SF Giants Press Clips Sunday, July 23, 2017

Transcription

1 SF Giants Press Clips Sunday, July 23, 2017 San Francisco Giants Sandoval return to Giants is official: I learned my lesson John Shea Pablo Sandoval is getting another opportunity and saying all the right things. He s making apologies, praising his old (and new) team and his old (and new) fans and vowing to help the Giants win games this season. I learned my lesson, Sandoval said. Will he learn how to produce again on the baseball field? That s what matters most. Sandoval, who won three World Series rings in San Francisco and was the 2012 World Series MVP, finalized his minor-league contract with the Giants on Saturday, then headed to Class A San Jose to begin his comeback bid. Manager Bruce Bochy said the third baseman will spend a couple of weeks in the minors he ll report to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday and get 40 to 50 at-bats to show if he has anything left. To be here with a second chance, it s special, Sandoval said in the home dugout before the Giants beat the Padres 5-4 in 12 innings. I ve had a lot of special moments here, the greatest moments in my career. Having a second chance is the most important thing. I m looking forward to it. Why the Giants? Three World Series, Sandoval said. Three rings. Dynasty. Chemistry. Fan support. What else? The team. The manager. Teammates. Everything. I grew up here, and now I ve got my second chance. Bochy insisted the signing was entirely a baseball decision amid speculation that it could be a marketing ploy or even a favor to the man who made the franchise a lot of money, not just with the sale of Panda hats. Sandoval was either injured or ineffective (or both) during most of his 2½ seasons with the Red Sox, who signed him after the 2014 World Series to a five-year, $95 million contract.

2 If Sandoval returns to the big leagues, the Giants would be on the hook for only the prorated portion of the major-league minimum. They have club options at the minimum for 2018 and 2019, only if Sandoval is added to the big-league roster this year, otherwise he can become a free agent. We re looking for anybody who could help us win ballgames, Bochy said. We ve had a rough year this year. This is pretty much a free look at a player who s done some good things here, and if he could help us get on track, it s a good thing. We ll find out in a couple of weeks where he s at as far as where his skills are. No, this is strictly (about) baseball. It s got nothing to do with anything else. Out the door, Sandoval wasn t at all gracious. He was upset with contract negotiations early in 2014, said he knew all season he would leave and told Bleacher Report in spring training 2015 that the only Giants he d miss would be Hunter Pence and Bochy. Asked about those comments Saturday, Sandoval said Bochy and Pence are the guys I joke around with the most. Hunter is like my brother. Bochy is like my dad. At the end of the day, I miss all the guys, I miss all the team. The fan support was the greatest. It s everything. Miscommunication, yes. But at the end of the day, I was emotional. I learned a lot of things from that. I learned my lesson. Sandoval, who placed his Red Sox bag in a locker between Brandon Belt s and Brandon Crawford s, said he s apologizing to Giants players and also released a statement through the team: I have always loved and appreciated the Giants organization, my Giants teammates and the fans of San Francisco. I have so many great memories, and I want to thank the organization for giving me another chance to come back here. When I left the Giants in 2014, my comments were emotional, insensitive and misguided, and I truly regret and apologize for my actions. I am committed to working hard to contributing to the success of the Giants. Sandoval went as far as saying he regrets not re-signing with the Giants after the 14 Series. I wish I could get back to that time to have that opportunity to sign again. I would sign, Sandoval said. It s passed. I m moving forward to do the best. I m just looking forward to being back here and showing them what I can do. A two-week stint in the minors would extend to August, following the trade deadline. By that time, third baseman Eduardo Nuñez could be on another team. With third baseman-of-the-future Christian Arroyo shelved with a wrist injury, suddenly Sandoval in a Giants uniform again something that couldn t have been imagined just days ago is realistic. San Francisco Chronicle Pablo Sandoval goes 1-for-4 with S.J. Giants Alexandrea Alphonso It was Christmas in July at San Jose Municipal Stadium on Saturday night, and the San Jose Giants festive red-and-green jerseys weren t the only attention-grabbers on the field.

