Chimney rounds in mid-May?

Skiing KT-22 through Memorial Day (end of May)?

Father's Day (mid-June) shred weekend?

Open until July 15th???

SAY SOMETHING?

THIS SHOULD BE ARCHIVED!!!

MAY 10, 2017

After watching the Squaw boys do their laps on The Chimney in the Palisades on social media on the days of May 8th and 9th, I knew I had to get up there before the steep lines melted away. So I decided to take a day trip from San Francisco, arriving after a one-way, summer-like drive of 2 hours and 35 minutes. With nervous anticipation, I entered the second funitel of the day on the way to the Chimney… using a flannel shirt as a ski coat.

The day was warm… incredibly warm. How long does the chimney stay open? Will the snow be sticky? Will the exit go smoothly? After one round the answer was clear. The conditions were perfect.

I was greeted by the usual Snowbrains crew of Miles Clark, Andy Hayes, Bevan Waite, Aaron Fox, Alex Knuuttunen, Josh Anderson, Ethan Kizzia and Nate Kushlan. Each line was marked “The Chimney Sweep” on the skier's far left to “Schmidiots” on the skier's far right. Heck, there were even party trains filming as we rode one after the other. It's been a long time since I had so much fun skiing on May 10th.

On my sixth lap I was greeted by a patrol who told me that this would be my last chimney line for the day. Of course I had to do stupid things. Both Alex and Nate have done it in one piece before, so I had the right beta to do the same thing. After a speed check I was able to bend the top, hold it together and cross the exit with ease… thrilled!

We spent the rest of the day lapping KT-22 until 2:15 p.m. From the West Face to Chute 75 to the Nose and the Alternates to under Olympic Lady…the corn snow was smooth and fast. When my legs gave out, I knew it was time to jump back in the car and head home… and I was grinning from ear to ear.

I see that KT-22 looks more white for May…

KT-22 – May 10, 2017

This will be our first twist of the day…

Chimney Sweep – Palisades, Squaw Valley

It was a party for steep ski nerds…

Chimney draft sessions

The sweep drove like a dream…

Squaw Valley, California

It's hard to believe it's almost mid-May…

Casey sends it – Photo: Jay Tierney

Bevan doing what he does best…

No tele-turn here…

Alex follows the speed protocol…

Alex K comes over…

Josh gets unconventional away from the mighty big cornice…

Josh A is a certified skier…

Round after round the boys continued as long as the patrol kept it open…

California ski lemmings…

Alex K shows us why chimney sweeping is so much fun…

Alex K comes over…

Party in the Palisades…

Extreme skiers go extreme…

Now it was my turn to finally get off Schmidiots…

Skiers about Schmidiots…

So the plan was to stay left and drive fast…

Oh boy!

It's time to slow down a bit to keep control…

Hey mom, look at this!

The decisive curve and luckily it was perfect corn snow…

Just one more round here…

Ok, now it's time to let them run…

Skier gets aggressive in the Palisades…

Time to ollie this bergschrund…

Isn't skiing fun?

Nate and I celebrated our Schmidiots rounds with a Red Bull and a Gatorade…BALLER!

Did you just ski Schmidiots?

After the stressful laps were over, we finally made a few turns…

Nate shares some carvings for late spring…

Over at KT-22 there was an incredible view of the amount of snow on the upper mountain…

May 10, 2017 – Squaw Valley USA

Time for some Chute-75…

Slide 75 – Squaw Valley – May 10, 2017

Mandatory stop at the Eagle…

Eagle's Nest/McConkey's – Squaw

Oh, hello, Alpine Meadows. You sure have a lot of snow!

Alpine Meadows – May 10, 2017

Olympic Lady skied quite well in the afternoon…

Oly Lady slides…

But then again, the corn snow in The Alternates was silky smooth…

The alternatives – Squaw Valley

Ultimately, KT-22 went well on May 10th… but my legs told me to stop… and I always listen to my legs.

KT-22 – May 10, 2017

But on May 24, 2017, Ethan Kizzia decided to lay the final Chimney Sweep tracks of the season…

I'm getting a little skinny there, buddy!

Chimney Sweep – May 24, 2017

And he does it…

Ethan Kizzia stops by… Photo: Aaron Fox

There's enough snow, right?

Threading the Needle – Squaw Valley

My God, I think he did it!

May 24, 2017 – Chimney Sweep – Photo: Aaron Fox

SUCCESS!

Aggressive Alpine Skiing – Photo: Aaron Fox

MAY 27, 2017!

After the infamous KT-22 (The Mothership) chairlift was “closed” on Saturday, May 20th, ski patrol decided there was enough snow to keep it open a little longer. Well, the chair is finally closed for the upcoming season May 28th at 7 p.m but not before I was able to do a few laps in some of my favorite zones.

The Olympic Lady, The Nose, Chute 75, West Face to The Alternates areas were fantastically calm in the warm spring temperatures. Essentially, if you decided to ski anything that was behind or below the chair line, you would end up walking down a patch of dry topsoil. Otherwise, an easy transition to the Mountain Run from Chute 75 to the Saddle gave you access to the base of the KT. Ultimately, given the date, I was beyond thrilled that Squaw kept the iconic chair open for my visit.

The day started in South Lake Tahoe with a beautiful view of Mt. Tallac…

Mt Tallac – May 27, 2017

Emerald Bay looks as quiet as ever…taken from a moving vehicle…

Emerald Bay, Tahoe South

And then straight to Siberia to get a good look at the open terrain…

Squaw Valley – May 27, 2017

Siberia was COMPLETE, so we ended up doing a few high speed laps…

Siberia Express – May 27, 2017

The chimney still shows some life…as do the marks of Ethan's chimney sweep from a few days before…

Chimney, palisades – Squaw Valley

Today was a day with the grandmothers…and of course lots of sweets!

Skied to Gold Coast…

Of course we had to watch “Shirley Wiggle”…

Shirley Lake – May 27, 2017

And then it was time for a few KT-22 laps before lunch…

A little thin at the bottom – KT-22 – May 27, 2017

However, as the altitude increased, things looked much better…

Olympic Lady and Lake Tahoe…

Slide 75 still had the huge slush bumps…

Slush with the Groms – Chute 75

Reese met up with us to ski some of the steeper open areas…

Reese puts one down – Chute 75

I always enjoy the middle ankle from the top…

Slide 75 – May 27, 2017

Perfect weather and easy moguls… HELLO!!!

