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Friday MLB—Giants at Reds, 4 p.m., CSNB MLB— Cubs at Cardinals, 5:05 p.m.m WGN MLB—Twins at Athletics, 7 p.m., CSNC PGA— The Greenbrier Classic, Noon, TGC Extreme Sports —X Games, Noon, 4 p.m., ESPN Sports 1B Friday July 29, 2011 Youth hockey league Niners open QB battle SANTA CLARA (AP) — Colin Kaepernick was adamant about competing for the starting quarterback role in training camp, surmising that the San Francisco 49ers didn’t draft him to be a spectator. Good news for the rookie: He doesn’t figure to be much of an observer. The second-round pick out of Nevada will be the prima- ry quarterback when the Niners hit the practice field for the first time under new coach Jim Harbaugh on Friday, taking the majority of the snaps until Alex Smith and other free agents are allowed to join the team next week. The quarterback dynamic figures to dominate Har- baugh’s first training camp — and likely define his first sea- son — with the 49ers, who hired him away from Stanford in January to replace the ousted Mike Singletary. Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback, already is facing a tricky scenario at the position. The first-year NFL coach is the only one on the field with NFL quarterbacking experience. ‘‘He might step in,’’ Kaepernick said about Harbaugh, chuckling. ‘‘We’ll see.’’ Courtesy photo The Tehama County Police Activities League and Reeds Creek School are hosting youth hockey. HOCKEY The Tehama County Police Activi- ties League in conjunction with Reeds Creek School and the San Jose Sharks will be sponsoring a youth street hock- ey program. The program will begin Thursday, Aug. 4 and run until Friday, Sept. 23. It is open to all Tehama County youth ages 7-12 years old. Space will be limited to 20 7-to 9- year-olds and 20 10-to 12-year-olds. Participation will be on a first come- first served basis. All practices will take place at Reeds Creek School gym located at 18335 Reeds Creek Rd. The Tehama County Police Activi- ties League has been sponsoring the program annually for the last 13 years. Previous street hockey experience, although helpful, is not required. The program will focus on develop- ing puck handling skills, shooting and passing skills as well as positional play. There is no cost to participants. The players use hockey sticks with plastic blades and all games are played with tennis shoes. Special balls and pucks, which are specifically designed for street hockey are used. All goalie equipment, nets, and protective hel- mets with face shields are provided. Sign-ups will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Carbonell Chiropractic Health Cen- ter 605 Oak St. in Red Bluff as well as on Thursday, Aug. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Reeds Creek School gymnasium. Program orientation for players and parents will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 at the Reeds Creek School gym after sign-ups. For further information please con- tact Reeds Creek School Attn: Jake Hosler 527-6006 or Tony Carbonell 200-4241. San Francisco released the only other signal-caller on the roster Thursday, cutting ties with David Carr after one sea- son. Carr, the 2002 No. 1 overall pick by the Houston Tex- ans, tweeted that he wished the team well and had hoped for an opportunity with the new staff. Smith and other free agents can’t officially sign with teams until Friday and can’t participate in practices until the players’ union recertifies Aug. 4. The 49ers eased the burden on Kaepernick during the first week of camp by signing for- mer Sacramento State and UCLA quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who’s allowed to participate immediate- ly because he’s an undrafted rookie. That’s all part of the challenge for a 49ers team that’s playing catch-up with a new coaching staff. ‘‘I’m nervous, I’m worried, and that’s part of my job to be that way,’’ Harbaugh said. ‘‘Me, personally, it keeps me on my toes, anxious, all those feelings to get started and get going. But that’s the good news, we can now start.’’ Well, not everybody. Smith has been lauded as the presumed starter by Har- baugh for months, even receiving a playbook in the brief See 49ERS, page 2B Lincecum goes 6 scoreless in win RAIDERS camp PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The San Fran- cisco Giants may not need much offense from Carlos Beltran if they play the Phillies again in the postseason. Tim Lincecum threw six scoreless innings, Pablo Sandoval hit a solo homer and the Giants beat Philadelphia 4-1 on Thursday night in their first game with Beltran. The All-Star outfield- er was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his debut with the defending World Series champi- ons, who won two of three against the major league-leading Phillies in a rematch of the NLCS. Lincecum and Matt Cain dominated the Phillies last October, and they did so again in this series. ‘‘Our pitchers did a great job and we got the hits when we needed,’’ manager Bruce Bochy said. ‘‘They’re a great club.’’ Lincecum (9-8) showed no negative effects from the stomach illness that forced him to push his start back two days. