaki said. “And then after 9-11, it did the same thing to 5,000 Arab Americans, incarcerated them based on their ethnicity. Freedom is not free.”
These days, Shiozaki is a docent at Manzanar. He also developed a lecture, tour and artifacts exhibit about the lives of the Manzanar anglers. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual pilgrimage to Manzanar, an event that usually coincides with the Sierra Trout Opener. Shiozaki gives walking tours that weekend and also serves as historian for the Manzanar Committee, a non-profit organization that also is sponsoring his documentary. He said any donation or sponsorship to help him finish his documentary would be tax-deductible.
Shiozaki has been an avid Eastern Sierra trout angler since 1994. He figures he once spent 50 to 100 days a year in the Sierra. He guided fishermen from 2004 to 2008 and worked at the tackle shop at Crowley Lake.
“I noticed a whole bunch of Japanese-Americans up there fishing,” Shiozaki said. “I'd passed Manzanar over 1,000 times, and I wondered if there was some connection to Manzanar, if somehow some of these fishermen's first experience trout fishing was at Manzanar.”
When Manzanar opened as a National Historical Site in 2004, complete with an interpretive center, Shiozaki began asking if any of the surviving internees had fished. That started his journey. He heard tales of how one internee was shot at while trying to sneak out to fish. Another angler died in a blizzard when he turned the wrong way heading back to camp. They risked their lives because, as one of them, Archie Miyatake of Montebello, son of famous still photographer Toyo Miyatake, said: the air just “smelled better” outside the camp when they were fishing.

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Extra Baggs Dave Roberts not ready to announce his retirement, but he’s leaning that way

Dave Roberts not ready to announce his retirement, but he’s leaning that way
Posted by Andrew Baggarly on March 22nd, 2009 at 12:29 pm | Categorized as Uncategorized

I just got off the phone with Dave Roberts. He isn’t ready to announce his retirement just yet, but he is leaning that way. Roberts has told his agent, John Boggs, to be selective. He won’t play just anywhere in a bid to extend his career.

If this is the end, Roberts is satisfied. Grateful, humble and satisfied.


“I haven’t closed the door officially,” said Roberts, who only wants to play if the right opportunity comes along with a contending club near his San Diego home. “I wouldn’t say I’m optimistic, but I’m leaving it open.

“Emotionally, I’m prepared for anything, and if this is the end, I’ll be excited for the prospects of my second career. I’m very, very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve exceeded all my expectations with the people I’ve met, the career I’ve had and winning a world championship. Every day I took the field, from Day One as a 28th-rounder in short-season ball in Jamestown, N.Y., I was grateful for the opportunity.

“I can honestly say this, walking away, that I couldn’t be more satisfied. I’ve seen people who are bitter when they leave the game. But that’s not me.”

Roberts had left knee surgery last year. Before the Giants released him earlier this month, it had been acting up. But he is working out, staying ready in case the phone rings. He’s tried to catch on with the San Diego Padres, but GM Kevin Towers said yesterday that he’d only look at Roberts as a second-half player if the team were in contention.

Having seen the sloppy Padres this spring, it’s hard to envision that happening.

So Roberts is listening to other opportunities, and if a good broadcasting or coaching offer comes along, he’s ready to say yes and move on with his life. He wants to play again, but he’s not desperate.

“It’s not worth it to me because of the status of my knee and what it takes to get out there,” he said. “Obviously, it’s not the same, but I can be a fourth outfielder and play two or three times a week.

“If it doesn’t work out, I’m thinking of doing the broadcast thing. There’s been some interest shown to me. I’ll also approach the organizations and teams I had ties with and talk to them about being on the field in some capacity or a special assistant to bridge the gap between the executive side and the player side. Maybe I’d even try scouting and see how that goes.”

Earlier this month, MLB.com’s Chris Haft wrote a very nice blog post about Roberts and the impact he made in the clubhouse through his optimism, decency and humility. That’s a hard act to follow, but I’ll share a few of my own thoughts.

Roberts taught me an important lesson while I was covering the Dodgers in 2002: Don’t count anyone out.

He was acquired from Cleveland in a minor league trade to compete for a spot in center field. The other candidates were McKay Christensen, Marquis Grissom and Tom Goodwin. Grissom had struggled with injuries and wasn’t hitting right-handers well, so he became a platoon player. Goodwin was owed $3.25 million, so we reporters all figured he would be the guy.

But Roberts quietly worked with Maury Wills, collected a slew of bunt hits, and when it was time to pack up and leave Dodgertown, his duffel bag was on the charter flight. Goodwin was released. (And as you may recall, Goody-Good joined the Giants and had some big hits against the Dodgers down the stretch –- all while continuing to collect L.A.’s paychecks.)

Roberts made the team out of sheer perseverance, established himself as a major league regular, and now he’s got a World Series ring.

I know what a lot of Giants fans will say. Roberts is making $6.5 million this year. His three-year contract was a colossal mistake. Likability doesn’t win games.

