Decisions Aplenty As the San Francisco Giants Get Healthy

San Francisco Giants' manager Bruce Bochy will have some decisions to make in the coming days and extending for the next several weeks.

The Giants are finally getting healthy again.

The injuries started back on Opening Night when Andres Torres got injured and ended (knock on wood) with Pablo Sandoval's injury two weeks ago.

On Tuesday, both Torres and Mark DeRosa were activated off the DL and available to play the field. But where?

San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks Have Two Very Different Weekends

It was a tale of two Bay Area teams headed in two very different directions this past weekend.

The San Francisco Giants swept the division-rival Colorado Rockies, and the San Jose Sharks are headed back to Detroit after not being able to close out the Red Wings series in Games 4 or 5 on Friday and Sunday.

Resurgence in San Francisco, and panic an hour south in San Jose.

Jonathan Sanchez Disappointing as the San Francisco Giants Head Home

Jonathan Sanchez has walked 12 batters in his last two starts and the San Francisco Giants could not sweep the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon.

It will be a much-needed homestand spanning seven days for the Giants, in which they will see NL West rivals Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks take the field at AT&T Park.

This was not the most successful roadtrip for the Giants. They finished the trip with a record of 5-5, and saw Pablo Sandoval go down with injury, while encountering two rather disappointing outings from starter Jonathan Sanchez.

Devin Setoguchi and the San Jose Sharks Continue OT Success; Take 3-0 Series Lead

It took a Devin Setoguchi hat trick, including the overtime clincher, to push the San Jose Sharks past the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night. The Sharks continued their perfect streak of overtime wins, now five of five, and put the Red Wings into a huge 3-0 series hole.

Instant classic.

Arguably both teams' best efforts of the series, the Sharks managed to get by the Red Wings with solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and a little hockey luck.

Everyone knew the Red Wings would come out swinging in Game 3, being down 2-0 in the series, so it was no

San Jose Sharks...Torture?

The San Jose Sharks currently hold a 2-0 game lead over the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The Sharks seem to have nothing holding them back from reaching the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years.

But what has some people doubting how far the Sharks can go is history.

The Sharks fall notoriously short when it comes to pursuing the Stanley Cup in April and May. Year after year we see the Sharks become the favorite to win it all, and then see them falter when it comes to crucial games and series.

San Francisco Giants: Pablo Sandoval's Injury Could Not Come at a Worse Time

Have the San Francisco Giants hit rock bottom yet?

Sure, that may be taking it a bit too far, but these are the World Series champion San Francisco Giants we are talking about. Not only is their hitting not getting it done as of late, but the pitching isn't too hot either.

Now, third baseman Pablo Sandoval is out 4-6 weeks with a broken wrist. He will have surgery today, May 3rd, or so he tweeted... I mean twittered...I don't know.

NHL Playoffs: Some Things We Learned About the San Jose Sharks In Their Game 1 Win in Overtime

Detroit Red Wings' goaltender Jimmy Howard was good. The San Jose Sharks proved to be better on Friday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose.

That's about all you can say, right?

In such a tightly-played game, it seemed that if either team flinched, it would mean a loss for that team.

Luckily for the Sharks, the Red Wings flinched in overtime.

San Francisco 49ers: Drafting Aldon Smith Means the Return of Alex Smith

So with Blaine Gabbert, Prince Amukamara and Robert Quinn still on the 2011 NFL Draft board, the 49ers drafted a 21-year-old defensive end from Missouri.

Welcome to the San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith?

It doesn't have the same ring to it that maybe Blaine Gabbert does, but it is a somewhat knowledgeable pick.

If I could compare the pick to another Bay Area team's draft pick, it would be the Golden State Warriors' selection of Anthony Randolph in 2008.

San Francisco Giants: You Have To Start One, Bench One, Kill One

Aaron Rowand, Nate Schierholtz, Mark DeRosa - You have to start one, bench one, kill one...Go!

It is no secret the San Francisco Giants have too many outfielders. No, it is not that all of these players are so good that it is hard to get rid of one of them, but it is the fact that each of them are of the mediocre variety that makes it so tough to get rid of them.

Recent reports have the Florida Marlins eyeing utility man Mark DeRosa for their third base job.