Fun Happens – Squaw Valley

When your 8 year old tries to compete against you…

Skiing to the base on May 27, 2017

Upper KT-22 still looks pretty buried for late May…

KT-22 – May 27, 2017

High-speed straight lines under Olympic Lady helped with seasonal depression…

Time to let them run…

The Mountain Run won't last long, but should it really? It's almost June!

Mountain running – May 27, 2017

KT-22 will be closed tomorrow and this time forever!

Another day KT-22

Time for one last run on the alternates…

Deputy – Squaw Valley – May 27, 2017

I can't imagine a more suitable drink…

Why not drink the beer that goes with my skis???

17th-18th JUNE 2017!

California's monstrous snowpack in 2017 continues to provide snow sliding fun for winter enthusiasts. Over Father's Day weekend I enjoyed fantastic days in the sun skiing in Siberia, the Gold Coast and Shirley Lake with my wife and children. Saturday ended up being a cruiser day to get a tan, do a few laps and enjoy lunch at High Camp before heading back to the hotel for the pool.

Sunday started with some quick piste laps on Siberia Run, traversing under the Headwall Chair to Hogsback to tackle some steeper sections up to the base of the Chair. After Siberia we headed to Shirley Lake to check out The Wiggle, ride some north facing groomers and mark some off piste just past the Shirley Chutes. The off-piste terrain was still fairly smooth with minimal sunbursts, making higher speed corners quite pleasant.

I'm pretty sure Red Dog is done for the season…

Summer morning in Squaw Valley

Yes, my 6 year old daughter is ready to kill some mud…

Young grom eye is her line…

The family that skis together… skis in Siberia on Father's Day!

Siberia Express – June 17, 2017

It snowed a little faster and more evenly on Shirley Lake…

Parker is doing a carving in mid-June…

I guess the kids are fans of The Warriors…

Summer Shirley carves…

A rare sight of the woman taking turns in front of the camera…

Shirley Lake – June 17, 2017

A few more laps and it was time to reach high camp…

Grom at Shirley Lake – June 17, 2017

No complaints here…

High camp with blue skies and snow-covered slopes…

Lazing around after skiing with the third child…

Hammocks are stressful…trust me!

A lakefront dinner on the West Coast for the win…

Boating Season – Lake Tahoe…

Paid a visit to the brothers at the Slot Bar…

Slot Bar Blanket Ski Mag Porn…

The third child may be young, but he still mandated a visit to the mothership…

First visit to KT-22…

The next day, my eldest son and I got in the Funitel queue early and headed straight to Siberia…

Siberia Express – June 18, 2017

We found that the crossing to Hogsback provided high quality corn with a steeper gradient…

Hogsback – June 18, 2017

Young Steph Curry takes a turn under the Palisades…

After some time in Siberia, we moved to Shirley Lake to explore as much as we could…

Crossing to Shirley Chutes…

The Shirley Wiggle has grown in depth week by week…

Dave Meters shows us how – June 18, 2017

POV from INSIDE THE WIGGLE!!!!

Welcome to the technology of the year 2017…

There's still snow in the Palisades (especially National Chute), but my son didn't want to hike…I think I was being nice on Father's Day

Palisades – Squaw Valley – June 18, 2017

And with one last look at Chute 75, our final trip to Squaw for the “ski season” was over…

Last Funitel ride of the season…

And then when my family's summer travels took us to Telluride until mid-July, Squaw stayed open until Saturday, July 15, 2017…not too shabby, Tahoe, not too shabby.

To see what it looked like on the last day of the season (JULY 15!!!!), click here:

Squaw Valley, CA Saturday, July 15th Weather Report: Last day of the epic 2016/17 season?

WHAT WILL THE NEXT SEASON BRING?

You May Also Like:

The post Recounting the Late Season Radness @ Squaw Valley, CA appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

I hate the Russian. We get one in every season of every iteration around the globe, and I don’t think I have ever enjoyed one of the songs, laughed at one of the jokes, or really been bowled over by any of the performances. It often seems like this franchise has a set rotation of stock challenges, some good (Snatch Game) and some that are more tired than Michelle Visage (the Rusical, make a dress out of something weird, improv, girl group). For me, the best part of every episode is when we get to see the girls walk down the runway in killer looks that they have preplanned. That’s why the ball challenge (three looks in one night!) is always my favorite. What we haven’t had in seasons is a new, exciting, iconic challenge that not only will challenge the queens in a way they can’t prepare for but also will excite the audience. Without that, we have what seems like a game show that is stuck on autopilot.

This episode starts with another iconic and beloved challenge, the reading challenge. Ru says, “The British Library is open,” and I worry which poor country will be colonized and looted to fill it up this time. Each of the queens gets up, puts on a ridiculous pair of glasses, and pokes loving fun at all of her companions. This time, the ladies seem to go a little light on one another and don’t hit the punch lines as well as in the past. The only snaps go to Pixie, who says, “Baby? No thanks, I’m pro choice.” Who doesn’t love an abortion joke? Pixie, of course, is the winner.

That means she gets the task of assigning the roles. I love that they chose the shadiest queen to dole out the parts because the process nearly always leads to bickering. Putting the nastiest queen in charge almost ensures it. But pixie is a little too, well, polite and basically lets all the girls select their own roles. Even when Cheddar and Dakota face off over the role of Rochelle, a slutty cockroach, the rest of the crew votes and gives it to Cheddar based on the quality of her French accent.

This leaves Pixie with the lead role of Lairy Poppins, Mary Poppins’s demonic twin sister who wants to get the kids drunk on bin juice. (For the Americans in the room, a “bin” is a trash can, and the juice is what leaks out of it, a very specific substance we don’t entirely have a name for in America, but anyone who has ever taken out the trash at a restaurant job knows exactly what it is and what it smells like. Pixie’s only problem is that, when learning her role, she realizes, like Michelle wriggling into Carson Kressley’s Skimms, it’s not really a good fit. Pixie goes to Danny and asks if she’s willing to switch roles and give Pixie the part of the chimney sweep. This seems to be setting up a friendship between the two but also an ongoing rivalry. Did Pixie shoot herself in the foot by taking the worse part, or even worse, did she shoot herself in the foot by giving Danny the bigger part and once again being outshone by her?

