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2B Daily News – Thursday, August 1, 2013 BASEBALL 49ERS AP Source: MLB threatening Kaepernick's A-Rod with lifetime ban confidence NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is threatening to kick Alex Rodriguez out of the game for life unless the New York Yankees star agrees not to fight a lengthy suspension for his role in the sport's latest drug scandal, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized. Whether Commissioner Bud Selig would actually issue a lifetime suspension was unclear and a permanent ban could be shortened by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz to about 200 games, the person said. The number of players likely to be disciplined stood at 14 Wednesday. Front and center is Rodriguez, baseball's highestpaid player and the most prominent one linked in media reports over the past seven months to Biogenesis of America, a closed Florida anti-aging clinic that allegedly distributed banned performanceenhancing drugs. The Yankees expected Rodriguez to be accused of recruiting other athletes for the clinic, attempting to obstruct MLB's investigation, and not being truthful with MLB in the past. Baseball has considered suspending him for violations of its labor contract and drug agreement. Even if he is banned from baseball, there is precedent for a shortened penalty: When pitcher Steve Howe was given a lifetime ban in 1992 in his seventh suspension for drug or alcohol use, an arbitrator reduced the penalty to 119 days. A three-time MVP, Rodriguez acknowledged four years ago that he used performance-enhancing substances while with Texas from 2001-03 but repeatedly has denied using them since. He's been sidelined all season since hip surgery in January and then a quadriceps strain during a minor league rehabilitation assignment in July. The Yankees say he'll start another rehab Friday — Double-A Trenton appeared to be the likely destination. ''Hopefully Alex will be back shortly thereafter,'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. Rodriguez didn't stop to talk with reporters after his workout Wednesday at the team's minor league complex in Tampa, Fla. At first, MLB and the union thought talks on the Biogenesis probe could be completed by Friday, but negotiations to avoid grievances are likely to push back announcements until at least Saturday or Sunday. Others accused in media reports of receiving performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis include a trio of 2013 All-Stars: Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz, San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera and Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Most of the players face 50-game bans as first offenders. Both sides felt urgency to complete the process because by the middle of next week, teams will have fewer than 50 games left. And that would force players to complete suspensions during the playoffs or at the start of next season. Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski protected against a possible suspension of Peralta by acquiring slick-fielding infielder Jose Iglesias from Boston in a three-team trade Tuesday night. ''If it were a 15-day thing, like a typical injury, I think we could have comfortably dealt with it with the players we already have,'' Dombrowski said Wednesday. ''But when you start to talk about 50 days and a possible playoff run, we feel better going ahead with Jose.'' While MLB told the union which players it intends to suspend, it hasn't issued formal notices of discipline. Because of that, the countdown hasn't started under baseball's Joint Drug Agreement, which says the suspensions are effective on the third business day after the notice is issued. The sides also haven't decided whether suspensions for first-time offenders who challenge the penalty can be announced before an arbitration decision. If some stars knew their seasons were about to be cut short, they weren't letting on Wednesday, at least publicly. ''I can't talk about nothing right now. Just wait for the news,'' Cabrera said Wednesday before playing against Cincinnati. Peralta thinks he shouldn't be on the list of players linked to Biogenesis. ''It's wrong,'' he said. ''But whatever happens, I need to fight and try to move on.'' Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera, Oakland pitcher Bartolo Colon and San Diego catcher Yasmani Grandal were all suspended for 50 games last year for positive tests for elevated testosterone. MLB informed the union they won't receive additional discipline for that violation, two people familiar with the probe said. They also spoke on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized. ''Nothing's been told to me,'' Melky Cabrera said. ''I served my suspension last year, but MLB has never told me that it's OK now. I'm seeing it in the press, but I don't know.'' Texas was unable to find a replacement bat to fill a void a suspension of Cruz would create. ''I don't think anybody's comfortable losing a significant part of your club, but it's out of our control,'' Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. ''We explored some deal like that. They just didn't come to a head. It wasn't for lack of interest or lack of effort. It was more lack of supply and lack of fit, really.'' NFL Pro Bowl rosters to be determined by draft NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL Pro Bowl rosters for next year will be selected in a draft by team captains, with Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice assisting as alumni captains. The NFL will abandon the AFC vs. NFC format that has been in place since 1971. The league says Wednesday that fan voting will determine the play- GIANTS (Continued from page 1B) Pablo Sandoval started it with an RBI on a bloop single. Pill hit a two-run single, and Kieschnick singled in one. The Giants chased Kendrick with three in the third. Pill and Kieschnick had RBI singles before Gaudin got his single. Pill and Crawford connected off J.C. Ramirez in the seventh. Phillies third baseman Cody Asche started his A'S (Continued from page 1B) one out in the eighth, then gave way to Steve Delabar. He struck out Chris Young and Vogt. Dickey wasn't helped by four errors, two of which allowed the A's to score, and the knuckleballer did not yield an earned run. The righthander is winless in his last five starts, going 0-3 since beating the Tigers on July 1, and has only one victory in nine starts against the A's. ''We didn't score a whole lot and they basically gave us a couple runs. We didn't get too many good swings off him,'' Melvin said. ers in the draft pool. The draft will be televised by the NFL Network on Jan. 22. The game will be played Jan. 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. Other changes are coming to the game, too. The ball will change hands at the end of each quarter, which could double the opportunities for two- minute drills. Kickoffs (and return specialists) will be eliminated — teams will start on their own 25yard line. Defenses will be allowed to play cover-2 and press coverage in addition to man, and several clock tweaks have been instituted to speed up the game and prompt offensive play. first game, and his first fielding play was a sensational one. Asche made a diving, backhanded grab on Hunter Pence's hard shot down the line in the first, got up and threw him out with a strong throw. Michael Young moved from third to first base to make room for Asche. The Phillies considered trading Young, but general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. stood pat for the first time in his tenure. Fans sitting in the first couple rows down the right-field line escaped injury when Sandoval's bat shattered on a swing in the sixth and flew high in the air before landing more than 100 feet away. The broken part of the bat came down like a spear, but fans moved out of the way. Sandoval hustled out an infield single on the play, but left the game with a right heel bruise. Dickey collided with third baseman Brett Lawrie on an infield popup behind the mound to allow Eric Sogard to reach leading off the fifth, then Sogard scored on Maicer Izturis' second miscue of the game when the second baseman chased down a popup in shallow right field but dropped it as he appeared to lose the ball in the sun. ''We were having with the sky, some sun,'' Dickey said. ''My particular play I just tripped over the Rosin bag and I heard Brett call for it late or I would have gotten out of the way, but I was on my way falling down.'' The AL West-leading A's lost consecutive games for the first time since opening the second half by dropping two in a row in Anaheim. They wasted a chance in the fourth against Dickey after loading the bases with no outs. Oakland last faced a knuckleballer when they beat Tim Wakefield 15-5 on Aug. 26, 2011. A's right fielder Josh Reddick was a late lineup scratch after he showed up at the ballpark with a headache, a day after teammate Jed Lowrie's knee hit him in the head after both chased a foul ball along the right field line. Melvin said it wasn't considered to be a concussion but the team would be cautious and NOTES: Sandoval is day to day. ... The Giants had nine runs total in their previous five games. ... Gaudin is 4-0 in five road starts. ... Buster Posey returned to San Francisco's lineup after missing a game with an upset stomach. ... Posey had the team's last homer on July 20. It was 90 1-3 innings before Pill hit his shot. ... The Phillies are 2-9 since the All-Star break. ... Kendrick's wife, Stephanie, gave birth to the couple's second child, Kyle Jr., on Tuesday. ... Cole Hamels (413, 4.09) faces Matt Cain (6-6, 4.79) in a matchup of struggling aces Thursday night. give him until Friday's series opener with the Texas Rangers after an off day Thursday. soars at camp SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Just a week into training camp, Colin Kaepernick can already feel the difference between where the San Francisco 49ers' offense is now versus this time a year ago. All of his teammates can see the evolution, too. Kaepernick's confidence and comfort level have been soaring on and off the field. He has been tossing deep balls with more touch behind that powerful right arm — even leaving All-Pro linebackers questioning how to defend such precision — and strutting around the 49ers' facility with a black beanie on his head and bright red headphones around his neck to show off his swagger. ''I think thus far I'm a lot farther ahead from where I am last year,'' Kaepernick said Wednesday. ''And hopefully moving forward that continues to show more and more.'' All eyes have been on Kaepernick since camp began last week. While his favorite target has been