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: --OF Andres Torres hit a homer in the eighth, after entering in a double switch in the top of the inning, and virtually sprinted around the bases. Torres is a switch-hitter who batted from the right side. He had a solid spring, winning a job on the opening day roster. He's 31 and signed a minor-league contract in the offseason. His only other big-league homer came with the 2003 Tigers.
--RHP Tim Lincecum is good to go. He'll start Saturday, as scheduled, despite a stomach issue in recent days that prompted the Giants to send him home early from San Diego on Thursday morning to see a doctor. Lincecum is 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA against the Diamondbacks, including 13- and 12-strikeout performances.
--RHP Joe Martinez, sporting a black eye, was in the clubhouse with his teammates in the wake of his April 9 accident in which he took a liner off his forehead and sustained a concussion, three hairline fractures and internal bleeding. "I knew something was wrong, and I was in absolutely no pain," Martinez said. "I was pretty coherent. It really wasn't that hectic of a situation, at least from my end. I knew I was going to be all right."
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Tim Lincecum (stomach) saw a doctor in San Francisco, 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
