Report: San Francisco Giants Still Interested in Ryan Theriot

Ryan Theriot, who scored the eventual World Series winning run for the San Francisco Giants, is still a free agent, and the Giants are interested in bringing him back.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman is reporting that the Giants and Phillies are both in pursuit of Theriot, who has been a part of the last two World Series winning teams -- the Cardinals in 2011 and the Giants in 2012.


For the Giants, re-signing Theriot would be more of a move centered on the clubhouse, as he was a major influence with his teammates. As for playing time, San Francisco just signed Japanese second baseman Kensuke Tanaka, who will likely back up Marco Scutaro at second base. Theriot could possibly back up shortstop Brandon Crawford if the team re-signs him. But with Joaquin Arias on the roster, that could even be a stretch.

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Brent Burns Doubtful For San Jose Sharks' Season Opener

The San Jose Sharks will likely be without star defenseman Brent Burns for opening day of the team's NHL season, as he was declared doubtful by head coach Todd McLellan on Wednesday.


Burns is still recovering from offseason groin surgery and could miss much more time than first anticipated.

The Sharks open the shortened 48-game season against the Calgary Flames on Sunday at 3 p.m. PST, followed by a 7 p.m. PST game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

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Report: San Francisco Giants Considering Re-Signing Lincecum

Tim Lincecum, the starter-turned-reliever-turned-likely-starter, is reportedly in the San Francisco Giants'  future plans to re-sign when his contract with the team is up at the end of the 2013 season.


The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman is reporting this little tidbit of information:

Random piece of info: #sfgiants have not given up on Lincecum long-term. I'm told prospect of re-signing Lince as a FA next year ...
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) January 15, 2013

... played into some budgetary decisions this year on long-term deals for other players. #sfgiants.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) January 15, 2013

After Lincecum's tumultuous 2012 season, it appeared likely that the Giants and the 28-year-old would be going their separate ways when his contract was completed, judging by the enormity of his salary and lack of recent production as a starter.

Lincecum will be paid $20 million this season, the final year of his contract.

The Giants have stood by their player, despite having to send him to the bullpen during the majority of the MLB playoffs. However, he was a vital part of the team's World Series run as a lock-down reliever when the game was on the line.

The length and magnitude of Lincecum's next contract will likely hinge on his success this season, presumably as a start for the Giants. If he returns to form in a starting role, then he will probably demand more than the Giants can afford in the open market. But another down season may alter how both the Giants and the rest of the MLB value this worth.

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Report: Stephen Curry Nursing Injured Knee, Probable vs. Heat

Stephen Curry's ankle no longer seems to be a problem, but his knee is.

Curry reportedly sat out Tuesday's practice for precautionary reasons, one day before the Warriors take on the Heat.

Steph Curry (rt knee) missed practice for precautionary reasons. The Warriors expect Curry to play Wednesday vs. Miami.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) January 15, 2013

Curry injured his knee in Sunday's loss to the Nuggets and had it wrapped as the final seconds ticked down.  He will likely suit up for the Warriors when they take on the Heat Wednesday night, but it is something to keep an eye, considering the magnitude of this game.

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Report: Posey Not Playing For Team USA in World Baseball Classic

Buster Posey said during the MLB playoffs that he would like to play for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic that starts in March, but that will not be the case.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman, Posey is reportedly playing it safe by staying away from the WBC in order to focus
on his health for next season. He is coming off a season in which he won the batting title, MVP award and a World Series title, along with countless other awards.

Presumably, the major reason for his absence from Team USA would be the huge pay day coming his way. It would be a pay day from the Giants that could reach $20 million per year for well over five years.

Ryan Vogelsong has reportedly confirmed that he will be playing in the WBC for Team USA, and Pablo Sandoval is presumably ready to play for Venezuela. Schulman is also reporting that Jeremy Affeldt will pitch for Team USA.

The WBC gets started for the USA March 9 when they take on Italy at Chase Field in Arizona. The semifinals and finals of the tournament will be held at AT&T Park in San Francisco March 17-19.

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Were the 49ers Saving Kaepernick’s ‘Pistol’ Formation For the Playoffs?

If the 49ers weren’t awkward and untrusting of any form of media, it wouldn’t be a normal media session with the team. However, Saturday’s romping defeat of the Packers, and a birth in the NFC Championship game for the second year in a row, only provided the team the opportunity to shed light on their obvious change in gameplan for the playoffs.

The 49ers were a different team Saturday night. The national telecast showed a more refined Colin Kaepernick, a more hard-nosed runner in Frank Gore and a nearly spotless gameplan by offensive coordinator Greg Roman two weeks in the making -- a much different gameplan than opponents were preparing for over the past few weeks.

Kaepernick said the 49ers ran the “pistol” formation well over 50 percent of the time on Saturday, which is well above the team’s average use of the formation since he was named starter in Week 8.

"We had a lot more ‘Pistol’ formation in this game plan," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said (via ESPN), "both handing the ball off and [Kaepernick] running and play action. We're pretty multi-dimensional on that formation."   

Yahoo! Sports Jason Cole is reporting that it was the 49ers’ intention to undervalue the “pistol” formation in the final weeks of the regular season to set up a strategic run in the playoffs.

            "We didn't use it against the Cardinals because we wanted people to think we weren't going to use it," Roman said. "We worked on it a lot this week. A lot of practice."

An overwhelming amount of positive results came out of the substantial use of the “pistol” formation on Saturday, and if Roman was not a serious candidate for an NFL job, he most certainly is now.

The 49ers’ defeat of the Packers was very similar to that of the team’s destruction of the Bears in Kaepernick’s very first start in the NFL. The same offense against the Packers looked effortless, and Kaepernick was using his arm and his legs on the way to booking a trip to the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bears had no clue what type of structure the 49ers’ offense would have on that Monday night in the middle of the season, and although the Packers thought they knew what was coming Saturday, they did not see the overwhelming majority of the plays running through Kaepernick being of the “pistol” formation variety.

The 49ers are still a running team centered on Frank Gore -- it is well documented. However, that is merely the basis of what the 49ers offense is all about. Once Gore and the running game begins to become successful, Kaepernick and the option run becomes the focal point and the recipe for an opponent’s nightmare. The scheme was put on fully display Saturday night in front of an astonished football nation that never thought Kaepernick was the type of quarterback to put a team on his back and lead a them to the NFC Championship with such maturity and rarely seen athletic ability.

Now the 49ers aren’t just thinking about the NFC Championship because they are currently favorites in the NFC to advance to the Super Bowl over Atlanta.  One roadblock remains, however, and the Falcons will have one week to prepare for an offensive gameplan that could takes weeks to prepare for, and attempt to stop the same offensive gameplan that was nearly unstoppable Saturday night against the Packers.

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Ryan Vogelsong To Pitch For Team USA in World Baseball Classic

Ryan Vogelsong will be pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, which gets started March 9.

USA, who has been placed in Pool D with Italy, Canada and Mexico in the first round, will face off against Italy at Chase Field in Arizona to start the tournament.


Vogelsong has reportedly committed to play for Team USA and will be included in the team's starting rotation.

R.A. Dickey, Andy Pettitte & Ryan Vogelsong in team USA rotation for wbc. story coming on @cbssports
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 13, 2013

AT&T Park will be home to the semifinals and finals of the tournament March 17-19.

Other notable San Francisco Giants that are likely to play in the WBC are Pablo Sandoval for Venezuela, and Buster Posey for the United States, although Posey has not committed to appearing yet.

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