Monday Links

August 10th, 2009

Please check back throughout the day. We will have a couple of posts, including a preview of tonight’s Giants/Dodgers game.

Giants

It was the weekend that got away, writes Henry Schulman.

It was a rough afternoon for Matt Cain and Pablo Sandoval, writes Andrew Baggarly.

The pressure’s on Jonathan Sanchez, notes Schulman.

Time to boo Manny, writes Scott Ostler.

Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens gets a lot of credit for Eugenio Velez’s success.

More on Aaron Rowand and Sanchez at Inside Baggs.

Last night’s minor league lines include a couple of hits for Buster Posey.

On this, the 20th anniversary of Dave Dravecky’s comeback game, he writes a very cool letter to the editor in the Chronicle. I was 13 years old when my Dad took me to see Dravecky pitch on that August afternoon at the ‘Stick. It will always be one of the most memorable events of my life. I remember the entire crowd standing whenever Dravecky would get into a two-out, two-strike situation with a Reds hitter. I remember Dravecky amazingly taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the standing ovation we gave him when he finally exited the contest. I remember the unbelievable chills each fan had on that warm day. As an impressionable teenager, it helped give me greater understanding of what it meant to be a Giants fan and the special bond we form with so many players. A player that plays the game with heart and great courage, as Dravecky did (on a much higher level), is someone that will always be remembered fondly in our book.

A’s

Brett Anderson, Bobby Crosby carried the A’s, as Curtis Pashelka writes.

Anderson pitched well despite a bad index finger, writes Susan Slusser.

The kids are having a blast.

The team has played well since making trades.

Speed and power saved the day, writes Athletics Nation.

49ers

A review of every offensive player from Matt Maiocco.

A training camp week in review from Matt Barrows.

Kevin Lynch also chimes in with some rankings of those who impressed and those who didn’t, including a differing viewpoint from Barrows regarding Ahmad Brooks.

John Crumpacker looks at what some Niners did to prepare for Camp Singletary.

The team is waiting for Vernon Davis to reach his potential, writes Daniel Brown.

The 49ers should call Michael Crabtree’s bluff, writes Monte Poole.

Mike Nolan is back in a familiar place, writes Jeff Legwold.

When it comes to Crabtree and Stephen Strasburg, signing rookies shouldn’t be this hard, as Bruce Jenkins writes.

Raiders

Jerry McDonald takes a closer look at Poole’s Top 50 Raiders of all-time.

Mario Henderson is growing into his role as left tackle.

David White does a Q&A with Ted Tollner.

The Raiders felt the heat yesterday, notes White.

Darrius Heyward-Bey sat out practice and worked on his pass-catching, notes Paul Gutierrez and McDonald.

McDonald also has a Q&A with Sanjay Lal.