SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants, whose challenges on the baseball field have become all too apparent, seem to be struggling just as much with maintaining a favorable public image off of it.

Surprisingly, their unremarkable performance during games has not even surfaced as the organization’s biggest concern.

The franchise’s public relations missteps began nearly two weeks ago with their mishandling of a Pride Night incident. This debacle has since spiraled into a federal investigation, dragging the club into a prominent national political discussion that shows no signs of abating. The situation worsened further on Thursday.

Yet again, a senior club executive stepped up to the media, only to miss yet another opportunity to make a positive impact.

In the wake of Buster Posey’s earlier fiasco—where his lack of preparation showed, especially in addressing Rafael Devers’ critique of his manager and players’ discontent over a significant promotional event—the president of baseball operations opted to cancel his interview on the Giants’ main radio station, KNBR. This decision adds to the growing list of public relations setbacks the team is currently facing.

It was supposed to be Posey’s turn to appear on the weekly “Executive Show,” but instead it was CEO Larry Baer who came on with hosts John Dickinson and Dieter Kurtenbach.

Apparently even the friendliest possible setting was too scary for the team’s top baseball executive.

Dickinson introduced Posey’s replacement by telling listeners that the team’s top business-side executive had “some things [he] wants to address about Pride Night.” That much alone was dubious, given that Baer was not made available despite repeated requests by reporters following the uncomfortable session with Posey where he would only answer “baseball questions.”

Despite apparently preparing a statement, Baer said about as little as Posey did two days prior and took no questions on the controversy. That, according to a source familiar, was a result of the restrictions put on the interview by team officials, who told the hosts in a meeting over Zoom the night before that Baer would be pinch-hitting and no follow-ups on the topic would be permitted.

Baer said he wanted to “speak from the heart” but offered the same mealy mouthed platitudes present in the organization’s lone, nameless statement after Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote Bible verses on the Pride Night hats that featured a rainbow Giants logo.

A fourth pitcher, Sam Hentges, opted to wear the Giants’ normal, black and orange cap.

“I know we’ve heard from many fans, and I know there are deep feelings about the events of Pride Night this year. We know it, we’ve heard, we’re listening,” Baer said.

“Just come context here: It’s a north star here to create an experience in our ballpark for all fans, at Candlestick and Oracle Park, an experience that’s welcoming to all fans. That has not changed. … You know, look, yes, we’ve learned a lot in the last 11 days. Yes, we could have handled things better this year, for sure. We’re absolutely committed to continuing conversations with the LGBTQ+ community going forward. That’s where we are as an organization. … I just wanted to deliver that message to the fans and move on. Let’s talk about some other things.”

The pitchers’ actions were initially reprimanded by MLB for violating the uniform code, leading the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the league over religious discrimination.

Commisioner Rob Manfred placed blame directly on the organization for the “inadequate” communication to its players, and given what we’ve seen from their public posturing, should it be any surprise that it’s apparently just as much of a mess behind closed doors?

But nobody, even the franchise’s supposed leaders, is willing to address any of that.

Even when posed with the line of questioning they prefer, the team’s top decision-makers don’t seem capable of coming up with adequate answers. Posey called his news conference despite having not even spoken to Devers, largely deflecting those inquiries to manager Tony Vitello.

Baer, asked about the team’s problematic bullpen, noted how unfortunate it was that they had lost last year’s All-Star closer, Randy Rodriguez, to elbow surgery — a development that took place last September, before Posey opted not to commit more than $2 million to any reliever.

The bullpen came up the last time Posey appeared on the KNBR airwaves. Asked about his lack of investment in the group over the offseason, he used a strawman to deflect criticism. He seemed to suggest his choices were committing $69 million to Edwin Diaz or nothing at all.

The inability to articulate a vision can be traced back to Posey’s first day on the job, when he suggested his plan to return the team to relevance was to focus on “making memories.”

Surely, nobody will be forgetting this saga anytime soon.

Even if they would prefer to, as Baer put it, talk about some other things.

Federal authorities are now involved after a severe attack on a woman in Texas. According to police, the assailants reportedly yelled “Free Karmelo” during the assault.

During a press briefing about the incident, LaDarian Brown, the Public Information Officer for the Longview Police Department, revealed that the FBI had been called in due to potential threats being shared on social media.

Brown stated, “We have noticed discussions on social media that suggest retaliation and conflict within our community. These comments are taken very seriously by the authorities.”

He assured the public that there is no imminent danger. The News Media has contacted the FBI for further information on the situation.

News Media reported that a victim claims the suspects said “they [were] going to target the smallest white girl they could find.”

The attack, which happened in Longview, Texas, appears to be motivated by support for Karmelo Anthony whose murder conviction has inspired a movement of people challenging the jury’s decision. Anthony killed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, last year.

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The Longview Police Department confirmed to News Media they are investigating the attack and have arrested one person involved in the attack so far.

The suspect who was arrested is 21-year-old Ciarrianne Fuller, of Longview, according to KYTX. She is facing assault charges and was booked into jail on a $20,000 bond, the outlet reported.

