Crawford is Giants' Heart and Hustle winner
SAN DIEGO -- Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford gained more recognition Tuesday, when the recent first-time All-Star was named the club's winner of the Heart and Hustle Award by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
The award honors active players who demonstrate passion on the field and embody the game's values, spirit and tradition. It's also the Majors' only award that is voted on by former players.
Crawford wasn't expecting the distinction.
"It's kind of surprising when you have somebody like Hunter on your team," he said in a verbal salute to right fielder Hunter Pence, the Giants' poster child for effort. Pence was San Francisco's Heart and Hustle nominee in the previous two years.
Between now and the end of the season, fans, baseball alumni and active players will vote to select the final winner from among the 30 team winners. Previous overall winners are David Eckstein (2005), Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), Torii Hunter (2011), Mike Trout (2012), Dustin Pedroia (2013) and Josh Harrison (2014).
• Giants manager Bruce Bochy reiterated that right-hander Tim Lincecum, who's enduring a degenerative hip condition, will resume throwing in about five days and could try tossing from a mound in a week. Bochy suggested that wear and tear may have affected Lincecum's impossibly long stride in his pitching delivery, which in turn could be responsible for his ineffective stretches in recent seasons.
"I think it's been a little more difficult for him, not having the looseness he had when he was younger," Bochy said of Lincecum, 31.
• Bochy said a "small chance" existed that left-hander Jeremy Affeldt, who threw a bullpen session Tuesday, could be activated from the disabled list Wednesday if the Giants decide they need a fresh arm. Affeldt has been sidelined with a strained throwing shoulder since he allowed four runs without retiring a batter June 25 against San Diego. Affeldt's more likely to be activated Friday, when the Giants begin a three-game Interleague series against the A's at AT&T Park.