We go through the usual paces of the Russian. The girls learn to sing with Michelle Visage and then learn how to dance with Giovanni Pernice from Strictly Come Dancing. (Or Dancing With the Stars if you only speak America.) Gio is giving us Dance: 10; Hot Daddy Who Can Move His Hips Like Shakira Twerking in an Earthquake: 3 million. Danny says he hopes the Strictly Curse (a tabloid phenomenon where stars on the show cheat on their spouses with their dance partners) carries over to Drag Race. “I don’t know if Giovanni is a chubby chaser, but if he is, I’m running,” Danny says, a line a million times funnier than anything in the Russian.

Throughout this process, it’s hard to tell who’s in trouble. Cheddar can’t dance, and neither can Danny. Baby can’t sing, and Dakota, well, she can’t do either because all she can do is be the most gorgeous thing you ever saw in your life.

We get to the final performance and, uh, I’ve forgotten almost everything that happened, and I was taking notes so I could write this here recap. I loved that Pixie paints her mouth on crooked as the Cockney chimney sweep, but that’s the only memorable thing about her performance. Baby does well in a patter song as a rich mother. Dakota and Peppa are serviceable as bratty kids, but Peppa is way better than Dakota, who is channeling Meryl Streep’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds. JB (the queen formerly known as Jonbers) does a ridiculous (in a good way) pigeon prostitute or something. Not to kink-shame, but not my fetish. Cheddar is a sexy cockroach and, once again, not my fetish.

The one standout is Danny Beard. She comes out as the acid-tipped Lairy Poppins with an even thicker accent than usual and just gives us Beetlejuice fractured insanity and it is absolutely amazing. When everyone takes the runway, Danny wows yet again. The category is West End Wonders (the West End is England’s Broadway), and he comes out as Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors and it is one of the best things we’ve ever seen on this stage. It looks like an actual Broadway (okay, maybe a little Off Broadway) costume complete with a plant puppet on the head. Of course, she wins, for the second week in a row. She may be this year’s Lawrence Chaney, just destined to take the trophy back to the north. (“Queen of the North!” they chant, like it’s Game of Thrones.)

I was a little confused about the judging in this episode. Pixie Polite, as an amazing Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray complete with a full-costume reveal, had a great runway, but I thought she got lost in the mix during the Rusical. The judges, however, loved her. As for Baby, who was repping for the pop musical & Juliet, I thought she was far stronger performing than they gave her credit for. The same goes for Le Fil, who I thought gave the Mary Poppins character some priggy peaks and slutty valleys. The judges thought she wasn’t that great but loved her King & I robes, complete with bedazzled abs, which were worth their own crown.

I agreed with the judges when it came to JB, who was finally in the top, but I hated how Michelle thought her outfit was poorly constructed. In an ode to Singin’ in the Rain (which is a movie musical, but let us not quibble), she had a high-end slicker with poofy cages underneath. I loved it. Dakota, naturally, was on the bottom, and she gave us Funny Girl realness. This, once again, is my problem with Dakota, who is the most beautiful queen of the season. She’s giving us something a little too close to the original; there’s no interpretation or exaggeration to turn it into drag. What we have instead is just a pretty girl. With no subversion, it’s just a good costume, not drag.

The final lip sync is between Baby and Dakota. They are evenly matched doing “No Way” from the musical Six, though it seems Baby may have an edge until Dakota leaves the stage when the singer says she’s leaving, and then pops right back around the corner. It made Ru laugh, and the key to winning this competition is always to make Ru laugh.

I was on the edge of the sofa waiting to see who would get kicked off and then Baby pipes up and self-eliminates. The whole episode Baby talks about her struggles with her mental health in the competition and how it’s giving her anxiety. She always thought she would be so good at this, and the fact that she’s struggling is giving her a sort of cognitive dissonance. I’m all for taking care of one’s mental health, but why do it after the lip sync? Why not do it on stage? If this was really about mental health, why not do it in the middle of the week? When Adore Delano needed to leave for her mental health, she didn’t wait until she was a loser on the runway; she just packed her bags and went home. BenDeLaCreme self-eliminated when she had the power to eliminate someone else — when she was on top. This is altogether different.

Instead, baby waited, and we’ll never know if she was actually going to be sent home. This spares her from the torture of being eliminated but will never let Dakota know if she won or not. Is she here because she bested Baby, or is she here because Baby quit? So, Baby says, if she had stayed, it would have been over for everyone. But would she have stayed? What Ru about to give her walking papers? This seems like a way for a very fractured ego to take a little bit of control back from the process, a way for her to say, “I was never eliminated.” Sorry baby, I don’t think that’s fair. And I still hate the Russian.

VULTURE NEWSLETTER

Keep up with all the drama of your favorite shows!

Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.

The post ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race U.Okay.’ Season 4, Episode 5 Recap appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The holidays are all about celebrating traditions with family and friends. Between choosing the right gifts and preparing delicious meals, you have plenty on your plate. Ensuring that you and your loved ones are safe can be an additional stress. Today, Thumbtack, the app used by millions of homeowners across the country to care for their homes, unveiled a new “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” that allows homeowners to check their home’s fire risk, and seamlessly book a home service professional to help prevent fires before they happen.

“We recently found that 75 percent of people know someone who has had a house fire, and the majority occurred over the holiday season. Yet, homeowners are reluctant to admit they themselves are at risk of a home fire — with only 1 in 5 stating they believe their own personal risk of a fire is high,” said David Steckel, Thumbtack’s Home Expert. “In order to ensure this holiday season is full of joy and celebration with friends and family, we want to help homeowners understand the causes of house fires — and take action to prevent them. Our goal is to give homeowners peace of mind so they can enjoy their holiday festivities.”

The “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” highlights the top projects homeowners should tackle before the holidays, which have the highest risk of starting a fire if left unaddressed, including:

• Hang holiday lights (hire a pro): A professional installer can take this festive (but time-consuming) task off your hands — and ensure you’re not overloading your circuits.

• Sweep chimney (hire a pro): Annual inspections and cleanings are a must to minimize fire hazards, manage creosote buildup, and prevent gas leaks.