3 Pablo Sandoval, one of the pillars of the San Francisco Giants championship runs in 2010, 2012 and 2014, was back in the minor leagues for his former major-league team. Hours after expressing regrets at how he handled his abrupt departure from the Giants, Sandoval s redemption tour continued 50 miles south as the designated hitter for the Giants California League affiliate. Wearing a jersey with his familiar No. 48 adorned with Christmas trees on this promotional evening Sandoval received loud cheers from the crowd as he stepped up to the plate for his first at-bat against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He singled and later drove in a run on ground out, finishing 1- for-4 with a walk in San Jose s 5-4 loss. It s a win-win for everyone, said Bruce Gatjen of Sunnyvale. The fans and organization have nothing to lose. I m happy he s back. We need help at third base, and we just had recorded our first non-sellout game (at AT&T Park) in years this could be what the team needs. A handful of fans were proudly wearing their Panda hats, and a scattering of his old jerseys dotted the crowd. One fan even bid the maximum $700 to win Sandoval s Christmas jersey in a pre-game auction. Still, regaining full support from the Giants faithful is going to be a work in progress. San Jose resident Kathleen Miles was on hand with her family to support her son and his Boy Scout troop during a pre-game ceremony. Theirs is a household divided on Sandoval s return. I m happy he s come back. It s been a tough start to the season so we need any boost we can get, Kathleen said. But he still needs to reconnect with the fan base. Being in the community is important to the fans, so he will need to be more involved in what s happening locally. Said her husband, Mike: I ve been a long-time Giants supporter so that will remain, but I m not a fan of Pablo Sandoval s return. I didn t like how he left the team. Sometimes the most hated person can help drive attention, so that might work in our favor. It was a dramatic departure, echoed Joseph Von Haunalter, of Scotts Valley (Santa Cruz County). He does bring a lot of energy to field, so he ll have to redeem himself through his performance in the game. Sandoval is expected to play third base for Triple-A Sacramento beginning Tuesday night, when the River Cats return from the road. San Francisco Chronicle Hundley wins it in 12th as Giants beat Padres 5-4 John Shea Pablo Sandoval plays Eduardo Nuñez s position, and it s no secret Nuñez could be dealt by the Giants before the July 31 trade deadline. If one thing leads to another and that s a big if Sandoval could be playing third base for the Giants if he proves he s worthy in his two-week minor-league tryout.

4 He deserves to be back, Nuñez said after the Giants beat the Padres 5-4 in 12 innings at AT&T Park on Saturday. He did a lot of good things for this organization in the past. I m very happy for him. Nick Hundley s single to deep left field scored Kelby Tomlinson with the deciding run, Hundley s first walk-off hit since Nuñez collected a double and two singles, one of which tied the game 4-4 in the fourth. Nuñez started at shortstop a chance for scouts to view his versatility? as manager Bruce Bochy altered his lineup in the wake of the 11-inning series opener. Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Denard Span were out of the lineup, but each pinch hit. Matt Moore surrendered all of San Diego s runs in the fourth, coughing up a two-run triple to pitcher Luis Perdomo. Four Giants relievers combined for six scoreless innings, two from Albert Suarez, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento before the game to ease a taxed bullpen. Orlando Calixte also was recalled and started in left field, while reliever Steven Okert and third baseman Jae-Gyun Hwang were optioned to the minors. Hwang will be Sandoval s teammate when the latter moves from Class A San Jose to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, which will give the River Cats plenty of third basemen, though Hwang could play other positions. The Giants played 23 innings within 24 hours. A day after Posey caught 11 innings, Hundley caught 12 and was thrilled he ended it. Hundley: Buster told me, You look like the happiest guy on the field. I said, I was almost as happy as you were when you hit that walk-off (home run) in the 17th (on May 12). My joy level is about six innings less than what yours was. Leading off On an island: Ty Blach, Sunday s pitcher, is the lone Giants starter with a winning record (6-5). Jeff Samardzija is 4-12, Johnny Cueto 6-7, Matt Moore 3-10, Matt Cain 3-8 and Madison Bumgarner 0-4. San Francisco Chronicle Giving up on the Giants makes little sense Bruce Jenkins Do you realize that the Giants method of winning to the tune of three world titles in five years has been declared extinct? If not, good. You re way ahead of the game. If you think the Giants have the talent to contend next year without completely dismantling the roster, even better. In a climate suffocated by statistics and misleading analysis, people can t wait to identify a revolution, and be the first to say so. Certain trends are indeed revolutionary: the cut fastball, the predominance of defensive shifts, the increasing reliance on deep, velocity-rich bullpens. But don t believe anyone who

5 claims the Giants have lost touch with some sort of new reality. As bleak as their season has been, remember this above all: Intelligent, fundamental baseball will never go out of style. As long as this game is played, championships will be won by teams with the best pitching and defense. Scoring runs, preferably with the long ball? That goes without saying, and Giants fans can only be envious of the potent lineups being fielded by the Dodgers, Astros and Nationals. But don t tell Brian Sabean or Bruce Bochy to stack the San Francisco lineup with players who either crack the long ball or strike out, nothing in between. That s summer-of- 17 stuff. And if you watch those high-powered teams, there s a lot of smart, situational hitting in the mix. It s not as if we re watching some new, radical style of baseball. It s a known and depressing fact that the Giants, over a 162-game period dating to last season s All-Star break, lost 98 games. That s the number, and the team fared poorly on the eye tests, as well. But please: As recently as last October, the Giants were winning a wild-card playoff game in New York and playing the eventual world champion Cubs straight up, in the National League Division Series, before a pathetic bullpen display caused Game 4 to unravel. Less than a year later, with essentially the same team, they re suddenly completely out of touch? There s no need to run down all of the unforeseen disasters that plunged San Francisco to the depths. Two of them in particular the injuries to ace starter Madison Bumgarner and expected closer Mark Melancon were especially damaging. This has also been the first Giants team in memory, or at least since Bochy took over the reins, that plays with so little fire and energy. But that s what happens when you look at the standings and see 25 games out, or worse. In the most unpredictable sport of them all, things happen that cannot be logically explained like the Cubs, decidedly disappointing in the season s first half, or the high-iq Cardinals making a mess of things. While you re at it, toss in the Miracle Mets, Mark (the Bird) Fidrych, and Dock Ellis throwing a no-hitter on acid. The Giants winning three titles with superior pitching, wondrous defense and clutch hitting? Sorry, there s nothing mysterious about that. It sounds like the history of the game and the future. Without question, the Giants need an influx of power in their punchless lineup. And they do need significant change. But they can get right back into contention next season perhaps not winning it all, but right in the mix without destroying the blueprint. From what I ve heard, here s how some of their key players are viewed by management: Johnny Cueto: With this season heading nowhere, Cueto s blister issues might work to the Giants favor. Nobody wants a diminished Cueto as a late-season rental, and there is talk he might consider abandoning those free-agent plans. That would be terrific. Cueto is a Luis Tiant-like magician when he s right, and he looks as if he could pitch big games for years. Jeff Samardzija: He might be offered in trade, but not because the club wants to unload him. Samardzija is one of the greatest competitors and teammates in the game, someone any club would welcome as a back-end rotation starter. He s not symbolic of anything that s gone wrong. Matt Moore: A constant and often maddening project for pitching coach Dave Righetti, Moore finally adjusted his mechanics last week, with encouraging results. His history suggests he s not nearly as bad as his 2017 numbers, and a bounce-back season is entirely within reason.