True, baseball is a business. But Roberts is a professional. He feels bad that he wasn’t healthy enough to be the kind of player the Giants hoped he’d be. It wasn’t his fault that he was signed as a complementary piece in the Barry Bonds era, only to find himself out of place as the organization turned toward a youth movement.

(In the Bonds era, by the way, Roberts was absolutely huge in one respect. During the slow march to 756, Roberts patiently answered every controversy-charged question from every national reporter as they searched for something to write every day. There was tangible value in this. He did it because he knew it’d allow his teammates some peace.)

A baseball clubhouse is like an office. Some people are team players. Ask anyone who’s played with Roberts and they’ll tell you he’s one of the best.

“I got to be around players and watch them become better on the field and become better people, too,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to quantify something like that. People get jaded, but I always tried to take the same perspective on the field: No matter how tough it is, my worst day could be better than somebody else’s best day.

“I haven’t been the player I wanted to be because of my knee. But talking to an Emmanuel Burriss or a Matt Cain, and hearing now that I might have said something or did something to help them through, that means so much to me.

“There are years you could be a .300 hitter with five more hits. But what are five hits worth compared to helping a teammate?”

Roberts has some immediate plans. He and his wife, Tricia, are in the process of making their own wine. It’ll be a Cabernet using grapes sourced from Napa and Sonoma. He plans to produce around 200 cases. No label concept yet, but he said it’ll “be something to do with baseball, and it won’t be cheesy.”

Maybe he can simply call it “Respect.”

“If you respect the game, the game honors you,” Roberts said. “I’m living proof of that.”

Ishikawa goes deep twice, from the Splash

Ishikawa goes deep twice, Posey too, and a triple play
Quite an eventful split-squad game going on at Phoenix Muni between the Giants and A's.

Travis Ishikawa busted out of a slump with two home runs good for four RBIs, including a monster shot to center against reliever Michael Wuertz.

Buster Posey also hit a long homer. I didn't see it. I was in the clubhouse talking to Ishikawa, but an eyewitness said some fans behind the plate were jeering Posey. When he returned from his home run trot, the save fans were cheering, and Posey doffed his cap.

We left that game early to watch the Giants play at home against the Padres, and we understand that back in Phoenix Bobby Crosby grounded into a triple play started by third baseman Ryan Rohlinger.

Back to Ishikawa. He hit 27 homers last year, eight in Connecticut, 16 in Phoenix and three in San Francisco. But he's begging fans not to get used to it.

"If we're relying on me to hit home runs, we're in trouble," he said. "I know the fans are waiting for someone since Barry Bonds left, but that's not the kind of hitter I am."

Back to Posey, he made some exceptional plays behind the plate. He threw out Jason Giambi trying to take third on a ball that bounced away from Posey toward the first-base dugout. Posey also made a pretty basket catch on a pop foul by Crosby that was sailing away from him. Last I heard, the Giants were leading 6-3 in Phoenix. They're losing 2-0 to the Padres in Scottsdale.

Kellen Ito - Campo's New Varsity Blocking Force By Conrad Bassett

Published February 18th, 2008

Kellen Ito - Campo's New Varsity Blocking Force

By Conrad Bassett

Kellen Ito in action on January 30 Photo Doug Kohen

It feels a little like Kellen Ito, Campolindo's 6'5" starting center, came out of nowhere. Currently a junior, Ito didn't play Cougar basketball his freshman year. And he wasn't one of the four sophomores who played varsity last year, or even the fifth sophomore who moved up from junior varsity for last year's NCS playoffs.
Yet Ito leads the Cougars in several statistical categories including rebounds and blocks as well as having the second highest average per game. His 63 blocked shots (to-date) is one of the highest in the Bay Area and one of the reasons Campolindo's competitors sometimes have second thoughts about taking the ball inside.
So how did Kellen go from off the court to center court? He didn't. He's been honing basketball skills by playing on Asian basketball league courts, where his long-time team, the East Bay Rising Suns, competes. Others Kellen has competed with on the East Bay Rising Suns are starters at high schools like Albany and Head-Royce.
The Rising Suns are a newer generation of the same teams Kellen's father, Rick Ito, once played on. Teams that taught the elder Ito basketball fundamentals that took him from Berkeley high football player to a spot on the Cal State - Hayward (now Cal State - East Bay) basketball team, and such follow-on opportunities as overseas and San Francisco Pro-Am league play. Even now, Rick Ito plays in an adult off-shoot of the Rising Suns while also coaching and serving as the Rising Suns' current president.
Asian leagues have been around for decades, some as early as the 1930s, says Rick Ito. They're leagues known for grade-based play even through high school, and a focus on fundamentals. Many comprise teams that compete among local Asian churches, though there are also all-star travel leagues and tournaments.
One goal of Asian leagues, says Rick Ito, is to help prepare Asian players for high school ball, noting that he believes that 95% of the Asian players on current varsity teams played in the Asian leagues at some point. It's a statistic hard to verify but there's an impressive list of names and schools on www.risingsuns.net.
Teaching basketball fundamentals, says Ito, is only one of the reasons Asian leagues exist.
"The real focus is building cultural community, having fun together," says Rick Ito.
Rick Ito is just half of Kellen's genetic predisposition to basketball. There's also Kathy Halpin Ito, Kellen's mother, a top basketball player at both Livermore High School and at Cal State Hayward, who became an All-American in a second sport (track) at CSUH.
Transitioning to varsity, says Kellen, has been a lesson in responsibility.
"The biggest change... is how hard I have to work because much more is expected at this level by the coaches, the fans, and my teammates," says Kellen.
Campo head coach Matt Watson says he's been pleased with Kellen's play this year, noting that Kellen "is deceptively quick-- he does not look that quick but can beat you to the basket."
Against Maria Carillo High early in the season, Kellen had 22 points, nine rebounds and three blocks and held his own against the Pumas' 6'7" Justin Herold who is averaging 22 points and 15 rebounds per game. Against Las Lomas, Kellen dropped in 17 points on 8 of 9 shooting, had nine rebounds and sent five Knight shots back to where they started.
In the 90-87 four-overtime win over Dublin on February 12, Kellen corralled 14 rebounds, including nine offensive ones that he passed back out to other Cougars. He held the Dublin center, who eventually fouled out, to two points.
"Kellen is a double-double type of player which is very difficult for a first year varsity player," says Watson.
As for waiting to join Campo's basketball program until his sophomore year, Kellen said he'd been playing year-round basketball for nearly seven years at that point, and had begun to burn out. The time off reignited his interest in the sport. Says Kellen, "It allowed me to put (things) in perspective and realize how much I love basketball."

