SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The latest rehab steps by Ryan Vogelsong and Freddy Sanchez likely won’t keep the veterans off the disabled list.
Manager Bruce Bochy on Friday said Vogelsong’s season debut is tentatively scheduled for April 15, meaning the right-hander would skip a start while working his way back from a strained back suffered just before camp started.
Asked if Sanchez (shoulder) was also likely to start the season on the D.L., Bochy said of his second baseman: “I think that’s fair to say. There’s nothing official yet, but we’re at the stage where that’s a strong possibility.
“With Vogelsong, there’s nothing definite there, either.”
Vogelsong made his first rehab appearance of the spring
Friday in a minor league game. Afterward, he expressed disappointment at being allowed to throw only 24 pitches.
“I threw one inning, and I’m not tired — it’s hard to be done,” Vogelsong said. “I understand it. I just do what I’m told. I feel like I’m capable (of more).”
Vogelsong faced six hitters. He gave up three hits and a walk and struck out one.
“The ball was moving well,” he said. “The balls that got hit were pretty darn good pitches, to be honest with you. Everything feels good. You get this out of the way and move on to the next one.”
Vogelsong is scheduled to throw 40 pitches Monday. Bochy has said the Giants need to see Vogelsong throw five innings or 70 pitches by the end of the spring in order to clear
him for a regular-season start, but with two weeks until opening day, they’re running out of time.
Vogelsong has faced hitters just three times — twice in live batting practice and once in the minors — and has yet to swing a bat.
“We’re being cautious, and he knows that,” Bochy said. “He’s on his way, but we’ll take it slow with him.”
If Vogelsong debuts April 15, he would be slotted into the No. 5 spot in the rotation. The Giants don’t need to replace him because they have
an off day on the fifth day of the season.
Bochy said the Giants are leaning toward splitting up the left-handers; Madison Bumgarner would be the No. 2 starter and right-hander Matt Cain would pitch ahead of Barry Zito.
Tim Lincecum already has been named the opening day starter, but the Giants still don’t know who will run out to second base that day.
Sanchez will make his fielding debut in a minor league game this weekend, but he still hasn’t let it rip on throws to first base.
Bochy said Sanchez, who had shoulder surgery in August to repair his labrum and rotator cuff, is fine on normal throws to first base. On throws that are more difficult, “We tell him not to throw,” Bochy said.
There was some good
news on the injury front: Closer Brian Wilson (elbow) is scheduled to throw an inning in a minor league game Saturday, which would be the first time this spring Wilson has thrown twice in three days. If all goes well, Wilson will make another appearance Monday.
Buster Posey is scheduled to start at first base Saturday for the first time. It would also mark the first time since ankle surgery that Posey plays the field on back-to-back days.
“We’ll start ramping it up,” Bochy said.
In a 4-1 loss to the Texas Rangers, Posey got his first test at home plate since last year’s collision with Scott Cousins. Mitch Moreland came barreling home on Elvis Andrus’ single to center, and Posey stood well in front of the plate and
attempted a swipe tag as Moreland slid safely into home.
Posey brushed off the significance of the moment, but his pitcher didn’t.
“Oh yeah, yeah — definitely I was thinking about it the whole time,” Bumgarner said. “I didn’t think it would be that close. It was in the back of my mind for sure.”
Aubrey Huff started in left field Friday night and is penciled in as the left fielder for one of Saturday’s split-squad games. “I don’t want to leave camp without him getting some action out there,” Bochy said.
Reliever Dan Runzler is back to throwing off flat ground. Runzler had been sidelined with an injured muscle in his upper back.
For more on the Giants, see Alex Pavlovic’s Giants Extra
blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/Giants. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/AlexPavlovic.
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