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Giants Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

CC Sabathia was pitching, and Ray Durham and Rich Aurilia were taken out of the lineup.

Hmm.

Convenient, isn't it?

Actually, Durham and Aurilia didn't dodge the hard-throwing lefty because they feared him. They were scratched because they came down with a similar illness that kept Tim Lincecum out of the All-Star Game.

That bug that went around the team when it was in Chicago before the break is still there.

In their absence, the Giants struck out 10 times. They had one hit in the first seven innings, an infield single in the first by Fred Lewis. Sabathia gave up three more hits in the final two innings, including a homer by Aaron Rowand, but the Giants were too buried to make a push.

John Bowker replaced Aurilia at first, and Ivan Ochoa...

Sabathia dazzles for Brewers in 9-1 win (AP)

CC Sabathia's transition from Cleveland to Milwaukee and from the American League to the National League has been seamless to say the least. The ace left-hander pitched a complete game for the Brewers in their final game before the All-Star break and another in their first game back. Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, tossed a four-hitter Friday night to win his third straight start...

Lincecum slated to start Sunday for Giants (AP)

Tim Lincecum is slated to start Sunday for the San Francisco Giants against Milwaukee as planned, even after the right-hander missed Tuesday's All-Star game with flulike symptoms and dehydration. Yet Giants manager Bruce Bochy is leaving open the option of pushing Lincecum back if needed -- and perhaps backing off his workload some in the second half.

Pertinent post-All-Star break issues (Yahoo! Sports)

Questions for each team come to mind two at a time as the season enters its second half.

Giants still very much in NL West chase (AP)

The San Francisco Giants have yet to produce the kind of run teams count on when they're in the playoff race. They have been downright lousy at home. The thing is, the entire NL West faced its share of struggles in the season's first half. And home run king Barry Bonds with his 762 clouts is nowhere to be seen in this division or any other.

Lincecum hospitalized, misses All-Star game (AP)

Tim Lincecum didn't make it to his first All-Star game Tuesday night. The National League sure could have used him. Hospitalized earlier in the day with flulike symptoms, the hard-throwing San Francisco star wasn't around when manager Clint Hurdle called to the bullpen late in the game. And called. And called again.

Giants RHP Lincecum has flu (PA SportsTicker)

San Francisco Giants righthander Tim Lincecum is suffering from flu-like symptoms on Tuesday and will miss the All-Star Game.

Bonds' rep on 2008 return: 'Prospects look bleak' (AP)

Don't expect to see Barry Bonds showing up in a pennant race. Bonds has not received a single offer, agent Jeff Borris said Monday. He dismissed recent reports of interest from Arizona, the New York Mets and Boston. "I'm an optimistic guy by nature," Borris said, "and I've told Barry that the prospects look bleak." Bonds, who turns 44 in two weeks, led the majors last season with a .480 on-base...

The Highest-Paid Non-All-Stars (Yahoo! Sports)

Few of baseball's eight-figure earners make it to the Midsummer Classic.

Giants sign 16-year-old Dominican for $2.55 million (Yahoo! Sports)

The San Francisco Giants were not blowing smoke two years ago when they pledged to beef up their international...

Lincecum pitches Giants past Cubs (AP)

Tim Lincecum was the first pitcher to upstage Ryan Dempster at Wrigley Field this season. Lincecum tossed eight strong innings in a matchup of All-Star pitchers, handing Dempster his first home loss and leading the San Francisco Giants to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Dempster (10-4), one of eight Cubs selected for Tuesday's game at Yankee Stadium, entered with a 10-0 record in 11...

Mets' second fiddle sounds sweet (Yahoo! Sports)

With New York focused on Yankee Stadium and the upcoming All-Star game, the team in Queens has quietly crept into contention.

Harden strikes out 10 in debut, Cubs win in 11 (AP)

Rich Harden left his Cubs debut to a standing ovation with Chicago ahead by seven runs. The game, however, was far from over. Harden struck out 10 for the Cubs, who gave up two runs in the eighth and then blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning before beating the San Francisco Giants 8-7 Saturday on Reed Johnson's single in the 11th.

Aramis Ramirez homers in Cubs' 3-1 win over Giants (AP)

The weather at Wrigley Field may change in an instant, but Aramis Ramirez is always steady in the clutch. Ramirez broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the eighth to send the Chicago Cubs to a 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday. After getting shut down by Giants starter Matt Cain for seven innings as the wind whipped in from Lake Michigan, the Cubs struck quickly against his...

Giants purchase contract of Ochoa, option Denker (AP)

The San Francisco Giants purchased the contract of infielder Ivan Ochoa from Triple-A Fresno and optioned Travis Denker to Class A San Jose. The 25-year-old Ochoa is making his first appearance on a major league roster. After impressing with his defensive play during spring training, he has been swinging the bat well, hitting .318 with six homers and 32 RBIs for Fresno.

Giants purchase contract of OF Ochoa (PA SportsTicker)

The San Francisco Giants on Friday purchased the contract of infielder Ivan Ochoa from Class AAA Fresno of the Pacific Coast League.

Tatis delivers, Mets beat SF for 6th straight win (AP)

Fernando Tatis turned this into an extra special win for the New York Mets. Almost left behind on baseball's scrap heap, the resurgent Tatis homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs as the Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 Thursday for their sixth straight victory. "It's amazing," Tatis said.

Mets' Santana ends skid with win over Giants (AP)

Johan Santana got out of the fifth inning as rain came down in waves at Shea Stadium. The downpour ended Santana's night early, but his shortest outing of the season still lasted long enough to end his frustrating losing streak. Santana limited punchless San Francisco to three hits before departing after a rain delay, and the New York Mets beat the Giants 5-0 for their fifth straight win Wednesday.

Pelfrey beats Lincecum to win 5th straight start (AP)

On this night, it was Mike Pelfrey who looked like the emerging young ace while All-Star Tim Lincecum struggled to find his way. Pelfrey won his fifth straight start, Carlos Beltran drove in four runs and the surging New York Mets beat Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Tuesday. "I think that him being so good, that's going to bring the best out of other people," Pelfrey said.

Giants recall INF Eugenio Velez from minors (AP)

The San Francisco Giants recalled infielder Eugenio Velez from Triple-A Fresno before Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Velez will mostly be used off the bench. "He's been playing well down there. He gives us an added dimension to our bench, gives us speed," Bochy said.

A Harden fast response by Cubs (Yahoo! Sports)

Cubs get hard-throwing starter Rich Harden from the A's, quickly answering the Brewers' acquisition of CC Sabathia.

Giants recall INF Velez (PA SportsTicker)

The San Francisco Giants recalled infielder Eugenio Velez from Class AAA Fresno prior to Tuesday's series opener with the New York Mets.

Kuroda's one-hitter is a sunny delight (Yahoo! Sports)

Shutout over the Braves pushes the Dodgers into a tie for first and takes some of the sting away from not landing Sabathia.

Dish: Another ex-Ranger pitcher in All-Star line (SportingNews.com)

The Texas Rangers still cannot escape the reminders that John Hart's four-year stay as general manager was a...

Baseball Power Poll: Rays, Red Sox start series in top 3 (SportingNews.com)

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