July 2009
Torres to DL, Bowker returns
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants placed outfielder Andres Torres on the 15-day disabled list with an strained left hamstring Friday and replaced him on the active roster by recalling first baseman-outfielder John Bowker from Triple-A Fresno.
With right fielder Nate Schierholtz and infielder Rich Aurilia already on the disabled list, Torres’ injury further diluted the Giants’ contingent of position players. That, manager Bruce Bochy explained, was why the Giants had hoped to avoid sidelining Torres.
“He’s very valuable on this ballclub,” Bochy said. “It’s a tough loss for us.”
Torres hurt himself as he rounded first base on a fly out to right field in Thursday night’s second inning. He said that this injury wasn’t as serious as the one which affected the same hamstring and forced him to the DL in late April. But Torres plays at one gear — fast — which leaves him susceptible to mishaps. He was running full speed although he had hit a routine fly.
“I have to learn when to go hard and when not to,” Torres said.
Torres’ overall numbers, which include a .247 batting average, two home runs, 13 RBIs and five stolen bases in five tries spanning 53 games, aren’t overwhelming. But he contributed significantly to each of the Giants’ four consecutive victories:
– His two-run triple was the biggest hit in Monday’s three-run second inning that lifted the Giants to a 4-2 decision over Pittsburgh;
– He doubled and scored what proved to be a key run in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 win;
– Despite going 0-for-4 Wednesday, he drew a two-out walk that prolonged the 10th inning for Randy Winn’s single, which scored the game’s lone run and concluded San Francisco’s three-game sweep of Pittsburgh;
– After Philadelphia jumped ahead with a first-inning run Thursday, Torres stimulated the Giants with a leadoff bunt single that ignited a two-run uprising in their half of the inning and reclaimed momentum for them.
Bowker’s stay could be extremely brief. Bochy hinted that Bowker could return to Fresno when newly acquired second baseman Freddy Sanchez is activated before Saturday’s game.
– Chris Haft
Sanchez stars, Aurilia slugs, Giants rock steady
SAN FRANCISCO — Here’s why Jonathan Sanchez’s victory Thursday over the Phillies was more impressive than it looked:
Philadelphia typically mauls left-handed starters like Sanchez. Entering their encounter against him, the Phillies were 22-11 against lefty starters with a Major League-high 46 home runs. Philadelphia also led all National League teams in doubles, extra-base hits, RBIs and total bases against left-handers.
So for Sanchez to limit Philadelphia to two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings was a definite accomplishment.
*****
This comes courtesy of Doug Greenwald, Triple-A Fresno’s broadcaster:
Rich Aurilia hit a two-run homer in the third inning of Fresno’s game against Colorado Springs. Aurilia needed an injury rehabiIitation stint while his infected big toe heals.
Meanwhile, Greenwald pointed out that this was Aurilia’s first Triple-A homer since 1997.<p/>
*****
By defeating the Phillies in Thursday’s series opener, the Giants sealed a winning July. The Giants improved to 14-12 for the month, continuing their trend of posting winning records each month. It all started with a 10-10 April, continued with a 15-14 May and peaked with a 17-10 June.
– Chris Haft
Sanchez returns to scene of gem
SAN FRANCISCO — Tonight (Thursday) should be a special one at AT&T Park.
Not just because the Giants apparently have rebounded from their dreadful road trip.
Not just because the trades for Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez have given the team unseen but definite impetus toward the postseason.
Not just because the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies are in town.
It’s largely because Jonathan Sanchez will be making his first home start since no-hitting San Diego on July 10.
Can you believe that? Nearly three whole weeks have elapsed since Sanchez threw his gem. Of course, that’s due to the vagaries of the schedule. Sanchez’s feat immediately preceded the All-Star break, and then the Giants began the second half with their three-city sojourn.
When Sanchez takes the mound, fans ought to give him the roaring salute he deserves for becoming the first Giant in 33 years to throw a no-hitter. I’m sure they will.
– Chris Haft
Cain’s Sunday start confirmed; Johnson needs more time
PITTSBURGH — Right-hander Matt Cain was universally pronounced fit to start Sunday’s series finale here, now that he has shaken off the effects of being hit by a line drive in his pitching arm.
“I should be fine,” said Cain, who threw a regular between-starts bullpen session Thursday during the Giants’ workout at PNC Park. “I have swelling [in the arm], but nothing out of the ordinary.”
The Giants anticipated days ago that Cain, who took a direct hit last Saturday from a line drive off the bat of San Diego’s Tim Stauffer, would be able to face Pittsburgh, though he was forbidden from performing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Despite the widespread confidence, prompted when X-rays taken of Cain’s arm were negative, Giants manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged that the 25-year-old’s condition was a “slight concern.”
Cain admitted that he “kind of wondered what it would be like going full speed.” Overall, though, he sensed no hidden trouble. “I wasn’t really that worried about it,” he said. “My range of motion was fine.”
*****
By contrast, left-hander Randy Johnson is still recuperating from his strained left shoulder and isn’t expected to join the Giants on their three-city, 10-game trip.
