Kuiper Getting Plenty of Respect from Giants; Lee Hammer Wants KNBR Gig; Chronicle Pressures Sports Writers with Buyout Offer; KSFO For Sale; Obnoxious Raj; The Guy Who Left KGO With Leggy Brunette Not His Wife; Monday Mash

MONDAY MASH

Certainly, the GIANTS are thinking about the taboo subject matter: both the immediate and future status of Duane Kuiper, who's been absent from the broadcast booth at Oracle Park battling a serious medical condition.

Kuiper, according to a source, was expected back to the park for at least one of the weekend games with the A's but did not return. His scheduled chemotherapy was Thursday. Team officials also expected his return but have given Kuiper all the time he needs to make a return visit. His last broadcast was June 6th. Kuiper publically disclosed his health status the Monday after.

It is not known when Kuiper will return to the booth but a broadcast source close to the situation said it could be lengthy. "He's very tired now, especially after his treatments."

Meanwhile, the Giants are maintaining a wait and see approach. They know, sooner or later, they will have to hire another play-by-play broadcaster, especially for radio, but they also are sensitive to Kuiper's situation. They also privately acknowledge that when the Giants' players make a long trip back to the East coast, their radio broadcast will be the most affected by the absence of Kuip. But again, for now, they are giving Kuiper all the time he needs.

*If Lee Hammer takes over the PD gig as KNBR boss, thats bad news for KGO Radio. Hammer wants the KNBR job; it's the position that vaulted him to the top of Cumulus' mgt. team in SF but his leavng KGO (and it would be just that b/c the KNBR gig requires fulltime watching) means KGO is on the back burner.

*The CHRONICLE wants ALL its STAR Sports Writers, including Bruce Jenkins, Scott Ostler and Ann Killion to take BUYOUTS.. So far, none of them have chosen to take the offer and now, Hearst has a potential ISSUE on its hands.

*FOR SALE: KSFO, again. You can put it all on a credit card too, all 10 bucks of it.

*Everyone in the biz knows Larry Beil is a jerk and has been coasting along at Circle7 for years. Beil loves to INTIMIDATE, especially lower-level staffers and interns. His power and ego act has maybe reached its comeuppance. We hope.

*If Raj Mathai is feeling a bit jaded around the NBC Bay Area studios in San Jose, he's reading the room. The folks behind the scenes, wo have come back to the studio now that the virus has waned, are experiencing Raj in his most obnoxious manner in quite a while. Go figure. I already have and did.

*KPIX, at this rate, might be hiring off the street if they keep LOSING people every other day.

*NOBODY was shocked the other day when the guest on KGO Radio --a married guy who is POWERFUL and a POL, left the studio with a leggy brunette who was NOT his wife. The woman, said his PR guy, was a "publicist"--yeah, right, and I'm George Clooney.