San Francisco, CA
SF Giants engaged with Scott Boras a year after Carlos Correa debacle
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A year after their megadeal with Scott Boras client Carlos Correa fell apart, there’s no indication the San Francisco Giants or the superagent are shying away from each other this offseason.
“We all understand the capacity to do it is there, and the desire, from our meetings with them, is there,” Boras said Wednesday at his annual scrum on the final day of the MLB Winter Meetings. “So we expect them to be very actively involved in the free-agent market.”
Good news, considering the Giants could use some of Boras’ clients if they aren’t able to land Shohei Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
He represents third baseman Matt Chapman, NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell and the top two center fielders on the market, Cody Bellinger and Jung-Hoo Lee, who was posted Tuesday by his KBO club, the Kiwoom Heroes, beginning his 30-day window to sign.
Any would be a nice fit for a team seeking to upgrade its outfield defense, find a co-ace for Logan Webb and add stability to its lineup. None of them signed in Nashville, though, as everyone awaits Ohtani’s decision, which MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported is expected by the end of this weekend.
The biggest Boras client on the move at the Winter Meetings wasn’t a free agent at all, but Juan Soto. According to multiple reports, the Padres and Yankees were in agreement on the only blockbuster move of the meetings, which would send the 25-year-old superstar to New York in exchange for five prospects, but the deal had not yet been officially announced by the clubs.
Once finalized, that’s one potential Giants target off the board, however unlikely the chances were of an intradivision trade of that magnitude.
Things should move quickly once Ohtani’s next team is revealed, though.
“It’s been an aggressive campaign for elite talent this Winter Meetings. But the idea that so many teams are involved in so many elite players … I think they have a 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d kind of thing for all the elite talents,” Boras said. “You can just tell in this market, the volcano has yet to erupt on the position player side, that’s for sure.”
As many as six free agents fall into that upper echelon, Boras said, but all have their flaws.
Chapman, 30, is a Platinum Glove-winning defender with impressive durability. But his bat has regressed since his best season in 2019, when he earned his only All-Star nod. No matter to Boras, as adept at making bad puns as he is garnering every dollar for his clients.
“I think the third-base market is usually one way or the other, there’s either some power or there’s some defense. Getting both in a player like that, not Gold Glove — platinum level — and getting power, you find that owners are a little bit upset,” Boras said. “So, really chapped, man.”
Snell, also 30, is one of four pitchers to win a Cy Young in both leagues. But this year, he did it while walking the most batters in the majors.
“When you look at Randy Johnson at 30 and Blake Snell at 30, you can actually see the guys who have led the league in walks — that’s the comment we hear most — have that strikeout, the mystery of having three pitches, whiff rates of 45% or more,” Boras said. “It’s just dominance.”
Bellinger, 28, is four years removed from being named the National League’s most valuable player at 24 years old. But he was non-tendered by the Dodgers last offseason after hitting .203 over the next three seasons, and even in his bounce-back campaign with the Cubs raised concerns with a hard contact rate below the league average.
The Giants pursued Bellinger last offseason, but he was prioritizing a change of scenery and was not interested in remaining in the NL West, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. That’s no longer the case, according to Boras.
“Cody has let (teams) know that he’s listening to everyone involved. There’s no exclusions,” Boras said. “This man has hit 40 home runs. We know that he has power beyond belief. But on the other side … the hard contact rate data has to be supplemented, and then you add the defensive component.
“How many people have hard contact rates that play center field and what they do with two strikes and low strikeout levels? I think you’re going to find out, wow, that’s a very small group of two or three players.”
Lee is the biggest unknown of all, coming from the KBO, which has only produced one major-league regular (Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim).
But he is only 25 years old, and when he was posted Tuesday, Boras said, “We had to hire operators to field all the calls because they came in fast and quick on him. So we know it’s going to be a very aggressive market.”
The only Boras client currently on the Giants’ roster is Michael Conforto, whom the agent used to draw a comparison to another potential fit in San Francisco, calling the market for former Phillies slugger and Sacramento native Rhys Hoskins “really good,” despite him missing all of 2023 after knee surgery.
“It’s kind of like when Conforto was on the market a year ago,” Boras said. “He hasn’t played for a year. Rhys has a great reputation as a leader, plus his 30-homer, 100-RBI consistency is something every team looks at. So we have a lot of suitors.”
Conforto eventually signed a two-year, $36 million pact that included an opt-out, offering a potential template for a Hoskins contract.
While Ohtani’s free agency has been shrouded in secrecy, with club officials scared to even mention his name, let alone confirm their meetings with him, Boras operates differently, as evidenced by the dozens of reporters he engaged for more than 30 minutes.
“I’m kind of a First Amendment guy,” he said. “I kind of think journalists are a very, very important part of our game. Their questions and what they do, (increasing) interest, those types of things are frankly really important to the promotion of the game, to the advancement of players, all those things.
“So, me? You know how we handle things. We always are as communicative as can be in negotiations without interrupting or violating the confidentiality of teams. I think everybody has their own method. Me, I’ve never put any restrictions on anybody for what they say.”
San Francisco, CA
Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive with 29-17 win over 49ers, who were eliminated Sunday afternoon
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — – Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, Jason Sanders nailed five field goals, and the Miami Dolphins kept their playoff chances alive by beating the San Francisco 49ers 29-17 on Sunday.