Ishikawa proving himself, Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer

Ishikawa proving himself
Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

More...
(03-18) 04:00 PDT Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Two weeks before the Giants head north, most of the important position competitions remain wide open, although one decision seems to be clear: Travis Ishikawa looks like the Opening Day first baseman.

"Ishikawa has played enough now that you can see that he's going to be the first baseman and it will remain to be seen how much latitude he'll be given against left-handed pitching," general manager Brian Sabean said. "We've got time to find that out, too. He's very determined, and we're all impressed by how he's handled things."

Sabean was less committed to Pablo Sandoval as the everyday third baseman, saying, "It's tough to evaluate Sandoval yet because we're not at the point where you're playing guys two or three days in a row. That's when you get a better read."

Not clear is what would happen to Sandoval if the brass decided he could not be an everyday third baseman and not the first baseman. The Giants need Sandoval's bat in the lineup every day.

Elsewhere, Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy seem happy with the choices they have.

Second-base candidates Emmanuel Burriss and Kevin Frandsen both are playing well. Burriss has helped his cause by hitting from both sides of the plate.

"The biggest thing I've done is be more consistent," he said. "I ended up with a good average last year, but I want to be more consistent. It'd go .270 one month then .240 and back up. So far this spring I think I'm doing a good job, but you can't let up."

Burriss and Frandsen are getting looks at shortstop now so the team can decide whether they could spell Edgar Renteria. Nonroster invitee Juan Uribe was signed with that chore in mind, so his fate might rest on the final grades Burriss and Frandsen receive at short.

A key player in the final roster makeup is Eugenio Velez, who is showing he can be a super-utility guy at second base plus all three outfield positions.

Velez's versatility could create an opening on the bench to reward one of the camp surprises and add some right-handed pop.

That could mean Jesus Guzman, the 24-year-old infielder the Giants signed away from the A's this winter. Guzman is hitting .400 and slugging .943 after he crushed what might have been the longest homer ever at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday to break a 5-5 tie and give the Giants a 7-5 victory over Milwaukee.

Guzman's issue is defense, and the Giants are playing him at third, first and left to see where he can help.

Another nonroster invitee with a shot is Andres Torres, a speedy switch-hitting center fielder who is hitting .455.

"Seemingly we have more depth than we have in the past in all areas," Sabean said.

That includes the bullpen, where three or four jobs are up for grabs and could be filled by some combination of Brandon Medders (no runs allowed in seven games), Merkin Valdez, Luis Perdomo, Justin Miller, Jack Taschner and Alex Hinshaw.

This depth does not guarantee the Giants 90 wins but does mean Sabean will not have to search for players to complete his roster. All a GM wants at the end of spring training is good choices.

GUZMAN ... WOW: Ryan Rohlinger hit an inside-the-park home run to take the team lead in homers (four), yet he was upstaged by Guzman's game-winner in the ninth. With Rich Aurilia aboard after singling, Guzman hit an 0-1 pitch from Carlos Villanueva over the 35-foot-high fence in center field, which stands 430 feet from home plate.

"I think that's the longest one I've hit in my life," Guzman said, and that is saying something. Sandoval, a teammate in Venezuela this winter, said Guzman hit some monster shots there, usually when it mattered.

"He hit like five walk-offs," Sandoval said. "Every time there was a man on base and he came up I said, 'It's over.' "

Bochy's reaction: "Oh my goodness. He got every bit of that. That's the longest ball I've seen hit here. He got every ounce of it. He's made a lot of noise in this camp."

