Ugh, exhibition season is upon us. Now that that's out of the way, during last night's Home Run Derby a fan almost fell from the stands to the pool deck below. (Yes, there was a pool deck. Don't ask.) The Examiner reports: "Fans [held] the legs of Keith Carmickle from Kingman, Ariz. as he nearly fell over a railing trying to catch a ball during the MLB Home Run Derby Monday, July 11, 2011, in Phoenix. The ball arching against Chase Field's bright lights, Keith Carmickle climbed up on a narrow table, leaned forward and lost his balance, momentum carrying him toward a 20-foot fall to a pool deck below." more ›

SF Giants golden child Tim Lincecum will start at Tuesday's All-Star game in St. Louis, according to John Sea of . The Cy Young Award winner, if you recall, couldn't make it to last year's exhibition game on account of dehydration and flu-ish symptoms. The 25-year-old pitcher spoke at a press conference this morning, saying, "Being a starter will completely make up for the fact I didn't make it to last year's game ... I was going to be happy just being in the game." Lincecum went on to add, "I'm going to have Matt Cain put a leash around my neck and keep me in my room." more ›

Under the impression third baseman Pablo Sandoval was David Archuleta, San Francisco Giants fans voted en masse to get him a spot in the All-Star game. Alas, it proved fruitless. But in the final stages of the vote, more fans went on the internet to have their say than ever before. Some even voted a hundred times. Even Mayor Gavin Newsom asked citizens to vote for Sandoval. This video captures how it all went down. more ›

It's up to you, people, to fill the final slot for this year's All-Star game. The entire 2009 roster is set (SF, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum; Oakland, Andrew Bailey), but the last member is being put to a vote. So, why not shove a Giant deep into that open gap? If you're a SF Giants fan, please, please, please vote for Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval for the final spot on All-Star team. Go here to vote. Voting ends tomorrow. UPDATE: Positively LIVID over this e-ballot stuffing, SFGate's" Rich "Big Vinny" Lieberman slams KNBR and "media alike" for slumming for votes. He employs the word "crap." And calls it all a gimmick. Even though the All-Star game itself is the single most pointless gimmick of the baseball season. Read Lieberman rage here. more ›

Major League Baseball played its 79th All-Star Game last night, a 15-inning, long hard slog eventually won by the American League, 4-3. Your hometown team players had a couple cameos and made a few notable contributions in the evening’s proceedings… more ›

One less reason to watch the MLB All-Star Game tonight – Giants’ pitcher Tim Lincecum will probably not appear for the National League team because he woke up this morning with "flulike symptoms." more ›

We have to admit that we're not terribly excited about the All Star Game next Tuesday. None of the players who play really care despite the "This Time it Matters" hype and usually by the sixth inning, when most of the actual stars are flying back in their rented private jets, you get all the excitement of watching some reliever for the Devil Rays facing off against some guy from the Nationals. The only thing that will make it worth watching is to see the ball park and the city get shown off. Well, that and they're expecting so many boats in the Cove that the Giants will only allow boats that register to be out there. We love when the Cove is filled with boats. more ›

Authorities are worried that the violent weekend is a harbinger for a bad July 4th. With 12 people dead (two more people were shot after the articles about 10 people killed went up), and half of those killings in Oakland, the Oakland PD is going to be upping patrols this Wednesday. more ›

Here's todays sports news more ›