San Francisco 49ers: 2011 NFL Draft Preview & Predictions

The sports world has not seen an NFL Draft like this in awhile. The team drafting #1 will most likely be picking a quarterback that has legitimate shots at being either an okay quarterback, a total carwreck or a cash cow...or all of the above. That's the probable #1 pick?

The offensive talent in this year's draft is nothig special, to say the least. The defense, as the kids would say, is where it's at in this year's NFL Draft. Big, burly defensive linemen, and quick and physical specimens in the secondary. This draft is a draft rich in defense, and they will be going quick come Thursday night.

So where do the 49ers fall in all of this?

San Jose Sharks: Antero Niittymaki or Antti Niemi To Start Game 4?

How would you like to be San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan right now?

Okay, he's probably not the worst person to be right now, I mean, he is head coach of a team that came back from a 4-0 deficit to win 6-5 in overtime in the playoffs and take control of the series.

But how about the decision he has to make for Game 4 in Los Angeles on Thursday night?

Go with the goalie who has brought your team to the playoffs by playing practically the entire second half of the season, or the goalie who silenced the Kings on the Sharks' way to one of the greatest comebacks in NHL playoff history?

Antti Niemi or Antero Niittymaki?

San Francisco Giants: Brandon Belt Seems Bound For AAA-Fresno

So the San Francisco Giants made a mistake. The hype was so huge coming out of Spring Training that the Giants ultimately had no choice but to start Brandon Belt on Opening Day at first base.

The Giants went against everything they have ever preached about their prospects by bringing up Belt to the majors to start the season.

Buster Posey waited until mid-season. Now look at him. So did Madison Bumgarner and a host of other players who now make up the young core of the Giants' competitive ball club.

Which is why murmurs of Belt's imminent departure for Fresno seems just about right for this situation.

Where the Golden State Warriors Go From Here

The overall expectations for these 20010-11 Golden State Warriors was up in the air at the start of this past season.

Who will be the majority scorer, Monta Ellis or Stephen Curry? Will David Lee be all they payed him to be? What role will Dorell Wright play? Is coach Keith Smart in the future plans for this team?

Turns out, all of these questions were answered, and rather quickly.

San Jose Sharks Get By L.A. Kings In Game 1 Slugfest

Joe Pavelski's game-winning goal at the 14:44 mark of OT snuck the San Jose Sharks past the Los Angeles Kings last night in front of a rowdy crowd at HP Pavilion.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan had said it all week. The playoffs were going to be a matter of getting to three goals first for the Sharks. And at the end of two periods, McLellan's ideology proved correct, as the game was tied 2-2 heading into the third period and then into overtime, as well.

It was about momentum in Game 1.

2011 NHL Playoffs: San Jose Sharks vs. L.A. Kings Series Preview & Predictions

Imagine you walk into the HP Pavilion on Thursday night. A sea of teal and black cover the arena except for the rectangle of freshly zambonied ice that is the center of attention for the next three hours.

The lights go black and Metallica's Seek and Destroy fills the stadium as Antti Niemi leads the team from out of the shark's mouth just as he has done numerous times this season.

The lights return and the National Anthem begins.

"Oh, say can you see..."

Chants of "Beat LA!" suddenly ring from the upper level of the right side of the arena.

It is playoff time in San Jose.

NHL Playoffs: No One Tell Joe Thornton It Is Playoff Time

We've seen it before. The San Jose Sharks have an amazing regular season and hopes are high heading into the NHL playoffs.

There's too many weapons on this team to fail, right?

Wrong.

The NHL playoffs are a bigger beast and big names tend to crumble during this time, especially if they're wearing a Sharks jersey, or so history claims.

The perfect example of a big name becoming miniscule when the lights are on them is Joe Thornton.

Beat LA: 4 Reasons the Los Angeles Kings Are the Most Favorable Match-Up For the San Jose Sharks

In a final weekend of the NHL season that can only be described as "nutty," some teams got the match-up they wanted in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and others did not. I will gladly insert the San Jose Sharks into the "match-up they wanted" category for several reasons.

The Sharks will play the Los Angeles Kings in the 1st round of the NHL Playoffs that will start in San Jose at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

From a distance, the Kings may be the most favorable match-up in the entire Western Conference playoff picture for the Sharks.