The Giants muscled up in the season opener, hitting three home runs. But in the next five games, zero. The team was last in the majors in homers in 2008, the only team that failed to reach triple digits. The Giants promised more homers this year though no genuine slugger was added. Edgar Renteria was to be an upgrade at shortstop, a position that produced no homers last year, and full seasons out of Pablo Sandoval and Travis Ishikawa were to make a difference. Through April 12, Aaron Rowand, Bengie Molina and Randy Winn had hit a homer. But they all came in the first game.
PLAYER NEWS: --RHP Tim Lincecum left the team and took an early flight to San Francisco to see a doctor because of a stomach issue. The Giants completed their weeklong trip Thursday night, and Lincecum, who had bronchitis in spring training, is due to start Saturday against the Diamondbacks. Manager Bruce Bochy, saying Lincecum has been "sickly" in recent weeks, said he anticipated no rotation changes, for now.
--SS Edgar Renteria, who signed a two-year, $18.5 million contract and was hitting .138, was taken out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup Thursday. He flip-flopped with 2B Emmanuel Burriss and was moved to No. 8. He got his first RBI of the season on an infield single. Burriss began the game hitting .096 and got three hits.
--3B Pablo Sandoval and LF Fred Lewis switched spots in the lineup, Sandoval hitting third and Lewis fifth. That was the alignment near the end of last season, and the first-day results were encouraging. Sandoval, snapping his 0-for-15 funk, went 2-for-5, and Lewis went 1-for-1 with two walks.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Tim Lincecum (stomach) was scheduled to see a doctor, but the team still expected him to be able to start April 18.
RHP Joe Martinez (concussion, hairline fractures in skull) went on the 15-day disabled list April 10. He is unlikely to return before late May.
LHP Noah Lowry (left forearm surgery in March 2008, left elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He hadn't resumed throwing as of opening day.
RHP Sergio Romo (sprained right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He isn't expected to return in April.
ROTATION:
RHP Tim Lincecum
LHP Randy Johnson
RHP Matt Cain
LHP Barry Zito
LHP Jonathan Sanchez
BULLPEN:
RHP Brian Wilson (closer)
RHP Bobby Howry
LHP Jeremy Affeldt
LHP Alex Hinshaw
RHP Merkin Valdez
RHP Brandon Medders
RHP Justin Miller
CATCHER:
Bengie Molina
INFIELDERS:
1B Travis Ishikawa
2B Emmanuel Burriss
SS Edgar Renteria
3B Pablo Sandoval
INF Juan Uribe
INF Rich Aurilia
INF/OF Eugenio Velez
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Fred Lewis
CF Aaron Rowand
RF Randy Winn
OF Nate Schierholtz
OF Andres Torres
