Mike Sadek, former catcher with Giants, dies
Former San Francisco Giants catcher Mike Sadek has died. He was 74.
The Giants said Sadek died Wednesday in San Andreas after a short illness. Sadek was a popular player with the Giants despite being a career backup in eight seasons between 1973-81.
He batted .226 with five homers and 74 RBIs in 383 career games. His high for games played in a season was 64 in 1980 when he batted a career-high .252.
After retiring as a player, Sadek worked in the Giants’ community relations department from 1981-99.
“Mike was a Forever Giant in every sense of the term,” Giants CEO Larry Baer said in a statement. “He spent nearly 30 years in the Giants organization between his time as a player and his role as a member of the front office. He had a genuine love for the game and was known for getting a laugh out of his teammates when they needed it the most.
“Our condolences go out to the Sadek family for their loss and we extend our thoughts to his teammates and friends.”
CASTRO AGREES TO TERMS WITH ASTROS >> Catcher Jason Castro has agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract with the Houston Astros, according to The Associated Press. The agreement is pending completion of a successful physical.
This will be Castro’s second stint with the team after he was selected in the first round of the 2008 amateur draft by the Astros and spent his first six MLB seasons with the team.
The 33-year-old gives Houston another veteran catcher to play behind starter Martín Maldonado.
Castro played for both the Angels and the Padres last season where he appeared in 27 games and hit .188 with two homers and nine RBIs. He spent the previous three seasons with the Twins where he played 208 games and hit .229. EX-GIANTS INFIELDER SIGNS >> Former Giants utilityman Daniel Robertson has agreed to a $900,000, oneyear contract with the Milwaukee Brewers that allows him to earn an additional $400,000 in performance bonuses.
Robertson, a 2012 firstround pick of the A’s, batted .333 with no homers and two RBIs in 17 games with the Giants last season while making appearances at shortstop, second base, third base and the outfield. His contract was purchased from Tampa Bay on Aug. 23.
He has a career batting average of .234 with 16 homers and 74 RBIs in 249 games. He has a .342 onbase percentage and .354 slugging percentage.
Soccer
QUAKES TAKE CAL STAR IN SUPERDRAFT >> The Earthquakes used their firstround draft pick in the MLS Super-Draft on Cal forward Tommy Williamson, who was the 12th overall selection.
Williamson’s selection marked the second consecutive season the Quakes drafted a local collegiate player with the 12th overall pick in the Super-Draft -they took Stanford defender Tanner Beason last year.
Williamson, who is from Villa Park, Ca., earned All-Pac-12 second team honors in 2019 while scoring nine goals in 18 games for the Bears.
Meanwhile, Stanford defender Logan Panchot was selected by DC United in the second round. The St. Louis native helped the Cardinal win a pair of Pac-12 titles along with a national title while at Stanford.
The expansion Austin FC took Venezuelan-born midfielder Daniel Pereira of Virginia Tech with the first overall pick in the draft.
College football
SPARTANS STAR ENTERS NFL DRAFT>> After entering the NCAA transfer portal two weeks ago, San Jose State wide receiver Tre Walker announced on Twitter he’s declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Walker, a two-time All-Mountain West Conference receiver who had 178 catches, 2,674 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches in his four years at San Jose State, planned on transferring to Mississippi State for his fifth and final collegiate season. However, that plan was foiled by an SEC transfer rule prohibiting players with less than two years of eligibility from joining a conference team. BILL O’BRIEN JOINS ALABAMA >> Alabama hired ex-Houston Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien as its offensive coordinator.
O’Brien will follow in the footsteps of Steve Sarkisian, who left his job as Crimson Tide offensive coordinator to become head coach of the Texas Longhorns.
The hiring marks the second ex-NFL head coach to join Nick Saban’s staff this offseason. Doug Marrone agreed to become offensive line coach after spending four-plus seasons in charge of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Golf
HAGY GRABS EARLY LEAD IN DESERT >> Brandon Hagy of Cal took the first-round lead with an 8-under 64 on the Nicklaus course, staying one shot ahead of South Korea’s Byeong Hun An in the opening tournament of the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing.
Hagy racked up 10 birdies, including three streaks of three in a row. He capped the round with a calm birdie putt on the 18th.
An made seven birdies without a bogey in his 65. Max Homa, Martin Laird and Si Wood Kim each shot 66.
Hagy grew up in Westlake Village before his All-America collegiate career in Berkeley.
He was added to the Am Ex field Monday when second-ranked Jon Rahm abruptly dropped out without giving a reason to tour officials. Rahm later said he incurred a minor injury in the gym, but the Spaniard plans to play at Torrey Pines next week.
KANG TAKES LEAD IN LPGA TOUR OPENER >> Danielle Kang carded an opening round 64 to take a one-shot lead at the $1.2 million Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Kang sits at 7-under par, one stroke ahead of three players tied for second at 6 under — sisters Jessica Korda and Nelly Korda and defending champion Gaby Lopez.
Brittany Lincicome and Stacy Lewis shot opening rounds of 66 and are tied for fifth. Lexi Thompson, Angela Stanford and Brooke Henderson are tied for seven that 4 under.