new wide receiver Anquan Boldin, Kaepernick and tight end Vernon Davis turned in what might be the play of training camp Tuesday. A day later, the throw and catch still had the 49ers' facility abuzz. Davis, lining up in the left slot, was covered by All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis underneath and safety C.J. Spillman over the top. Davis sliced across the middle of the field and made an over-the-shoulder catch on a perfectly thrown pass by Kaepernick some 45 yards down field for a touchdown. ''When Kaep threw the ball and Vernon was able to turn on another gear and go get it on the other side of the field, I'm just like, 'Come on, that's not even fair,''' Willis said. The play was just a small sign of how far Kaepernick has come with his receivers. Davis' role diminished when Kaepernick took over for Alex Smith last season. The tight end finished with 41 receptions for 548 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season; all three were his lowest since he caught 31 passes for 358 yards and two TDs in 2008. Kaepernick said Davis' determination has never wavered. The two spent extra time together this offseason building that chemistry — which Davis candidly said last year they didn't have — and trust to create big plays like the one in Tuesday's practice. ''He did everything right on that play,'' Kaepernick said. ''He made the correct read on the coverage, hit his landmark and at the end had that extra burst of speed to go get the ball.'' The biggest challenge for Kaepernick so far in training camp has been finding rhythm with all of his receivers, which has been increasingly difficult because of injuries. Top target Michael Crabtree is rehabbing his surgically repaired right Achilles' tendon and is expected to miss at least half the season — and likely more. Mario Manningham is coming off an ACL tear in his knee and is expected to be back ''at some point'' this season, coach Jim Harbaugh said. And Kyle Williams, A.J. Jenkins and Kassim Osgood each came off the field Tuesday with apparent leg issues, and all sat out Wednesday's practice. Kaepernick has used the time to develop a rapport with others receivers, including shifty slot man Chad Hall, who has surprisingly emerged as one of the quarterback's favorite targets for one reason. ''He gets open,'' Kaepernick said. Kaepernick believes the work he did with most of his receivers following the Super Bowl will alleviate the time they miss in training camp nursing injuries. They spent about two months in the Atlanta area running routes and studying the playbook, and the coaches have noticed the offseason work. ''I think Colin's getting better at really everything he does, just because of the approach he takes. He's definitely somebody with a live arm, and I think he's really focused on all his throws — short, intermediate and deep,'' offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. The 49ers believe Kaepernick's experience in the offense is what has led to his progression. Kaepernick, drafted in the second round out of Nevada in 2011, is entering his third season under Harbaugh and Roman — and first as the unquestioned starter. He finished 7-3 as the leading man last season with 1,814 yards passing, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for a quarterback playoff-record 181 yards — with a 56-yard touchdown against Green Bay in the divisional playoffs — and he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, where they lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens. While the regular season doesn't begin until Sept. 8 against the Packers, Kaepernick said his command of the offense in camp gives the 49ers a powerful starting point. ''It's just being more comfortable with the receivers,'' Kaepernick said. ''People I'm throwing to, our tight ends, receivers, they're making plays and I'm putting the ball up there.'' RAYS (Continued from page 1B) NOTES: A's LHP Brett Anderson is scheduled to face hitters Friday. Melvin said he likely would throw 15 pitches, sit down, then make 15 more. He might do another simulated game of sorts before beginning a rehab assignment. ... New A's INF Alberto Callaspo, acquired from the division rival Angels on Tuesday night, joined his new team after flying in from Dallas. He flied out to right in the seventh as a pinch-hitter then stayed in at 2B. Isaac Funderburk (1112) 50 breast 8th, 100 free 1st, 50 free 10th, 100 breast 5th, 50 back 12th. Isaac had three best ever times. Lucas Barriga (11-12) 100 IM 7th , 50 breast 5th, 100 free 2nd, 50 free 7th, 100 breast 6th. Lucas had five best ever times. Tyler Grine (13-14)100 free 1st, 200 IM 1st, 100 breast 3rd, 200 free 1st, 100 back 1st, 100 fly 1st, 50 free. Tyler swam all seven events with best ever times. Tyler also won high point in his age group. James Stokes (15-16) 100 free 6th, 200 IM 6th, 100 breast 6th, 200 free 5th, 200 breast 4th, 100 back 5th, 50 free 3rd. Joseph Wilson (15-16) 100 free 4th, 50 free 1st. Zachary Pritchard (1516) 200 fly 2nd, 100 free 2nd, 200 IM 2nd, 100 breast 1st, 200 breast 1st, 100 back 2nd, 100 fly 1st, 50 free 2nd. Zachary had two best ever times. Logan Touvell (15-16) 200 back 1st, 200 fly 1st, 100 free 1st, 200 IM 1st, 200 free 1st, 200 breast 2nd, 100 back 1st, 100 fly 2nd. Logan had five best ever times. Owen Ritter (17-18) 100 free 4th, 100 breast 2nd, 100 fly 2nd, 50 free 4th.