BRIEFLY: Velez turned his ankle during workouts and was not available. He is day-to-day. ... Pat Misch, summoned from the minor-league camp to start, pitched three shutout innings. ... A Giants lineup of mostly regulars mustered one hit in five innings against Jeff Suppan, whom they will face Opening Day. He got 11 of 15 outs on the ground.

Ishikawa makes strong push for first-base job

Ishikawa makes strong push for first-base job
By Laurence Miedema


Mercury News

Posted: 03/14/2009 09:00:47 PM PDT


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On a day when rumors buzzed about the Giants possibly pursuing 14-time All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez to play first base, Travis Ishikawa quietly continued to stake his claim on the job.

Ishikawa had two more hits, raising his spring average to .324, including his team-leading third home run in the Giants' 8-4 split-squad loss to the San Diego Padres at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday.

"He's taken the bull by the horns," Manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's done a good job defensively, he's swung the bat well, he's hit lefties. He's done all we've asked. That's what you want to see from a young guy that's getting the opportunity he's getting."

Bochy stopped short of naming Ishikawa, 25, the Giants' opening-day first baseman. But with three weeks left before the Giants break camp, it appears Ishikawa's continued progress has eased any internal concerns about his ability to handle the job.

A Giants official said Saturday that the club talked with Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, earlier this spring but that the Giants currently have no interest. Multiple sources disputed a report on SI.com that identified the Giants among active suitors for Rodriguez, primarily to play first and third base.

The free agent told reporters at the World Baseball Classic last week that he would change positions if necessary. Rodriguez, 37, has played seven games at first base in his career but none at third base.

Ishikawa said he hadn't heard the rumors before Saturday's game, although it probably wouldn't have mattered. Ishikawa has impressed teammates and the coaching staff all spring with his focus and consistency.

"He seems a lot more relaxed," right-hander Matt Cain said. "It seems like he's showing a ton of skills every game."

Left fielder Fred Lewis said, "He knows he has a job to win, he's trying to make some noise for himself — and he's made a lot."

Mostly, Ishikawa has picked up where he left off last season, when he bounced back from a miserable 2007 to hit over .300 with 24 homers in the minors and then cemented his move to the front of the first-base conversation with a solid September with the Giants.

Ishikawa hit two home runs in the Giants' first exhibition game and hasn't slowed down. Saturday was his fourth multiple-hit game in 12 exhibition contests. His three home runs are tied with Ryan Rohlinger for the team lead.

"I feel the same way, that it's my job to lose," Ishikawa said. "I do have to show them that I am ready for that job, but I'm not putting any added pressure on myself."


n"‚Buster Posey hit a long home run in the ninth — the catcher's first of camp.


In another split-squad game, the Giants lost 8-3 to the A's. Reliever Osiris Matos had his sixth scoreless appearance in seven outings.

this is from http://giantsjottings.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Giants (4) vs Japan (6) 3-11-09
Interesting game against Team Japan yesterday. The first thing you notice is the press coverage. There must have been 200 members of the press on the field before the game. I remember when Keiichi Yabu first reported to the Giants camp last year. He had an "entourage" of about 15 members of the Japanese Press following him everywhere.....and that was for a 39 year old who really wasn't very good when he was younger. Also the fans are very into this WBC stuff. About half of the people of Japanese decent in the crowd had a Japanese Flag drawn on their face and there were numerous signs written in Japanese throughout the crowd. My seats are right on the aisle behind the visitor's dugout. My view of the game was disturbed almost continuously by Japanese fans running down the aisle to the dugout and snapping photos of the players.....especially since Yu Darvish spent most of the game on the dugout railing right in front of me.

Tim Lincecum started the game and while he kept his spring ERA at 0.00, he was not as sharp as he has been in his other 3 spring starts. Timmy's problem was control related. He did strike out 5 batters, but he also walked 3 in 2.1 innings. He only allowed one single, but left 2 men on base when he left the game with 1 out in the 3rd. Tim threw 49 pitches in 2.1 innings as compared to 28 pitches in 3 full innings in his last start. In addition to the 3 walks he went deep in a lot of counts. Jesse English relieved Lincecum and helped Tim out by stranding both runners.

The Giants took a 4-0 lead after 3 innings and hit the ball pretty well off of the first 2 Japanese pitchers. The problem was that the Giants went hitless after the 4th inning. Their only offense from the 5th on was 2 walks and 1 hit batsman by submariner Shunsuke Watanabe. Giants' starters: Randy Winn (o for 2), Bengie Molina (0 for 3), Aaron Rowand (0 for 3 not to mention a GIDP), Rich Aurilia (0 for 2) and Eugenio Velez (0 for 4) all went hitless.

Although they did hit 3 doubles, it is obvious the Japanese Team lives on the principle of "small ball". Lots of dinks and bloopers fell for basehits, they stole 3 bases and 2 of their 6 runs scored by way of the sacrifice fly. The Japanese players are also more into the game than their American counterparts. The entire team was up on the dugout railing for the entire game and any player who scored went the entire length of the dugout receiving congratulations from his teammates. It actually reminded me a little of a high school game because of the level of enthusiasm from the players.