Obviously, Bochy admitted, Johnson will need more than three weeks — the most optimistic estimate given for his recovery — to return to the mound. Sunday will mark two weeks since Johnson grabbed his shoulder and took himself out of a game against Houston.
– Chris Haft
Burriss to undergo surgery; Rowand turns in gem
SAN FRANCISCO — Infielder Emmanuel Burriss’ season possibly has been ended by his broken left foot.
Burriss, who fractured his fifth metatarsal while running the bases earlier this week while playing for Triple-A Fresno, will undergo surgery on Friday in San Francisco and is expected to miss at least two months. Dr. Larry Oloff, the Giants’ foot specialist, will perform the procedure.
Burriss, 24, opened the season as the Giants’ starting second baseman but was optioned to Fresno on June 16. He appeared in San Francisco’s first 56 games but ultimately was compromised by his offensive inconsistency. He hit .238 in 61 games. With Fresno, Burriss hit .268 in 17 games.
Despite his demotion, Burriss remained valued by the Giants for his speed, ability to switch hit and flair for the spectacular on defense. The organization has continued to envision him as a potential starting middle infielder.
*****
Aaron Rowand turned in the play of the day Wednesday in the Giants’ 7-0 loss to Florida, catching up with Wes Helms’ fifth-inning drive and grabbing it a step in front of the left-center field wall. Rowand held onto the ball despite bumping into the wall close to the 404-foot marker.
Giants right-hander Ryan Sadowski appreciated the defensive support. Initially, Sadowski didn’t even turn around to follow the ball’s flight, since he was convinced that Helms had hit a home run. “I thought it was way gone,” Sadowski said.
Then he quickly became mindful of his pitcher-friendly surroundings and had a change of heart.
“I know this is a big yard, so let’s see what [Rowand] does with it,” Sadowski said.
– Chris Haft
Giants’ youth movement a starry success
SAN FRANCISCO — A look at the podium the other day as the Giants showed off their All-Stars, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, and their would-be All-Star, Final Vote candidate Pablo Sandoval, reflected the club’s makeover in recent years.
Giants management said that it wanted a younger team after jettisoning Barry Bonds following the 2007. Well, that has happened. Moreover, some of their youthful players have developed more quickly than the front office might have anticipated.
Just look at San Francisco’s All-Star trio (I’m counting Sandoval, for simplicity’s sake).
Sandoval is 22. Cain is 24. Lincecum is 25. What a triumph for the Giants’ scouting and development sector. If the Giants can somehow produce a few more players like them (Buster Posey? Madison Bumgarner? Angel Villalona?), maybe, just maybe, that elusive World Series Champions banner will fly from one of the center-field flag poles sometime in the next decade.
Randy Johnson, the 303-game winner whose experience and success legitimize pretty much everything he has to say about baseball, addressed the wondrous pair of Cain and Lincecum.
“To have two pitchers like that, doing what they’re doing on a high level every fifth day, it’s pretty exciting to watch,” Johnson said. “That was one reason why I got excited every fifth day, to go out there and be a part of that. To have both of them represent the Giants [as All-Stars] and be on top of their game right now, that’s great.
“I hope they can continue to do that in the second half because that’s what it will take, especially when we start playing the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee again — teams that are right behind us in the Wild Card and ahead of us in the division.”
– Chris Haft
Affeldt excels; ‘D’ isn’t that bad; history’s safe
ST. LOUIS — If Jeremy Affeldt seems like he’s one of the best setup relievers you’ve seen, it’s not your imagination.
Affeldt worked a perfect ninth inning Wednesday to extend his scoreless-innings streak to 19. It’s the longest streak by a Giant since Noah Lowry and Jason Schmidt each put up zeroes for 19 consecutive innings in 2005. The last Giants reliever to enjoy a longer streak was Joe Nathan, who went unscored upon for 22 1/3 innings in a row in 2003.
During Affeldt’s 20-game stretch, he has allowed only 10 hits in 60 at-bats (.167). Moreover, none of the 10 baserunners he has inherited in his last 11 appearances have scored. He also leads NL relievers with 10 double plays induced.
*****
Despite their three errors Wednesday, the Giants actually played some decent defense.
Center fielder Aaron Rowand made a breathtaking diving catch of Skip Schumaker’s third-inning line drive. Left fielder Randy Winn duplicated the feat on the luckless Schumaker in the fifth inning.
*****
They say it’s difficult to sweep any opponent. History proves that this is so.
Had the Giants won Wednesday, they would have entered Thursday’s finale with a chance to record their first four-game series sweep in St. Louis since May 6-9, 1912. Nineteen-twelve! That’s when Christy Mathewson and Rube Marquard were the Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain of their day for San Fran — er, New York — and the roster included two star-crossed players: Fred Merkle (who failed to touch first base in a critical 1908 game) and Fred Snodgrass (whose error in the final game of the 1912 World Series helped opposing Boston prevail).
It’s worth remembering that four-game series aren’t played much anymore. Still, 97 years is a heck of a long time.
The Giants’ last four-game sweep of St. Louis anywhere occurred July 24-26, 1987 at Candlestick Park. It helped launch their second-half drive toward the National League West title.
– Chris Haft
Chris Haft
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