  • Maintain gas fireplace (hire a pro): These fireplaces need regular maintenance too — connections can corrode over time, leading to potential gas leaks.

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (DIY): Working alarms are crucial. Testing yearly and replacing every 7 years is the best way to make sure you’re protected.

• Clean dryer vents (hire a pro): Lint buildup causes about 3,000 house fires yearly. Cleaning your dryer’s exhaust pipe can help prevent a fire and improve efficiency.

• Inspect fire extinguishers (DIY): Always keep a working dry chemical fire extinguisher (the dial should be in the “green region”) easily accessible and near the kitchen.

• Trim trees (hire a pro): Keeping your trees trimmed prolongs the life of your roof, cuts down on potential fire hazards, and can prevent wildlife from moving in.

• Deep clean gas range (DIY or hire a pro): Built-up grease can be a big fire hazard — especially with a gas range. Be sure to clean it out every 3-6 months.

• Ensure space heaters are not a hazard (DIY): Only run space heaters in a clear, hazard-free space — and never overnight.

• Do an electrical check (hire a pro): Prevent fire hazards by having a pro check your property (inside and out) for faulty electrical wiring and overloaded circuits.

• Maintain Christmas tree (DIY): Make sure to water your tree, unplug it at night, or set a timer to avoid fires — artificial trees are also a great alternative.

In addition to creating a resource hub for homeowners, from December 1 – December 9, 2022, Thumbtack will also be offering consumers $50 off* their next home project so they can prevent fires this holiday season — from hiring a chimney pro to booking a home inspection, and more (terms and conditions apply).

Visit www.thumbtack.com/content/fire-prevention to learn more about potential fire hazards this holiday season, to see how your home ranks on the safety scale, and to book a pro to ensure you’re ready to tackle the holiday season — worry free.

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, homeowners can effortlessly manage their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $600 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of homeowners to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. Hundreds of thousands of local service professionals, from painters and plumbers to photographers and more, use the Thumbtack platform to grow their businesses each year. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, and CapitalG, among others.

*Terms and conditions: Thumbtack users may receive $50 off one project, from December 1, 2022 through December 9, 2022. This offer is limited to the first 2,000 users to redeem the discount. Discounts only apply to projects that cost $50 or more (before tax and tip), booked and paid for through Thumbtack. Not all Service Professionals accept payment through Thumbtack. Make sure you check with your Service Professional to confirm they accept payment through Thumbtack before hiring them. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Discounts cannot be stacked (in other words, only one discount can be used per booking), and discounts are for one-time use only. On-Demand bookings (sometimes referred to as “Pro matched by Thumbtack”) are not eligible for discounts. Learn more about On Demand bookings. Discounts are subject to the terms outlined in our Terms of Use.

The post ADDING MULTIMEDIA Thumbtack Creates New “Vacation Hearth Prevention Guidelines” to Assist Owners Get Forward of Peak Residential Hearth Season appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO — The rain came, the Giants rallied, but nothing could delay the inevitable.

A collection of empty seats, rain coats and umbrellas braved the brisk and blustery conditions at Oracle Park on Sunday to watch the Giants set a regrettable franchise record, losing to the Dodgers, 4-3 in 10 innings, for the 15th time this season.

After winning 10 of their 19 meetings in 2021 and outlasting Los Angeles by one game to claim the NL West, the Giants finished this season with a worse record against their rivals than any of their 63 previous seasons in San Francisco.

In the 139-year history of the Giants, dating back to the club’s inception in New York, they have finished only one other season — 1899, when they went 2-10 — with a worse winning percentage against the Dodgers than their 4-15 (.211) record this year. Their 15 losses to LA also set a San Francisco-era record, and the 32.5 games separating the two clubs would represent the Giants’ third-furthest finish from first place since moving here in 1958.

With the exception of San Francisco’s three-game sweep here in June, there has been no debate about the better ballclub. The Dodgers won 15 of their other 16 meetings, including 13 of their final 14 to close the season. The final tally on the scoreboard: Dodgers 99, Giants 55.

Limited to five runs on 13 hits over the course of the three-game series, the Giants at least showed life in the eighth, tying the game on a ground-rule double by JD Davis but left the bases loaded for the second time of the night. Davis’ ball bouncing over the wall prevented Thairo Estrada from scoring the go-ahead run from first base, the same fate that happened on Wilmer Flores’ ground-rule double in the fourth, when the Giants also left ’em loaded.

The wind was blowing in so strongly from right-center field that a would-be game-winning home run off the bat of Joc Pederson with two on in the 10th was turned in to a 396-foot flyout, blown in by 21 feet, according to Weather Applied, which tracks the impact of wind conditions at ballparks.

When the wind was blowing more and the rain coming down harder as the game started, Los Angeles leadoff man Trea Trea Turner’s fly ball on the first pitch of the game was blown in 58 feet.

Neither the miserable conditions nor the 20-minute delay caused by them fazed Giants starter Alex Cobb, who has a 1.57 ERA over his past five starts and kept up his strong stretch of pitching Sunday. Cobb limited the dangerous Dodgers lineup to two runs — a leadoff walk and a leadoff double that came around to score — over 5⅓ innings.

San Francisco’s bullpen blanked the Dodgers for the rest of regulation, but Mookie Betts doubled home the automatic runner in the top of the 10th and Thomas Szapucki forced home an insurance run with a bases-loaded walk. The two-run cushion proved too much in the bottom half for the Giants, who got an RBI single from Flores, a couple walks and a couple close-call fly balls but nothing else.

Some three hours earlier, at about 5:10 pm, Justin Turner doubled home Freddie Freeman for the Dodgers’ first run. At 5:40, Cobb retired the final out of the fourth inning. It wasn’t particularly strenuous, as you might expect from a 30-minute inning, but rather interrupted by one of the intermittent downpours over Oracle Park on Sunday.

The delay came with two outs in the top of the fourth and lasted 20 minutes.

Rookie outfielder Heliot Ramos, manning right field in his second game since being called up from Triple-A, had maybe the most intimate interactions with the conditions Sunday afternoon.

Turner hit a fly ball to right field on the first pitch of the game that appeared to be on a trajectory for McCovey Cove, or at least Levi’s Landing. But it ran into a wall of wind that knocked it down, turning it into a single one that fell in front of Ramos, who had taken his first few steps toward the wall.

