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ByAlexPavlovic BayAreaNewsGroup SAN FRANCISCO Giants presi- dent Larry Baer, general man- ager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy met with the media for nearly 30 minutes Thursday afternoon. The session could be summed up by one sentence. "I'm not going to address anybody at this time other than Pablo (Sandoval), because that's the player we're engaged with," Sabean said. Sandoval is one of the few big- name position players on the market, and at 28 years old and coming off a spectacular post- season, he's in position to ask the Giants and any other suit- ors for just about whatever he wants. The Giants have spoken to Sandoval's side this week, and all other business is on hold un- til they figure out what they're doing at third base. Asked about left field, Sa- bean said the Giants won't "un- derstand the landscape more until Pablo is resolved." When asked about Jake Peavy, Sabean said, "We've told both Peavy and (Ryan) Vogelsong that we need some time to sort things out." "Again, it goes back to Pablo," Sabean continued. "Pablo is the only one we've engaged as far as an offer and moving forward in that fashion. The four other free agents know where we stand." The others are Peavy, Vogel- song, Michael Morse and Sergio Romo. Despite the importance of the Sandoval decision, Sabean said he doesn't expect a quick resolution. Marquee free agents typically do not sign until closer to the winter meetings, held this year from Dec. 8-11. If Sandoval signs elsewhere, the Giants will have to scramble at third base. "We don't have a solution in house," Sabean said. "It would have to come from the outside." • Bochy said he expects Tim Lincecum to be in the rotation next spring. "We have a need there, I think that's fair to say," he said. "Vo- gey is a free agent, Peavy is a free agent. Matt Cain — he's do- ing well and we expect him to be ready to go in spring training, so that's good news on that side." Lincecum was pulled from the rotation in August and made only one postseason ap- pearance, but Bochy remains confident. "At times he was very good this year," Bochy said. "He went through a streak there where he was throwing the ball as well as anybody. Toward the end, we made a change there for the postseason and put him in the bullpen, but it's all about try- ing to get better and improve as a player and a pitcher and that's what Timmy is going to do. We'll keep in touch with him, and our conditioning guy will go up there as he does with all play- ers. As far as a drastic (change), no I don't see him doing that. Our hope is he bounces back and throws the ball the way he did for about six, seven weeks there. He was really good. I think he'll come to spring training very de- termined to get back on track and be the pitcher he is and we know." Yusmeiro Petit had the better year, but he's not locked into the rotation. "We'll see where we're at as we approach spring training," Bochy said. "The nice thing about Petit is he gives you those options. We saw the value of this guy in the bullpen and also as a starter. It's nice to have that ver- satility that he gives us, includ- ing maybe the sixth-seventh in- ning, too. I think he's grown as a pitcher. His confidence has just soared. It gives us options and that's what's nice. I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know if really any of us do at this point, but we know we have a guy we could have in the bull- pen or as a starter and that's nice to know." • There was no talk about a position change for Buster Posey. He'll stay behind the plate next season. BASEBALL SandovalstillGiants' onlyconcern,fornow Peavy,Vogelsong,Morse,Romoarealsofree agents with San Francisco's decisions unsure ERICRISBERG—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (right) answers a question as general manager Brian Sabean looks on during a news conference at AT&T Park on Thursday in San Francisco. The Giants face a busy winter as they try to re-sign third baseman Pablo Sandoval. By Cam Inman Bay Area News Group SANTA CLARA Michael Crabtree didn't get into specifics Thursday but did state the painfully obvious when it comes to the San Fran- cisco 49ers offensive dysfunction. "We're just not playing how we need to be playing," said Crabtree, the 49ers' most tenured wide re- ceiver. "Obviously you guys see that. We've got to play better." The 49ers (4-4) must outscore the league's second-ranked of- fense Sunday in the Superdome against the New Orleans Saints (4-4). Otherwise, the 49ers will come away with their first three- game losing streak under coach Jim Harbaugh. But are these 49ers, warts and all, capable of surviving an offen- sive shootout? Offensive coordinator Greg Ro- man is willing to take the recent blame, stating: "When we fall short, it starts squarely with me. I've got to do a better job