RealClearSports: Of Suspensions and Racing Yachts

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

SAN FRANCISCO — What do expect? We've got Napa Valley to the north and Silicon Valley to the south. We've got a billionaire, Larry Ellison, who couldn't buy the Golden State Warriors, so he bought the Hawaiian island of Lanai.

Are you surprised it seems like virtually everybody who plays ball around here has been suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs?

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2012

RealClearSports.com: Giants Will Collapse Without Cabrera

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Nobody died. The terse adage is offered frequently as perspective for sporting disappointment. And for the San Francisco Giants and their disillusioned fans, that's true.

If you don't count dreams. Or hopes, both of which have expired.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2012

SF Examiner: Giants on right trajectory

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

The season is far from ideal. There’s that Timmy thing, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are still in front of the division. But now the Giants have hitting and speed, and with the season still four months from conclusion, they very well could finish where everyone thought they would: in first.

Melky Cabrera breaking a record by Willie Mays — and who ever imagined those names would be linked?

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company

SF Examiner: Bees weren't only buzz for San Francisco Giants in Arizona

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Angel Pagan had another hit Sunday. Melky Cabrera had two more. They got things started, and seemingly everybody else, Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff, Brett Pill, wouldn’t let it stop. Only an exhibition game, but for the Giants, a telling one.

And because of the attack of the killer bees — not Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, but genuine bees who make honey — a game which threatened to last until sundown, but in fact took a mere 2 hours, 53 minutes (plus 41-minute bee delay), was a weird one.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company