Turner’s single ultimately traveled 327 feet, according to Statcast. But it was blown in by 58 feet, more than any other fly ball in the history of Oracle Park, according to Weather Applied, which tracks the impact of wind conditions at ballparks.

Recording the second out of the fourth — the final play before the game went into delay — Ramos tracked down another fly ball from Trayce Thompson but lost his footing on the wet grass while trying to throw back to the infield.

The slick ground, however, didn’t prevent Ramos from robbing Turner of extra bases and an RBI to end the third inning.

For a change, Cobb benefitted from the defense behind him. At one point this season, the difference between his actual ERA and his expected ERA was the largest in the majors, and the figures are still separated by almost half a run.

With Betts getting a running start at first base, after Cobb issued a two-out walk, Ramos sprinted from his spot in shallow right field and made a leaping grab to chase down a line drive from Turner that appeared destined for Triples Alley.

It didn’t take long for Turner to get his revenge, though, doubling to lead off the sixth and coming home to score the Dodgers’ second run on a single by Freeman.

©#YR@ MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post On moist, windy day at Oracle Park, Giants wrap equally dreary season sequence with fifteenth loss to Dodgers appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Christmas is less than two weeks away, which means it’s time to start chugging spiked eggnog and kick that holiday spirit into high gear. Just call us Santa’s little helpers as we’ve rounded up all of SF’s jolliest holiday events, from heartwarming opportunities to help those in need, holiday pop-ups at the city’s best bars to a slew of stage performances, and gingerbread houses that are so big you can walk inside of them. And if you’re still looking for fun stuff to do, there are cool events happening in SF every weekend and all winter long.

Ongoing through Sunday, January 1
Macy’s/Union Square
After a few years of virtual appearances, SF SPCA’s adoptable animals have returned live and in-kitten/puppy to Macy’s holiday windows. See them there every Thursday–Sunday from noon to 5 pm or virtually online every day from 9 am to 6 pm.
cost: Free, but donations are appreciated. You can also bring newly purchased pet toys, blankets, flat sheets, and towels to the donation station on the 8th floor of Macy’s.

Ongoing through Sunday, January 1
Union Square
While you’re downtown contemplating whether or not to adopt a new furry friend, head to Union Square to see Macy’s Great Tree, an 83-foot-tall tree decorated with more than 33,000 LED lights and 1,100 ornaments.
cost:Free

Union Square Ice Rink

Ongoing through Monday, January 16
Union Square
Mulling over which puppy to adopt and take home? Take a spin around The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square to clear your mind. There are 60-minute sessions every day, and if you go on Wednesday evenings, you can skate to music from Frozen. Just try not to fa-la-la-la-fall while you fa-la-la-la-la.
Cost: $20 (includes rentals)

Thrillist TV

Wine and cheeseburgers

Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine

Ongoing through Friday, December 16
Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason/Marina
Pick up this year’s Christmas tree at the Guardsmen Tree Lot, and all of the proceeds from your spire of comfort and joy will go towards providing underprivileged youth in the Bay Area with opportunities to attend summer camps, after-school programs, and more. It’s also not too late to get tickets to the Guardsmen’s annual Tree Lot Party, which takes place the night after the last tree is sold and includes drinking, dancing, and lots of holly jolly fun (GA: $130; VIP: $255).
cost: All of the trees are Noble Firs and range in price from $65 (2-4 feet) to $965 (15-18 feet).

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Saturday, December 17 – Sunday, December 18
Cow Palace
Experience Victorian London without leaving SF at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair. As you wander the winding lanes, you’ll find music halls, pubs selling British fare, ale, mixed drinks, and hot buttered rum; colorful characters including Father Christmas, Tiny Tim, the ghost of Jacob Marley, chimney sweeps, and more; theatres, dance parties, ye old shops full of holiday treasures, and more.
cost: $45 for an all-day ticket; $30 for twilight admission

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Ongoing through Saturday, December 24
Grace Cathedral/Nob Hill
All are welcome at Grace Cathedral, which is offering several concerts and services to celebrate the season, including “A Cathedral Christmas,” a performance of classic carols by the Grace Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys, family sing-alongs, and Christmas Lessons and Carol’s.
Cost: Free

Ongoing through Friday, December 23
The Victoria Theater/Mission
Grab a pal and a confidant to watch what has become one of SF’s best Christmas traditions: hilarious drag performers parodying (in the most loving way possible) two Christmas episodes of The Golden Girls.
cost: From $35

A Christmas Carol | Photo courtesy of The Toni Rembe Theater

Ongoing through Saturday, December 24
The Toni Rembe Theater/Union Square
ACT’s classic version of A Christmas Carol returns to the stage this year with gorgeous costumes, a lively cast, and a moving rendition of the classic Dickens’ tale that reminds us all what the Christmas spirit is really all about.
Cost:Tickets start at $52.

The Nutcracker | Photo courtesy of War Memorial Opera House

Now-December 27
War Memorial Opera House/Civic Center
Going to a performance of the Nutcracker is a quintessential holiday tradition, especially in San Francisco since the SF Ballet was the first ballet company to ever perform the show in the United States. This version stays true to the original with giant mice, a growing Christmas tree, and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, but with lots of SF-specific twists that you’ll want to be sure to keep an eye out for.
Cost:Tickets range from $10 (SRO) to $375 (Box Center).

Friday, December 23 – Monday, December 26
Congregation Sherith Israel/Pacific Heights and Virtually
Chinese food and Christmas might be a Jewish cliché, but it’s one we appreciate very much, especially when that cliché manifests in the form of a Jewish comedy show in a pop-up Chinese restaurant inside an inclusive Jewish synagogue. Food will be provided by Green Chow Down, and laughs will be provided by a slew of stand-up comedians.
Cost: $90 to $100

