GIANTS CLUBHOUSE: Sharks Fan Righetti Left Out in Cold
By Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle

IMAGINE being a San Jose Sharks season-ticket holder since Game 1 at the Cow Palace and not being able to go to any of this year's Stanley Cup playoff games, having to watch their great upset of the St. Louis Blues on television.

Now you know Dave Righetti's pain.

Righetti is not a mere fan of the Sharks. Original defenseman Doug Wilson is a neighbor. Wilson's mother-in-law rents an apartment from Righetti in San Jose. Furthermore, Sharks players Jamie Baker and Ray Whitney went to Ireland with Righetti on a golfing vacation.

But Righetti's job as Giants pitching coach has kept him away from the playoffs, which resume tonight when the Sharks, down 2-0 to the Dallas Stars in the conference semifinals, host the defending Stanley Cup champs at San Jose Arena.

Worse yet, Righetti has found little support in the Giants clubhouse. In fact, the hockey tension is so thick you can cut it with a Robb Nen slider.

Righetti and St. Louis native Bill Mueller were practically at war during the Sharks-Blues series, and Righetti said of the third baseman, ``He's so mad right now. He's very bitter.''

Said Mueller: ``I don't talk to him anymore. I'm not going to talk to Rags until Dallas wins in four games.''

Righetti: ``I was going to give him a Sharks shirt if the Blues won. I still may, so he can die with it.''

Mueller: ``I'm going to give him a Blues mug so he can...''

Use your imagination to complete that quote.

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