The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs before the game because of wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders earlier Sunday. The loss ensured that last year’s NFC champions will have a losing season for the first time since 2020.
The Dolphins (7-8) helped their chances of making the playoffs for a third straight season, but will need to win their final two games and get help from losses by the Broncos, Chargers and Colts for that to happen.
Trailing by nine early in the fourth, San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy found tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn’t get past self-inflicted wounds.
After punting the ball back to Miami with 6:45 left, San Francisco was hit with consecutive penalties for illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness and offsides to give Miami 25 yards, helping set up Sanders’ 48-yard field goal that stretched the Dolphins’ lead to five.
The 49ers were penalized 11 times for 90 yards.
Cornerback Kader Kohou then intercepted Purdy on the next drive, after the quarterback was pressured by defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Dolphins running back De’Von Achane sealed it with a 50-yard touchdown run.
Tagovailoa finished 22 of 34. Purdy was 26 of 40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns.
Tyreek Hill’s inconsistent season continued. He caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, with drops on the first two drives of the game and another on a potential touchdown in the third.
Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards to set the Dolphins’ single-season franchise record for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end.
Sanders was 5 of 5, including a 54-yarder, which made him 11 of 13 on field goals of 50-plus yards this year. San Francisco’s Jake Moody missed a 41-yarder in the third.
Deebo Samuel caught his first touchdown since Week 6 on a 16-yard score in which he muscled through several defenders on his way into the end zone.
Miami moved into 49ers territory three times in the first half but settled for field goals before Hill’s 3-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa that put the Dolphins ahead with 3:20 left in the second.
Purdy then drove San Francisco 67 yards down the field to set up Moody’s 21-yard field goal to cut Miami’s lead to 13-10 at halftime.
Injuries
49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw (right calf), LG Aaron banks (knee) and LT Jaylon Moore (quad) left with injuries. … DE Leonard Floyd played through a shoulder injury suffered in the first quarter.
Dolphins: WR Jaylen Waddle did not play because of a knee injury suffered last week. … CB Kendall Fuller (knee) and LB Jordyn Brookes (quad/knee) left in the second half.
Up next
49ers: Host Detroit on Monday Dec. 30.
Dolphins: At Cleveland next Sunday.
——
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflbr/]
Copyright © 2024 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.
San Francisco is the only major U.S. city where it’s cheaper to buy a home now than it was five years ago, according to data from real estate listing site Zillow.
Of the 100 largest U.S. cities by population, San Francisco is the single example that saw home values fall between November 2019 and November 2024, based on what the company calls the “Zillow price index.”
The city saw the typical home price decline by 3.7% during that period. All other cities saw prices increase. Across the Bay, Oakland had the smallest increase, with the average home value rising 2.1%. Among other major U.S. cities, prices rose 37.58% in Los Angeles; 38.34% in Austin, and 69.26% in Miami.
Cheaper is one thing. But cheap? That’s a different story.
According to Zillow, the typical home value in San Francisco in November 2024 was $1.26 million, versus $1.31 million five years ago. In 2019, San Francisco had by far the highest typical home price across all major cities, coming in more than 30% over second-place San Jose.
In 2024, San Francisco was one of four cities, all in California, with typical home prices over $1 million.
Kara Ng, a senior economist at Zillow, said San Francisco was an outlier in the first place.
“Five years ago, San Francisco was far and away the most expensive city to buy a home in the U.S.,” Ng said, adding that the pandemic fueled the ability for a highly paid but price-constrained workforce to flock to more affordable areas.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Holiday help was there for a community in need.
A drive-thru turkey donation drive was held in San Francisco on Saturday, benefitting the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. It brought a big donation response from the community, coming at a time when the need for food has never been greater.
Holiday turkeys and hams were arriving by the minute at a donation site near St. Emydius Church in San Francisco.
“Makes you feel good. That’s what you’re supposed to do,” said Ron Isola from Daly City.
The rainy weather didn’t stop anyone from showing up and helping out, especially Linda Peppars.
MORE: North Bay food bank issues holiday SOS for donations
“I live in the neighborhood and I just like helping people. God has blessed me. Why not bless other people? That’s the whole thing about life, especially today,” Peppars said.
It’s the 13th year for this turkey drive, started by volunteer Pierre Smit.
“I’m here from a different country. I came with nothing. If I had some some money, I would bring a few turkeys to St. Anthony’s,” Smit said.
It’s now a community-wide effort, benefitting the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.
Hundreds of turkeys were donated, including lots of hams.
MORE: How Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign helps others achieve ‘2nd chance at a 1st-class life’
“We’re currently serving 50,000 households every week. These turkeys and hams will go to some of our agency partners who are putting on Christmas lunches and dinners,” Abbott said.
It comes at a critical time for most Bay Area food banks that responding to food insecurity.
One in six people in Santa Clara and San Mateo are getting help from Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.
That agency is feeding a half million people every month.
In Napa, demand for food assistance has tripled compared to this time last year, and the North Bay’s Redwood Empire Food Bank is serving thousands more families, just in the past five months.
MORE: Toys for Tots aiming to reach 70,000 gift goal in Alameda Co.
“Our number one concern is inflation. We purchase some of the food we distribute. It’s costing us two times what it did pre-pandemic,” Abbott said.
It’s why this food drive is so important.
“It’s hard. Everybody doesn’t have what you have and visa versa,” Peppers said.
As a show of thanks, everyone who donated got a round of applause from volunteers.
Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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