Miracle pop up

Drink festive cocktails at a bunch of holiday pop-up bars

Ongoing through Saturday, December 31
Various locations
Raise a glass to long weekends or escape visiting relatives at one of several holiday bars that have popped up around SF. Pacific Cocktail Haven (Union Square) has transformed into “Miracle,” the beloved pop-up that occurs all over the country (but only in one bar per city), and its sister bar, Kona’s Street Market (SoMa), is taking a tropical twist on the holiday with a “Sippin’ Santa” theme. Trade Routes (Russian Hill) is fully festive with a “Tinsel Time” theme, including a boozy Frosty the Slushie concoction and other cheer-inducing drinks. If you’re willing to plan ahead, book a reservation for Tinseltown at Trademark Bar (SoMa), where you’ll find the halls have been fully decked, and you may get to interact with some of Santa’s helpers and maybe even the jolly old you yourself. Horsefeather (Divisadero Corridor) also has a Christmas cocktail menu, as does The Madrigal (Civic Center), and there are two Deck the Halls locations in Cow Hollow this year: Outre and the Blue Light. Prefer your festivities with a side of devilish mayhem? Rye Bar’s Krampus pop-up is what you need.
Cost: various

Ongoing through Saturday, December 24
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts/SoMa
We’ll always love the Nutcracker, but if you’re looking to mix it up this year, you’ll want to get tickets to Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet, which kicks off with beautiful classical ballet set to beloved carols and then transforms in the second act to “red hot contemporary numbers” set to pop favorites. Go on Tuesday, December 20, if you want to experience the LGBTQ+ night performance with a cameo from Lady Camden, first runner-up on the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Cost: $25 to $99

Photo courtesy of The Fairmont

Marvel at larger-than-life edible holiday displays at local hotels

Ongoing through Saturday, December 31
Fairmont San Francisco/Nob Hill and the Westin St Francis/Union Square
We don’t like to pick favorites, but if you’re only going to visit one hotel to get your Christmas fix, it should be the Fairmont, which is where you’ll find a two-story, life-sized Victorian gingerbread house that stands 25 feet tall, that you can walk inside. If you happen to be in Union Square, pop inside the Westin to see SF’s largest sugar castle. There’s also a boutique where you can buy your own sweet treats and pop! Lounge, a pop-up champagne bar just off the lobby with a DJ and bubbles (open Friday-Sunday).

Ongoing through Friday, December 23
Davies Symphony Hall/Civic Center
There is truly something for every kind of human at the Symphony during the holidays, including an adult-themed holiday variety show co-emceed by conductor Edwin Outwater and drag sensation Peaches Christ (Thursday, December 15), a screening of How the Grinch Stole Christmas with the symphony playing the live score (December 16-17), Holiday Brass (Tuesday, December 20), Elf in concert (December 21-22), and A Merry-Achi Christmas (December 23) which is exactly what it sounds Like.
Cost: various

Want more thrillers? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat!

Daisy Barringer is a freelance writer from SF who never misses a production of “A Christmas Carol” and thinks Scrooge gets a bad rap. Follow her on Instagram @daisysf.

The post Christmas Occasions in San Francisco 2022: What to Do This Vacation Season appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

New survey finds 75 percent of homeowners know someone who has had a house fire, and the majority (57 percent) occurred during the holidays

SAN FRANCISCO, December 01, 2022–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The holidays are all about celebrating traditions with family and friends. Between choosing the right gifts and preparing delicious meals, you have plenty on your plate. Ensuring that you and your loved ones are safe can be an additional stress. Today, Thumbtack, the app used by millions of homeowners across the country to care for their homes, unveiled a new “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” that allows homeowners to check their home’s fire risk, and seamlessly book a home service professional to help prevent fires before they happen.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221201005163/en/

Thumbtack unveils new “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” (Graphic: Business Wire)

“We recently found that 75 percent of people know someone who has had a house fire, and the majority occurred over the holiday season. Yet, homeowners are reluctant to admit they themselves are at risk of a home fire — with only 1 in 5 stating they believe their own personal risk of a fire is high,” said David Steckel, Thumbtack’s Home Expert. “In order to ensure this holiday season is full of joy and celebration with friends and family, we want to help homeowners understand the causes of house fires — and take action to prevent them. Our goal is to give homeowners peace of mind so they can enjoy their holiday festivities.”

The “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” highlights the top projects homeowners should tackle before the holidays, which have the highest risk of starting a fire if left unaddressed, including:

• Hang holiday lights (hire a pro): A professional installer can take this festive (but time-consuming) task off your hands — and ensure you’re not overloading your circuits.

• Sweep chimney (hire a pro): Annual inspections and cleanings are a must to minimize fire hazards, manage creosote buildup, and prevent gas leaks.

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (DIY): Working alarms are crucial. Testing yearly and replacing every 7 years is the best way to make sure you’re protected.

• Clean dryer vents (hire a pro): Lint buildup causes about 3,000 house fires yearly. Cleaning your dryer’s exhaust pipe can help prevent a fire and improve efficiency.

• Inspect fire extinguishers (DIY): Always keep a working dry chemical fire extinguisher (the dial should be in the “green region”) easily accessible and near the kitchen.

• Trim trees (hire a pro): Keeping your trees trimmed prolongs the life of your roof, cuts down on potential fire hazards, and can prevent wildlife from moving in.

• Deep clean gas range (DIY or hire a pro): Built-up grease can be a big fire hazard — especially with a gas range. Be sure to clean it out every 3-6 months.

• Ensure space heaters are not a hazard (DIY): Only run space heaters in a clear, hazard-free space — and never overnight.

• Do an electrical check (hire a pro): Prevent fire hazards by having a pro check your property (inside and out) for faulty electrical wiring and overloaded circuits.

• Maintain Christmas tree (DIY): Make sure to water your tree, unplug it at night, or set a timer to avoid fires — artificial trees are also a great alternative.

Story continues

In addition to creating a resource hub for homeowners, from December 1 – December 9, 2022, Thumbtack will also be offering consumers $50 off* their next home project so they can prevent fires this holiday season — from hiring a chimney pro to booking a home inspection, and more (terms and conditions apply).

Visit www.thumbtack.com/content/fire-prevention to learn more about potential fire hazards this holiday season, to see how your home ranks on the safety scale, and to book a pro to ensure you’re ready to tackle the holiday season — worry free.

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, homeowners can effortlessly manage their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $600 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of homeowners to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. Hundreds of thousands of local service professionals, from painters and plumbers to photographers and more, use the Thumbtack platform to grow their businesses each year. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, and CapitalG, among others.