As I said......a very fun game to watch. It's always interesting to see the differences amongst cultures.......even when they are playing the same game.


Note: The Giants have an off day today and are playing the Rockies in Tucson tomorrow. Since I go to so many games these days, I have avoided the 2 hr one-way drive to Tucson for the past couple of years. So the next game I will be going to will be against the Padres on Saturday. It's supposed to be 75 degrees here the next couple of days. It will be hard to find something to do in weather like that.......but I will force myself.

Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum unchanged by success

Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum unchanged by success
13 hours, 14 minutes ago

COTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—If success has changed Tim Lincecum, it isn’t obvious.

Twenty minutes before a start against Japan on Wednesday, Lincecum was seated at a table in the San Francisco Giants clubhouse, singing along to his iPod.

“He’s an enigma. Something I’ve never seen before in a ballplayer, as far as how relaxed and laid back he is,” Giants veteran infielder Rich Aurilia said.

Lincecum translated that into the National League Cy Young Award last season, his first full year in the major leagues, going 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA. He led the majors with 265 strikeouts, the most by a Giant since Christy Mathewson had 267 in 1903.

With the Cy Young came attention. A Seattle-area native, Lincecum was introduced at a basketball game at his former school, the University of Washington, and was asked to drop the ceremonial first puck at a San Jose Sharks hockey game.


He is the cover guy for the video game Major League Baseball 2K9, whose commercial is airing now. And he still wears the snug black stocking cap seen in the ad. Lincecum admits it’s all a bit “overwhelming.”

“He has handled that well, and that’s a lot of stuff,” Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti said. “The guys tease him and he takes it well. The demeanor that he has is kind of perfect for this kind of game. It’s a tough game. He lets a lot roll off his back. He seems to know to handle it.”

Lincecum could have been the first 20-game winner in San Francisco since John Burkett won 22 games in 1993, except for a bullpen that blew five leads for him.

“He should have won a lot more games than he did last year. We either didn’t score or lost some leads for him,” Aurilia said.

At the same time, Lincecum said he does not focus on numbers, either what could have been in 2008 or what might be this season.

“I’ve never really been a goal-setter out there,” Lincecum said. “I’m a take-it-a-day-at-a-time guy. I just want to come back strong and do the same thing I did last year. I had a good time. It was a lot of fun learning how to pitch. I want to try to be a better pitcher.

“I’m the same person. The only difference is, I have a little hardware now.”

Lincecum bypassed the World Baseball Classic in order to prepare with the Giants this spring. Righetti said he already has seen signs of Lincecum’s growth, from the increased comfort level to an ability to rein in his arm except when necessary.

“It’s been going on for a 1,000 years—every pitcher whose ever had a good arm has to show everybody, even when you are playing catch,” Righetti said. “We all know he has a good arm. Now he saves it for the mound. He gets himself ready to pitch. That’s the maturity part.”

Lincecum, whose primary weapons are a fastball that reaches the mid-90s and a curveball, retired 20 of the first 22 batters he faced in his first three spring training starts. He had another 2 1-3 scoreless innings against Japan, although those statistics are not counted in his spring numbers.

“His mound presence. You get the sense he knows what he wants to do out there,” Righetti said. “He knows the league now. He knows the hitters, because he has faced them. I think he is more comfortable with how his stuff fits against those guys.”

Lincecum won seven of his last nine decisions to beat out Arizona’s Brandon Webb and New York’s Johan Santana for the Cy Young.

“He got better, and you could see it coming,” Righetti said. “In September, you are facing your division again. You are probably seeing teams for the fifth time. It’s not easy. For him to still do very well against those teams show you he understands his stuff and how to pitch against batters who are trying to make an adjustment on him.”

The Giants will set no expectations, or limits, on Lincecum.

“We are all going to find out together,” Righetti said.

Ishikawa and Ichiro

Ichiro's afternoon was more thrilling to Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa, a Seattle native. His high school team reached the Washington State 4A title game at Safeco Field in 2001, but the awestruck youngster was too awestruck to say anything to Ichiro.
On Wednesday, after Ichiro singled, Ishikawa finally summoned up the nerve to chat.
"I told him 'nice hit,' '' Ishikawa said.

Lincecum dominates vs. Japan By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

San Francisco Giants' Tim Lincecum pitches to Japan in the first inning of an exhibition spring baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wednesday, March 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)


Lincecum dominates vs. Japan
Giants ace strikes out five, but unhappy with lack of good rhythm
By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Pitching in the World Baseball Classic remains a distant afterthought to Giants ace Tim Lincecum even when facing the tournament's defending champion.
Lincecum declined to pitch in the tournament and has already gone public with his desire to skip the event in 2013.



"I'm glad with what I did. I made a smart decision," Lincecum said. "I'm worried about starting the season and not what's going on there."

The Giants are happy as well.

"This is how he wanted to get ready for the season and we are glad, obviously, that he is with us," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Lincecum gave up one hit and struck out five hitters in 2 1/3 innings in the 6-4 exhibition loss against Japan on Wednesday at Scottsdale Stadium. The right-hander also walked three batters in the 49-pitch start.

