KNBR's Ralph Barberi got on the radiowaves Thursday and let lose on Armando Benitez, even referring to him as a jerk. It was a shameful display on his part -- and I know and like Ralph -- he should appologize on the air. He came close to slander in my view. Plus, Ray Durham's come to defend Armando Benitez.
Durham takes the blame for Benitez's blown save
Henry Schulman, SF Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, July 27, 2006
(07-27) 14:55 PDT Washington -- Armando Benitez is taking a beating back home over his blown saves Sunday and Wednesday night. At least one Giant believes Benitez should not be blamed for the second one.
"It wasn't his fault," Ray Durham said. "I take full responsibility for it. It was his job to get a groundball, and he got it. I'm supposed to make the play and I didn't."
Durham was referring to Felipe Lopez's one-out grounder with a man aboard and the Giants leading 3-2. Durham said he was rushing to glove the ball because he thought the he could start a double play, and it bounced off his glove for what was ruled a hit. The Nationals went on to score twice and win 4-3.
From draft to majors?: Tim Lincecum, the Giants' first-round draft pick, had an electric professional debut Wednesday night. He started for rookie-league Salem-Keizer against Vancouver, pitched one inning and struck out three. He also got a flyball out after one of his strikeout victims reached on a wild pitch.
Could Lincecum get a September call-up to work in late relief? It sounds far-fetched, but manager Felipe Alou did not discount the idea when it was broached.
Shortstop Emmanuel Burris, the Giants' sandwich-round pick, has 20 steals in 25 attempts for the Volcanoes.
Radio men: XM satellite radio periodically invites athletes to its Washington studio to host an hourlong show on anything they want. It can be music, politics, sports, whatever. Mark Sweeney and Todd Greene accepted the invitation and hosted a sports talk show, of all things, that will air Saturday at 8 p.m. PDT and Sunday at 7 a.m. on channel 175.
They discussed the NL West race and issues such as injuries in youth sports, and interviewed ESPN analyst Rick Sutcliffe and two division rivals, San Diego's Dave Roberts and Colorado's Matt Holliday.
"It's kind of unique. They're friends of ours," said Sweeney, who wants to get into the media when he retires. He has been a fill-in host of a morning sports-talk program in San Diego.