*Terms and conditions: Thumbtack users may receive $50 off one project, from December 1, 2022 through December 9, 2022. This offer is limited to the first 2,000 users to redeem the discount. Discounts only apply to projects that cost $50 or more (before tax and tip), booked and paid for through Thumbtack. Not all Service Professionals accept payment through Thumbtack. Make sure you check with your Service Professional to confirm they accept payment through Thumbtack before hiring them. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Discounts cannot be stacked (in other words, only one discount can be used per booking), and discounts are for one-time use only. On-Demand bookings (sometimes referred to as “Pro matched by Thumbtack”) are not eligible for discounts. Learn more about On Demand bookings. Discounts are subject to the terms outlined in our Terms of Use.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221201005163/en/

Contacts

Laura Arrubla Toro
press@thumbtack.com

The post ADDING MULTIMEDIA Thumbtack Creates New “Vacation Hearth Prevention Guidelines” to Assist Owners Get Forward of Peak Residential Hearth Season appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The holidays are all about celebrating traditions with family and friends. Between choosing the right gifts and preparing delicious meals, you have plenty on your plate. Ensuring that you and your loved ones are safe can be an additional stress. Today, Thumbtack, the app used by millions of homeowners across the country to care for their homes, unveiled a new “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” that allows homeowners to check their home’s fire risk, and seamlessly book a home service professional to help prevent fires before they happen.

“We recently found that 75 percent of people know someone who has had a house fire, and the majority occurred over the holiday season. Yet, homeowners are reluctant to admit they themselves are at risk of a home fire — with only 1 in 5 stating they believe their own personal risk of a fire is high,” said David Steckel, Thumbtack’s Home Expert. “In order to ensure this holiday season is full of joy and celebration with friends and family, we want to help homeowners understand the causes of house fires — and take action to prevent them. Our goal is to give homeowners peace of mind so they can enjoy their holiday festivities.”

The “Holiday Fire Prevention Checklist” highlights the top projects homeowners should tackle before the holidays, which have the highest risk of starting a fire if left unaddressed, including:

• Hang holiday lights (hire a pro): A professional installer can take this festive (but time-consuming) task off your hands — and ensure you’re not overloading your circuits.

• Sweep chimney (hire a pro): Annual inspections and cleanings are a must to minimize fire hazards, manage creosote buildup, and prevent gas leaks.

  • Maintain gas fireplace (hire a pro): These fireplaces need regular maintenance too — connections can corrode over time, leading to potential gas leaks.

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (DIY): Working alarms are crucial. Testing yearly and replacing every 7 years is the best way to make sure you’re protected.

• Clean dryer vents (hire a pro): Lint buildup causes about 3,000 house fires yearly. Cleaning your dryer’s exhaust pipe can help prevent a fire and improve efficiency.

• Inspect fire extinguishers (DIY): Always keep a working dry chemical fire extinguisher (the dial should be in the “green region”) easily accessible and near the kitchen.

• Trim trees (hire a pro): Keeping your trees trimmed prolongs the life of your roof, cuts down on potential fire hazards, and can prevent wildlife from moving in.

• Deep clean gas range (DIY or hire a pro): Built-up grease can be a big fire hazard — especially with a gas range. Be sure to clean it out every 3-6 months.

• Ensure space heaters are not a hazard (DIY): Only run space heaters in a clear, hazard-free space — and never overnight.

• Do an electrical check (hire a pro): Prevent fire hazards by having a pro check your property (inside and out) for faulty electrical wiring and overloaded circuits.

• Maintain Christmas tree (DIY): Make sure to water your tree, unplug it at night, or set a timer to avoid fires — artificial trees are also a great alternative.

In addition to creating a resource hub for homeowners, from December 1 – December 9, 2022, Thumbtack will also be offering consumers $50 off* their next home project so they can prevent fires this holiday season — from hiring a chimney pro to booking a home inspection, and more (terms and conditions apply).

Visit www.thumbtack.com/content/fire-prevention to learn more about potential fire hazards this holiday season, to see how your home ranks on the safety scale, and to book a pro to ensure you’re ready to tackle the holiday season — worry free.

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, homeowners can effortlessly manage their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $600 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of homeowners to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. Hundreds of thousands of local service professionals, from painters and plumbers to photographers and more, use the Thumbtack platform to grow their businesses each year. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, and CapitalG, among others.

*Terms and conditions: Thumbtack users may receive $50 off one project, from December 1, 2022 through December 9, 2022. This offer is limited to the first 2,000 users to redeem the discount. Discounts only apply to projects that cost $50 or more (before tax and tip), booked and paid for through Thumbtack. Not all Service Professionals accept payment through Thumbtack. Make sure you check with your Service Professional to confirm they accept payment through Thumbtack before hiring them. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Discounts cannot be stacked (in other words, only one discount can be used per booking), and discounts are for one-time use only. On-Demand bookings (sometimes referred to as “Pro matched by Thumbtack”) are not eligible for discounts. Learn more about On Demand bookings. Discounts are subject to the terms outlined in our Terms of Use.

The post Thumbtack Creates New “Vacation Hearth Prevention Guidelines” to Assist Owners Get Forward of Peak Residential Hearth Season appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

In other moves, the Giants transferred right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (right ankle inflammation) to the 60-day injured list and optioned outfielder Luis González to Triple-A Sacramento. Right-hander Yunior Marte was optioned to Sacramento on Sunday, and the Giants selected the contract of right-hander Mauricio Llovera.

La Stella, in the second year of an $18.75 million, three-year contract, missed time in his first year with the club due to a broken right hand and a hamstring strain. He underwent surgery in October to repair an Achilles’ tendon issue, and the recovery time forced him to miss the first five weeks of the season.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler welcomed La Stella’s return, saying his veteran presence bolsters clubhouse stability and resolve. La Stella’s defensive versatility also gives Kapler additional flexibility in managing the lineup, and his bat adds to the team’s overall fire power.

“Tommy is one of the better plate appearances in baseball right now, simple as that,” Kapler said. “He has great discipline, fouls off pitches, is extremely competitive in the batter’s box. He’s kind of the epitome of what we want our hitters to be, make a lot of contact, drive the baseball, occasionally draw a walk here and there and keep the line moving.”

Kapler also said that DeSclafani had not encountered a setback in his rehab of an ankle injury that has sidelined him since April 22. He said DeSclafani and team doctors and trainers have settled on a rehab program to gradually build back his arm and leg strength so that he’s ready to fill a slot in the rotation when he returns.