getting us prepared, getting us to execute better." Roman, however, acted sur- prised to hear he's under fire from fans and media, not to mention some players who've openly ques- tioned the team's split philosophy. "That's news to me," Roman said. "I really don't pay atten- tion to that. All the fans I come across are very gracious and very classy. I really can't concern my- self with the flak that might fly around, good or bad." The 49ers have made no secret about a desire to have the football fly more off Colin Kaepernick's young arm. He's on pace to at- tempt 514 passes, which would be the most in a 49ers season since their 2004 team constantly played catch-up en route to a 2-14 record. Can the 49ers recapture their blue-collar mentality while try- ing to morph into the NFL's pass- happy world? "Yeah, I think we have have the players to do it," Kaepernick said Wednesday, "but it's really going to be dictated by the scheme that week, and what we feel we can take advantage of." Despite a stubborn emphasis on a multiple-threat passing at- tack, the 49ers rank just 22nd in yards per game. Despite a suc- cessful history of running the ball, touchdown runs have been scarce, with a total of only three that tops only the winless Raid- ers (two). Crabtree, a pending free agent, knows he has room to improve af- ter catching 37 of 60 passes tar- geted for him, for 362 yards (9.8 average) with three touchdowns. "I always have high expecta- tions for myself," Crabtree said. "It ain't where I want it to be, that's why I work hard every day, try to catch every pass thrown my way. Whatever they give me, I work my hardest to work with it." Crabtree's seven drops in eight games are the league's second- most, according to ProFootballFo- cus.com. Asked if he feels there's more on his and other receivers' shoulders this season, Crabtree responded: "No, why would you say that?" NFL Crabtree looking for 49ers to improve San Francisco off to New Orleans to play Saints MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ—ASSOCIATED PRESS The Rams' Trumaine Johnson (22) is called for interference on the 49ers' Michael Crabtree. The Wednesday night senior dance is now a community dance, 7-10p.m., welcom- ing all ages to the Westside Grange Hall, 20794Walnut St. in Red Bluff. Live bands play on alternating Wednesdays. GRANGE HALL Wednesdaynightdance not just for seniors now PAGEB2 The Red Bluff Derby Girls final home bout of the season 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Tehama District Fairgrounds. The Der- by Girls will face the Peninsula Roller Girls. Tickets are $10in advance, $12at the door. ROLLER DERBY Red Bluff Derby Girls host Peninsula for bout The regular season ends 7:30 p.m. tonight with Corning (6-3) looking for a share of the NAL title at Yreka (5-4). Red Bluff (2-7) is at Pleasant Valley (7-2) with an outside chance of making the playoffs. WEEK 10 FOOTBALL Corning visits Yreka, Red Bluff at PV Get your puzzles fix with the NEA Crossword, 7Little Words and Celebrity Cipher, start your day off right with your horoscope, and read the latest advice doled out by Carolyn Hax. YOUR DAILY BREAK Fun and games inside today PAGE B3 Sassy Sixties: The Wilcox Oaks Women's Golf Club team of Cathy Gumm and Susie Daly won first place in their flight for their low net score of 131at the Women's Golf Association of Northern California Sassy Sixties tournament on Oct. 21-22. It was a two-day event held at Granite Bay and Auburn Valley golf courses where more than 100 women from the North Valley participated. GOLF By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press NEW YORK A hearing for Ray Rice appealing his NFL suspension concluded Thursday after two days and testimony from the former running back and the head of the league. Rice and his wife Janay Rice left the hearing sep- arately on Thursday about three hours apart after each testified at the New York office of a neutral ar- biter. The arbitration hear- ing will determine whether the NFL overstepped its authority in modifying a two-game suspension of Rice, making it indefinite after video of the running back hitting his wife was released by TMZ. "I can trust it's a fair process," said Rice's attor- ney, Peter Ginsberg. Two people familiar with the case said Thurs- day there's no timetable for the former federal judge presiding over the case to make her decision, though one person said she has asked the sides to submit closing briefs next week. Both spoke to The Associ- ated Press on condition of anonymity because the ar- biter has told the sides not to discuss details of the pri- vate hearing. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell testified for more than two hours. NFL Rice suspension hearing concludes a er two days SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, November 7, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1