The attack happened outside Whiskey J’s nightclub in Longview, according to KYTX.

Christian Pulisic, alongside other American World Cup team members, found themselves in an unexpected predicament after a pizza outing took an unforeseen turn, necessitating assistance from a golf cart dealership owner.

Pulisic, accompanied by teammates Weston McKennie and Alejandro Zendejas, set out from the USA World Cup hotel near Laguna Beach on a leisurely Father’s Day trip. This relaxed break came on the heels of their 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle.

However, their journey hit a snag when an unfortunate accident on the Pacific Coast Highway halted them in their tracks. The crash closed one lane of the road, preventing taxis from picking them up and leaving them stuck without a ride.

Faced with a 30-minute trek back under the harsh Southern California sun, the players found themselves in a bind. The situation was particularly challenging for Pulisic, who was nursing a calf injury, while McKennie was inconveniently wearing flip-flops.

Just as the situation seemed dire, salvation appeared in the form of SC Carts—a Dana Point business specializing in luxury, street-legal golf carts. According to ESPN, SC Carts caters to a high-profile clientele, including UFC fighters Luke Rockhold and Khalil Rountree, as well as Alex Hall from the reality show ‘Selling the OC.’

Owner Cole Schamber told the Daily Mail that when Pulisic, McKennie and Zendejas turned up in casual clothes, carrying boxes of pizza, one of his colleagues ‘thought they were just some local kids that were fascinated by the golf carts and weren’t really interested customers.’

But some passers-by asked for a photo with the players. ‘They actually hopped in one of our golf carts and took a picture with them,’ Schamber said.

He went out to see how he could help. ‘It was a great interaction. They were really nice guys,’ he said. Schamber returned to the office and told his colleague: ‘Yeah, those were people from the United States soccer team.’

The players asked about renting or even buying one of the carts – for around $9,000 – and then shipping it back to Pulisic’s home in Florida. They were eyeing up the Voyager Patriot and Bintelli Nexus – ‘both still available if they change their minds,’ Schamber joked on social media.

‘[But] I think they realized by the end of our interaction that it probably isn’t the best financial decision for them to just buy one for their duration of time here if they’re going to be busy playing,’ he told the Daily Mail.

Eventually, the 27-year-old business owner offered to drive Pulisic, McKennie, Zendejas and their pizza back to the hotel.

‘We didn’t even get out of the parking lot of my business [when] these people driving the opposite way down the road stopped in the middle of the road, got out of their car, ran over to us and took pictures,’ Schamber said.

That happened again when they hit traffic on the short drive along the back roads of Dana Point. For most of the journey, however, Schamber was chewing the fat with Pulisic and Co.

‘We were talking about the town, Dana Point, and the history. We were talking about myself and how I started my business,’ he said. McKennie told ESPN that Schamber was showing them all the golf cart’s gadgets.

‘Then I was talking to them about their upcoming games.’ Schamber, who is the same age as Pulisic, added: ‘They were really relaxed, it was just like we were conversing as friends and were bros or whatever… no one was standoffish. No one was stuck-up.’

Schamber is not much of a ‘fan boy’ but he does regret not asking the players for a picture. ‘We were really busy that day,’ he explained. ‘So I wasn’t fully in the right mind to be the PR manager on top of the owner, the sales person, the delivery person.’

One of his co-workers’ fathers is a huge soccer fan who has been to a recent World Cup game. He was ‘ecstatic’ after hearing the story. So were many of Schamber’s previous customers.

The 27-year-old wishes he was less busy, so he could have more downtime to watch Pulisic and Co on their World Cup journey.

‘But I am the business owner… I don’t even have time to do anything other than go home and have dinner and go to sleep,’ he said.

Should the USMNT go on to win the World Cup, Schamber has played his part. ‘I guess I’ll have to try and get some compensation, or maybe they should buy a golf cart,’ he said.

On Thursday, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) called upon the internal watchdog of the U.S. Justice Department to delve into whistleblower allegations. These serious claims assert that DEA agents allowed vast quantities of fentanyl pills to make their way onto New Mexico’s streets.

In a letter dispatched to the Justice Department’s Inspector General, DEA Administrator Terry Cole emphasized the urgency of an internal investigation. The move comes in response to widespread public scrutiny and concerns over the DEA’s operational choices, supervisory practices, and handling of the situation.

Cole clarified in a public statement that this request does not imply any doubt about the professionalism or integrity of DEA staff, nor does it question the decisions made during these investigations.

He further stated, “Should any areas for enhancement be discovered, the DEA is committed to making necessary changes. Robust institutions thrive on transparent oversight and a commitment to ongoing improvement.”

Several current and former DEA agents informed the Associated Press that the investigative plan, which involved allowing the counterfeit painkillers to circulate, risked public safety in a state severely impacted by the fentanyl crisis. This strategy could potentially breach Justice Department regulations meant to protect the public from substances the White House has labeled as “weapons of mass destruction.”