“A long, slow ramp for a pitcher is the most protective thing we can do for them,” Kapler said, adding that “getting him back to the big leagues healthy and strong and capable of taking down a full workload is the most important piece of this puzzle.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.

The post San Francisco Giants’ Tommy La Stella reinstated from IL, makes season debut at Colorado Rockies appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The African-American Shakespeare Company will feature a total of 5 productions during its 2022-23 season that will include an original work Echoes of Us, curated and produced by the company in conjunction with The Craft Institute’s African Diasporic Network and funded by The Black Seed found. Echoes of Us will be directed by famed actress and director Michele Shay and will run July 14-17 at the Marines Memorial Theater.

Following that will be The Slave Who Loved Caviar written by Ishmael Reed which delves into the life led by noted artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Directed by the company’s artistic director, L. Peter Callender, the piece will be filmed in the company’s new space in Hayes Valley for streaming at the end of October.

December sees a revamp of the company’s beloved and long-running Cinderella, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and moves from The Herbst to the Marines Memorial Theater. One notable aspect of the production is that it will be directed by Devin Cunningham, who is very familiar with the piece having performed in it three times, including twice playing an evil step-sister and another playing the Prince.

Cunningham’s vision will incorporate more aspects of Black culture through music, dance and costume. Also, because the play is moving to the Marines Memorial there will also be a new set, which allows for more opportunities to reimagine both the book and the show in order to speak to contemporary Black audiences. Says Cunningham, “Having been in the show, I am excited to be bringing this hilarious story of growth and resilience to life set in a fantastical Bay Area.”

February will see the arrival of The Glass Menagerie, which was originally going to be performed starting in February of 2022, but which was delayed by the Omicron surge. This quintessential Williams play will be directed by Monica White Ndounou who sees it as an opportunity to view what life was like for Black Americans in the 1930s as well as explore the intersections of Blackness, gender, disability and class.

Finishing the season will be the adaptation Romeo and Juliet for America. After a successful run at American Stage in St Petersburg, Fl. in 2021, Callender brings his adaptation of Shakespeare’s most beloved romance-with a little twist-to AASC. Says Callender, “Prepare yourselves for a warm surprise!”

The post San Francisco’s African-American Shakespeare Firm Broadcasts 2022-23 Season appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The storm has been quelled, the alarm bells having a fit between my ears deadened—for now. It’s amazing how a bad stretch of 7 games can mess with even the most level-headed of baseball followers. It’s amazing the boost two wins can have on the same fan’s psyche.

It’s early. It’s early. It’s early in the year and, you know what, it’s early. Opening Day was only a month ago and there’s a lot more baseball left to play. If we lived in a just world, the amount of early bad breaks and injuries suffered by the bats and arms in San Francisco would mean the next month or so will be nothing but clear skies and calm seas in the Bay.

Unfortunately, that’s not how things work. A month could also just be a microcosm of a season. It was in 2021—the Giants posted a .600-plus win percentage in each month from April to September—and what happened from April 8th to May 8th 2022 for the Giants could be a reasonable forecast of things to come.

San Francisco finished their first 28 games with a 16-12 record, equal to a .571 winning percentage. That number is good for around 93 wins after a full season and if the devil at the crossroads offered me that totally right now, I’d take it. Maybe not for my soul, but…well…maybe for my soul. It won’t win them the division but with the extended postseason format, there’s a good chance it will earn them a playoff spot. I like playoff spots.

93 wins is on the high end of the preseason predictions for the Giants. After a month of play, it doesn’t feel completely unreasonable to expect a total in that ballpark (though I’m weary looking at the schedule ahead that this past month was maybe one of the more forgiving).

Some things have gone right for San Francisco, but a lot hasn’t. Joc Pedersen has scorched right handed pitching. Carlos Rodón has struck out half the planet in his first 5 starts. The SF arms’ 3.22 K/BB ratio is 6th best in baseball. Their 0.61 home runs allowed per 9 innings is second best.

The Giants are checking a lot of the necessary boxes that make up a successful team—all while being punched around a bit with a COVID outbreak among the top of their lineup, injuries to their back-two starting pitchers, ungodly cold snaps, ball drama , a slump from a key right-handed hitter in Darin Ruf and the absence of another as Evan Longoria recovers from surgery.

Health is a constant opponent for every team. Injuries are not going to go away. The pandemic lingers. Brandon Belt coming back from the COVID-IL only to be yanked mid at-bat due to neck stiffness could be an ominous nod to the particular problems of the Giants fielding an aging core.

Hooray that Alex Cobb has flashed strikeout stuff while generating weak contact from opposing hitters—but those grounders aren’t going to do much good if it means one too many dashes from the mound to cover first antagonizes an already tender groin.

Jake McGee seems to have lost a tick off his fastball. He’s also not locating the pitch well, throwing it for a first pitch strike 50% of the time, down from last season’s 66.4%. Everyone knows he throws the four-seamer, but it’s a lot more compelling when he can nibble with it, or tease his secondary slider. When he’s behind in the count, he becomes even more predictable than he normally is.

He hasn’t pitched 10 innings yet. His last two appearances have inflated his stats. No one is voting McGee off the mound—but it’s something to keep an eye on as we move forward.

Evan Longoria’s return will be celebrated, but its still a big ol’ question mark what he’ll bring to the table after his shoulder injury and the surgery in the offseason.

So far, the San Francisco Giants have been able to swap out a tire or two to keep the car moving down the road—but you can’t keep pace on a spare. Relying on depth players like Jason Vosler and Luis Gonzalez will only get you so far.

As simple and obvious as it sounds, its true: the veterans need to stay healthy. The darn thing is that these players just keep getting older. The 2021 Giants grew their beards long, stuck out their tongues in defiance, and delayed the inevitable—even then the roster dealt with their fair share of maladies.

It’s impossible to completely eliminate the toll “old-ness” takes on one’s body, but it’s possible to keep it at bay. Prepare to see additional days lapse between starts, greater care taken on the base-paths, more caution for minor stiffness and aches. But one can only control so much.

Age comes for us all and after this month, it feels near—floating in a kayak possibly, Budweiser in hand, pocket radio tuned to KNBR, waiting patiently in the Cove.

The post Evaluation on the San Francisco Giants season to date appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.