The World Baseball Classic teams from Japan and Korea are in town preparing for the second round of the tournament that starts this weekend in San Diego. Lincecum told his agent to make it known that the pitcher was not interested in pitching for the United States team.

Lincecum said "it was not even an option."

Dominating on the mound is an option. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has allowed only two hits and has not given up a run in 9 1/3 innings this spring. He has 11 strikeouts and five walks, including the three bases on balls Wednesday.

"I feel good. I feel the same," he said. "Everybody treats me the same. I'm the same person, I just have a little hardware."

Lincecum retired Ichiro Suzuki to lead off the top of the first, but the next hitter, Hiroyuki Nakajima followed with a single to center field. The Giants ace recovered to strike out Norichika Aoki and Atsunori Inaba to end the inning.

In the second, Lincecum walked Shuichi Murata to start the frame. Michihiro Ogasawara followed and reached on a fielding error by Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval, but Lincecum responded by striking out Kosuke Fukudome and Shinnosuke Abe. Akinori Iwamura flied out to center field for the third out.

Ichiro walked to lead off the third inning, and Lincecum struck out the next hitter, Nakajima, for his fifth strikeout of the game. After Ichiro stole second, Lincecum walked Aoki and was replaced by Jesse English.

English pitched two-thirds of an inning before yielding to Jack Taschner.

As for Lincecum, he said he did not change his approach against Ichiro, a player he grew up watching in Seattle. And no, he didn't especially look forward to the showdown with the Mariners right fielder because he goes "at it the same way as any other batter."

"You grow up in Seattle and you just can't stop hearing about the Mariners," Lincecum said. "When he came over here, it was a big deal to them and a big deal to the baseball world. It's one of those things where you're pulling for the Mariners and pulling for Ichiro to do his thing."

Said Ichiro, "It's a little bit difficult to evaluate pitchers in an exhibition game. He threw good balls. He made nice pitches."

That said, Lincecum was upset when he left the mound Wednesday. He had lasted three innings in each of his previous two outings.

"The changeup was good. Outside of that, what I feed off is getting a good rhythm," he said. "Today, I didn't feel like I had it. I have something to work on. I just have to find a way to get through it."

Jesse Sanchez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Ichiro helps Japan beat Giants in exhibition

Ichiro helps Japan beat Giants in exhibition

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

(03-11) 18:05 PDT Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP) --

Ichiro Suzuki singled during a four-run sixth inning to help Japan's World Baseball Classic team to a 6-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants in an exhibition game Wednesday.

With Japan trailing 4-2, Suzuki looped a single to right field to load the bases before Munenori Kawasaki doubled off Justin Miller to tie the game.

Norichika Aoki and pinch-hitter Kenji Johjima followed with RBI singles to give Japan a 6-4 lead.

Suzuki and Johjima are teammates with the Seattle Mariners but are playing this spring for Japan, which won the inaugural WBC in 2006.

NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings for the Giants before leaving after giving up two walks in the third. Lincecum gave up a single and three walks, striking out five in a 49-pitch outing.

Lincecum broke Suzuki's bat in the first inning, jamming him with a 1-0 fastball in the first meeting between the two stars. Suzuki grounded out to second base.

"I got one in there pretty good," Lincecum said. "I obviously knew about him, growing up in Seattle and following him. I just treated him the same as any other batter."

Suzuki walked in his other plate appearance against Lincecum in the third inning, later stealing second and third base before being stranded.

"I was curious as to how (Suzuki's) at-bats would go against Timmy. Any time you have a great pitcher and a great player, you look forward to the matchup. We did today," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

Edgar Renteria singled, homered and scored twice for the Giants. Pablo Sandoval had two hits and drove in a run.

The first three Giants to face Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka reached base as San Francisco took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Randy Winn walked and Renteria singled before Sandoval singled to center to drive in the first run. Travis Ishikawa hit a sacrifice fly two batters later.

Renteria homered in the third inning before Sandoval doubled and scored on a groundout by Aaron Rowand.

Ishikawa was hit by a pitch in the third inning by Tetsuya Utsumi, who then took his cap off and bowed toward Ishikawa in apology.

Japan begins WBC second-round play Sunday in San Diego. Japan will play the Chicago Cubs in a final tuneup in Arizona on Thursday.

"They play well fundamentally. They scrap. They are going to be tough in the WBC," Bochy said. "They play the game right."

Notes:@ Giants LHP Jonathan Sanchez gave up two hits in four shutout innings for Puerto Rico against the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday. Sanchez struck out four and walked one. ... The Giants will have the first of two scheduled off days this spring on Thursday. ... The Giants credentialed 113 members of the Japanese media for Wednesday's game. ... The Giants named Shun Kakazu as the team's coordinator of Japan operations. Kakazu, a 2004 Harvard graduate, had worked for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League since 2006. Former major league manager Bobby Valentine is the Marines manager.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/11/sports/s180540D66.DTL

this is from angry asian man's blog

Just saw this funny ad for MLB 2K, starring San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum. The 24-year-old pitcher scored himself the cover of the video game after winning the 2008 National League Cy Young Award. This is just one of several Tim Lincecum-starring skits and videos related to 2K9. Watch them all here.