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, struck out six and worked around four walks. ‘‘I felt fine, a little fatigued but I just tried to keep a good pace,’’ Lincecum said. The Phillies hadn’t lost consecutive games since June 4. They went a club-record 45 straight games without dropping two straight. Sandoval gave the NL West leaders a 1-0 lead when he led off the sec- ond inning with an opposite-field shot to left. It was Sandoval’s 10th homer, becoming the first Giant to reach double digits this sea- son. Beltran hit 15 for the Mets before he was traded to San Francisco Campbell more comfortable in 2nd year in Oakland NAPA (AP) — With a season in Oakland under his belt, the chance to play with the same play-caller for a second straight year and the starting quarter- back job firmly in his grasp, Jason Campbell began training camp with a whole new comfort level. Campbell doesn’t have to spend this camp still learning a new offense, proving he deserved the starting role over the popular Bruce Gradkowski and earning the trust of his teammates. ‘‘This season I know the guys,’’ Campbell said after the Raiders’ first practice on Thursday. ‘‘We’re pretty much running the same system. That gives you an opportunity to elevate your game a little more because you know what you’re doing and you got a feel for the guys around you. It definitely feels more comfortable.’’ MCT photo Giants closer Brian Wilson came into the game in the ninth inning and got the save against the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia Thursday. Wilson picked up his 33rd save of the season. for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler. The addition of Bel- tran should bolster a sagging offense that’s near the bottom in the major statistical cate- gories. Beltran started in right field and batted third. He contributed defensively, making a sliding catch to rob Jimmy Rollins of a hit on a shallow fly in the fifth. Beltran’s streak of reaching base safely was snapped at 32 games. ‘‘I’m not going to lie. I took a deep breath when I saw him slide and the turf flew up,’’ Bochy said of Beltran’s catch. ‘‘He plays hard. That’s how he is. He’s very athletic.’’ Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (5-5) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. The Giants went up 2- 0 in the fourth when Nate Schierholtz ripped an RBI single. Aubrey Huff hit a two-out dou- ble and scored on Schierholtz’s liner to right-center. In the seventh, the Giants had runners at first and third with one out when pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand hit a grounder to third. Michael Martinez bob- bled it and then made a wild throw to first base. Schierholtz scored from third and Chris Stewart came all the way around from first, sliding in safely on a close play at the plate to make it 4-0. Ramon Ramirez took over for Lincecum to start the seventh. He gave up a double to Car- los Ruiz. Chase Utley drove him in when he hit a double off Jeremy Affeldt later in the inning. Brian Wilson finished for his 33rd save in 37 chances. Before the at-bat against Affeldt, Utley had stranded five run- ners, including three in scoring position, in his first three times up. The Phillies had a runner on third with one out in the first after Rollins led off with a double and advanced on a bunt. But Utley popped out to shortstop and Ryan Howard struck out. Utley struck out with men on first and third to end the third. He struck out with two run- ners on to end the fifth. ‘‘We can beat them,’’ Phillies manager Charlie See GIANTS, page 2B Campbell has been hurt throughout his career by constantly changing offensive coordinators and schemes since his time in college at Auburn. He had four different offenses in four years at Auburn, then three more in five years with the Redskins. Then last year he had to learn a new system with the Raiders. But with offensive coordinator Hue Jackson pro- moted to head coach and still calling plays, Camp- bell has a rare sense of familiarity with the offense this season. It even helps that the new offensive coor- dinator, Al Saunders, coached Campbell in Washing- ton for two seasons. ‘‘It definitely helps,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘When you’re going into the same system pretty much, it doesn’t just help the quarterback. It helps the receivers, the running backs, you’re able to do more things. ... We were able to stick some different things in there, some things that we’ve been doing, and it all comes off because this is our second year under coach Jackson and his offense.’’ Campbell had an up-and-down first season in Oakland after being acquired last April in a trade from Washington. He came into camp as the starting quarterback but lasted only six quarters in that role before being benched in favor of Gradkowski at half- time of the home opener against St. Louis. Campbell regained the starting spot a month later after Gradkowski got hurt, but was benched by for- mer coach Tom Cable once again in November before getting the job back when Gradkowski got hurt again. Campbell started 12 games in all last season, win- ning seven of them. He completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,387 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight inter- ceptions and a passer rating of 84.5. ‘‘A lot of guys were learning each other last year,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘We had a new football team and a lot of new guys in a lot of different places. It just took some time for things to jell, but once we got jelling I think you could see some of the talent that we have.’’ The job is clearly Campbell’s now, with Jackson laughing off a question about who his starting quar- terback was. Now the key is for Campbell to build on his successes last year and make the Raiders’ passing game more consistent. San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders Philadelphia Giants