The AP investigation cited three current and former agents and government records, including an internal report of a 2023 delivery of 74,000 pills the DEA watched happen at a mobile home park in Albuquerque. One of those agents, David Howell, first raised serious concerns about this strategy in a 2023 whistleblower complaint. He continued to raise his objections internally and spoke at length with the AP about what he described as a strategy that “poisoned our community to make cases.”

In an earlier statement to AP, a DEA spokesperson said “public descriptions suggesting that DEA knowingly permitted fentanyl to reach communities are false and fundamentally mischaracterize the facts.”

The DEA’s request for the watchdog investigation came just a day after New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham asked the state’s attorney general to examine whether the agency’s actions violated New Mexico law, an extraordinary challenge to a federal law enforcement agency at a time when fentanyl remains one of the country’s deadliest public health threats.

“There are no words to describe how reckless and dangerous these decisions were,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “Make no mistake: the DEA knew people would die if these pills made it into New Mexico communities, and the agency let it happen anyway.”

The spotlight is ready, and curtains are about to rise—tonight promises a dramatic turn of events.

Amid an uproar that has shaken the Rent Guidelines Board, New York City is pushing forward with its scheduled final vote on rent freezes this Thursday evening. This decision unfolds against the backdrop of a dramatic resignation by Christina Smyth, one of the board’s two landlord representatives. Smyth’s abrupt departure has sent ripples through the city’s rental landscape, as she accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of manipulating the process.

In a letter delivered to the board on Thursday morning, Smyth resigned without fanfare, criticizing the body for straying from its fact-finding roots. Her letter was a vehement denunciation, stating, “This rebuilt board was required to deliver a rent freeze. Everything since has been theater.”

Christina Smyth, an experienced real estate attorney and partner at Smyth Levenson, had been serving on the board since April 2022. She pulled no punches in her parting shot, lambasting the board for overlooking the substantial increases in building and insurance costs that landlords are currently facing.

Smyth, a partner in law firm Smyth Levenson who has been on the board since April 2022, ripped the board for ignoring rising building and insurance costs for landlords.

The defection was a surprise to the RGB, its chair said.

On her LinkedIn page, where she posted the letter, Smyth said, “I resigned today because this process is broken. I have had no problem in the past with my vote being on the losing side. It has already happened during my five-year tenure. I cannot in good conscience validate a process I believe is completely unjust. Owners and tenants deserve better.”

Smyth did not immediately respond to The Post’s requests for comment.

“I want to take this opportunity to affirm the independence with which this year’s board members have served, along with the rigor and integrity demonstrated by the RGB staff in preparing and presenting data, RGB chair Chantella Mitchell said in a statement. She added, “We will proceed with tonight’s vote.” 

According to the RGB’s rules, the nine-member board appointed by the mayor — which consists of two tenant reps, two landlord reps and five reps for the general public — only needs five members present to vote. Since “convention” says at least one representative from each side should show up, the body could push the mayor’s agenda through.

Furious mom-and-pop landlord group Small Property Owners of New York sounded the alarm. 

SPONY is “deeply concerned” the final vote “will be held without the veteran, strong and only meaningful voice representing the interests of financially struggling small property owners and distressed rent-stabilized housing,” said Ann Korchak, board president of the organization. “More disturbing is the reason for her resignation. If the vote is already predetermined by the majority Mamdani-appointed RGB, then this independent board would be acting illegally by injecting political influence into its objective decision on rent adjustments.” 

Freezing the rent on the city’s rent-stabilized apartments was the crown jewel of Hizzoner’s campaign promises.

The Queens Chronicle Editorial Board echoed the sentiment, writing in the RGB website’s comments section, “One issue that put Mayor Mamdani into office was his promise to freeze rents. And now the Rent Guidelines Board that he controls is seeking to do just that for two years, for those in rent-stabilized apartments. It shouldn’t.” 

Tonight’s vote on lease adjustments applies to rent-stabilized apartments, lofts and hotels. Starting Oct. 1, rents for rent-stabilized apartments can be raised from 0% to 2% for a one-year lease and from 0% to 4% for a two-year lease.

Desperate property owners flooded the RGB’s website with anonymous pleas, warning that the city is driving them into bankruptcy.

“We have already very low rents that barely cover all the expenses of building,” a small landlord wrote in the online comments on RGB’s website. “Rising oil prices and insurance costs along with the new interest rate makes it almost impossible to cover costs.”

An anonymous commenter warned, “Restricting rent increase rates to below the increased costs to landlords to maintain their buildings leads to a decline in quality of life to tenants.”

Rent-stabilized tenants also weighed in on the proposal, urging the board to freeze rents.

“Several comments suggest that rent freezes lead to building deterioration,” a rent-stabilized tenant at 4215 Park Ave. in the Bronx wrote in the comments section of the RGB website. “Our building deteriorated under rent increases. The question is whether owners are using rent revenue to meet their obligations. When they are not, increasing that revenue rewards the failure.”

Stephanie Dawson, a rent-stabilized tenant, wrote: “I accept a certain amount of sacrifice so I can remain in the city. But I strongly push for a two-year rent freeze until wages catch up with inflation. I think this city should prioritize residents who could literally lose their homes over landlords who are losing margin on their businesses.”