Lowell wins 4th boys title; Lincoln girls back on top

Lowell wins 4th boys title; Lincoln girls back on top
Will McCulloch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, March 7, 2009

More...
(03-06) 22:57 PST -- Lowell High's Michael Yonemoto will remember the last 63 seconds of the Cardinals' 48-47 victory over Lincoln in the San Francisco Section championship game on Friday night as the defining moment of his basketball season.

His coach probably would point to a meeting in the middle of the season when Yonemoto wanted to talk about playing time.

"He came to me in the middle of the season and told me it was wrong to bench him," Lowell coach Rob Ray said. "That's all I was looking for. I just wanted a little more effort from a few of the seniors."

Ray got the effort, and Lowell earned its fourth section title in six years in front of a packed crowd at Kezar Pavilion.

With the score tied 43-43 and 1:03 remaining, Yonemoto, a 6-foot-1 forward, slashed through the lane for a basket off the glass, absorbed contact and then made a free throw. After Lincoln's Devin Koch missed a possible game-tying jump shot with 16 seconds left, Yonemoto made two free throws to seal the win.

"It was a wake-up call," Yonemoto said of the midseason conversation.

Yonemoto, who finished with a game-high 16 points, also excelled on defense. He limited De'End Parker to 14 points (6-for-17 shooting), which included a three at the buzzer.

Lowell (23-10), which led 25-19 at the half, got 14 points from Yuhki Sakai, two nights after he torched Marshall for 35 in a semifinal win.

Lincoln's Devin Koch had eight of his 13 points in the first quarter, but picked up his third foul in the first half and fourth early in the second. Lincoln senior Steven Tom came off the bench to score 10 points, including a steal and layup with 3:17 remaining to give the Mustangs (26-10) a 41-40 lead. But Sakai's three-pointer with 2:56 left put Lowell ahead for good.

GIRLS
Lincoln 48, Lowell 37:
Leading 25-23 with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter, the Mustangs used a 15-2 run (sparked by junior guard Vivian Ho's three-pointer, steal and score) to pull away from the three-time defending champion Cardinals in the San Francisco Section title game at Kezar Pavilion. ... It was the first section title since 2004 for the Mustangs, who were led by Stephanie Lu's 12 points. ... Ho added 11 and Maripousa Silifaiva chipped in 10 points for the winners. ... Lowell (27-4), which was led by Ashley Ong's 14 points, had 28 turnovers against Lincoln's pressure defense. ... Hallie Meneses added seven points and four assists for Lincoln, which lost 49-48 to Lowell on Feb. 6. ... Both teams move on to next week's NorCal Division I playoffs. ... Lincoln (27-4), which blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead in last year's title game with Lowell, led 19-17 after a sloppy first half in which the Mustangs made six of 21 shots from the field and Lowell made seven of 28.

- Will McCulloch

Giants release Roberts in youth movement Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer

(Lance Iversen / The Chronicle)

Giants release Roberts in youth movement
Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, March 6, 2009


(03-06) 04:00 PST Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The Giants released outfielder Dave Roberts on Thursday because they believe Eugenio Velez or John Bowker might be a better extra outfielder. That the Giants will pay Roberts more than $6 million not to play for them suggests their commitment to youth is not merely an empty slogan.

Roberts' $6.5 million contract is believed to be the largest the Giants have swallowed in releasing a player. When general manager Brian Sabean was asked how hard that was to do, he said, "It's tough to answer because this is what we do for a living, and I was honest with him. I told him we're on a path to get younger and healthier. Right now, that's not on his resume.

"I think the longer we went not doing something would have been an injustice to finding out about our own kids."

By releasing Roberts now, the Giants also give the 36-year-old a better chance to find another big-league job before teams set their rosters. The Giants tried and failed to trade him, but once he clears release waivers any team can sign him for the major-league minimum of $400,000. The Giants would be on the hook for the rest.

Roberts was informed of the move before Thursday's 4-2 loss to Oakland and called it a "surprising blow."

The Giants signed Roberts to a three-year, $18 million contract before the 2007 season when they were short of outfielders. The price was steep, but Roberts had a similar offer from Milwaukee. Roberts had a decent first year in San Francisco, stealing 31 bases and playing a competent center field. He was supposed to move to left field as Barry Bonds' replacement last year but needed knee surgery in spring training.

He has not been the same since, and continuing knee issues contributed to the Giants' decision to cut him. Roberts said he was grateful the Giants did it now.

"They could have strung me along. It's just hard for me battling my knee injury. I couldn't be close to as productive as I wanted to be for this organization. That's a tough pill for me to swallow.

Briefly: The Giants also optioned 40-year-old Keiichi Yabu, a mainstay from last year's bullpen, to Triple-A Fresno. As with Roberts, Sabean said, the Giants have younger options and will try to trade Yabu. ... Pablo Sandoval was scratched from Thursday's game with a tight hamstring and will not play today either.

Giants part ways with Roberts

UPDATED: Giants release Dave Roberts, eat $6.5 million
POSTED BY ANDREW BAGGARLY ON MARCH 5TH, 2009 AT 11:21 AM | CATEGORIZED AS UNCATEGORIZED

The Giants released Dave Roberts, who is owed a guaranteed $6.5 million this season. They also optioned right-hander Keiichi Yabu and right-hander Kelvin Pichardo.

Roberts was supposed to be a fifth outfielder, but it was hard to envision him playing a meaningful role with the team — especially because the fourth outfielder, Nate Schierholtz, is also a left-handed hitter.

Roberts was typically classy in his comments, saying he was surprised by the timing and disappointed he won’t be part of the team this season. He thanked the Giants for the opportunity (and the millions) and said he wished he could have been healthier.

The Giants made the move now in order to give Roberts a chance to hook on with another club. Any team that signs him will only have to pay him the major league minimum salary of $400,000. The Giants are on the hook for the rest.

GM Brian Sabean said he shopped Roberts all winter and ths spring, hoping to move at least some of his contract. But it became clear that wasn’t happening, and the team needed “to start zeroing in on guys like (Eugenio) Velez and (John) Bowker,” Sabean said.

“It just didn’t seem there was a light at the end of the tunnel,” Sabean said. “I was honest with him and told him we were on a path to getting younger and healthier. Right now, those things are not on his resume. The longer we waited (without) doing something would have been an injustice to all parties, really.”

Don’t have time to research it now, but I have to think the $6.5 million is the biggest one-year salary the Giants have ever eaten with the release of a player. Sabea couldn’t think of another instance, and neither could other front-office staff. The Giants did eat more money, though, when they traded Armando Benitez to the Florida Marlins two years ago. (They’re still paying deferred signing bonus to Benitez, incidentally.)

Roberts was viewed as one of the leftovers from the Bonds era, but he actually played pretty well when healthy over the past two seasons. But he’s been limited by some knee soreness this spring, Manager Bruce Bochy said. It was the same knee he had surgically repaired last season.

“For whatever reason, he wasn’t right coming into spring training,” Sabean said. “We had to nurse him along to the point he could get in game condition. It was as frustrating for him as it was for us.”

Personally, the timing is a little strange … I was going to write a feature for tomorrow’s paper on the injuries in the outfield opening up more playing time for Eugenio Velez out there — and how his performance could be hastening Roberts’ exit.

I have to believe it’s pretty much a guarantee Velez makes the team now; Sabean agreed when asked if Velez’s chances were enhanced.

Regarding Yabu, Sabean sad he would look to trade the 40-year-old long man.

“Again, in his case, age is a factor,” said Sabean, who wants to give an honest shot to Rule 5 draftee Luis Perdomo.


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Giants made their first major roster move of Spring Training on Thursday by releasing outfielder Dave Roberts, who was destined for a reserve role at best.

Roberts, 36, ranked no higher than fifth on the Giants' outfield depth chart. General manager Brian Sabean said that he tried to trade Roberts this spring and during the offseason but found no takers. Roberts' $6.5 million salary for 2009 -- which the Giants still must pay -- was almost certainly a deterrent to a deal.

Cutting ties with him this early theoretically enhances his opportunities to seek employment with another team, since he can be signed for the Major League minimum of $400,000.

Roberts weathered two injury-plagued seasons with the Giants after signing a three-year, $18 million contract before the 2007 season. He had bone spurs in his left elbow in '07 and needed left knee surgery last year. Those ailments limited Roberts to 166 games with the Giants, in which he batted .252. Roberts' health, combined with the Giants' desire to play Eugenio Velez and John Bowker more frequently in the outfield during Cactus League games, made him expendable.

"There just wasn't light at the end of the tunnel for him," Sabean said of Roberts, who was 1-for-6 this spring and had endured a recurrence of discomfort in his knee.

The Giants also optioned right-handed relievers Keiichi Yabu and Kelvin Pichardo to Triple-A Fresno. Yabu finished 3-6 with a 3.57 ERA in 60 appearances for the Giants last year but owned a 23.63 ERA in two spring appearances (seven runs in 2 2/3 innings).

TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY

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San Francisco, CA

Date: February 14, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: JCCCNC
1840 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA
RSVP: 415-567-5505
Los Angeles, CA

Date: February 15, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Aratani/Japan America Theatre
244 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012


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Salt Lake City, UT

Date: February 21, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Salt Lake City Public Library
210 East 400 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Honolulu, HI

Date: March 7, 2009
Time: 8:30 AM & 1:00 PM
Location:Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i (JCCH) - Historical Gallery
2454 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 945-7633 or email: info@jcch.com


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Hilo, HI

Date: March 10, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: University of Hawaii, Hilo
Performing Arts Center
200 W. Kawili Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Brooklyn, NY

Date: Sunday May 3, 2009
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Cherry Blossom Festival
1000 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11225


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Boston, MA

Date: May, 2009
Details: TBA



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