6 Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford: As you have undoubtedly heard, untouchable. As it should be. Joe Panik might be made available, but no problem if he stays; he s a bigleague second baseman in every respect. Brandon Belt: You re not the only one suffering through Belt s unwatchable slumps, especially as he whiffs so often on fastballs around the chest.. With a nod to his defense and occasional power, the Giants would consider a change at first base. It s time. Considering that Belt is signed through 2021, with his value at an all-time low, a productive trade seems very unlikely. Hunter Pence: The pitch is dirt-low and a foot outside, but Pence is chasing, either missing it entirely or lurching awkwardly to tap a little dribbler to the infield. Then comes a high fastball, once the stuff of his dreams, and he can t catch up. What happened to this guy? I actually heard he s gotta go from a source close to the team. That sounds unreasonably cruel for one of the most beloved, influential Giants of the championship era, but it seems his countless injuries many of which he gamely plays through, without excuses have taken a toll. The entire Giants outfield needs an overhaul; fresh looks all around. With Pence under contract for just one more season, a trade will at least be explored here. Worth mentioning: Earlier this season, Cueto lamented the lack of Latin American ballplayers on the roster. The Giants were pioneers in this department when they moved to San Francisco, particularly as it regarded the Dominican Republic, and consider the multicultural nature of their championship teams: Renteria, Uribe, Sandoval, Molina, Pagan, Casilla, Blanco, Torres, Sanchez, Arias, Perez, Adrianza and more. If the Giants landscape looks a bit vacant these days, it s not by design. But this is an element that leads to winning, quite likely with flair and exuberance. It s an endearing staple of today s game, and teams are unwise to lag behind. One imagines that there s plenty of change ahead, on many fronts, but here s something the statsminded folks don t understand: Championship executives don t flip players around like trading cards. There s an emotional attachment ideally, not too sentimental to the ones responsible for those downtown parades. Discard them at your peril. Let s see how the Giants balance patience with transition before we cast them as fools. San Jose Mercury News Giants win in 12 innings, face uncertain future at third base Andrew Baggarly SAN FRANCISCO No small lineup wrinkle goes unnoticed in the days leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Who s sitting out today? Who s being showcased? What s the hidden significance? And, in the Giants 5-4, 12-inning victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday afternoon: why was Eduardo Nuñez suddenly playing shortstop? Well, sometimes the answer is as simple as this: the Giants played an 11-inning game that went nearly five hours Friday night, and shortstop Brandon Crawford s legs needed a respite.

7 They had to play an inning longer to bounce back with a victory on Saturday. Kelby Tomlinson reached on a failed sacrifice/fielder s choice but advanced on a wild pitch and scored the game winner on catcher Nick Hundley s single to the base of the left field wall. Nobody enjoys a walk-off, extra-inning victory more than the guy who has spent all afternoon in the squat. That s what Buster (Posey) told me, Hundley said, grinning. He said, `You look like the happiest guy on the field. I said, `Yeah, but not as happy as you were when you hit that walk-off home run in the 17th (in May). It couldn t hurt for opposing scouts to take a look at Nuñez playing another infield spot. It also couldn t hurt Nuñez s value that he doubled and singled twice in his first three at-bats Saturday, including a tworun knock that tied the score in the fourth inning. He s been the Giants best hitter outside of Posey. He ll be a free agent after the season. He is their easiest asset to move to a contender, even if the only gain is a midlevel prospect and a couple million in salary relief. While his hamstrings aren t 100 percent, playing an 11-inning night game followed by a 12-inning day game was a good test of his durability. And if Nuñez is traded to the Red Sox or Indians or anywhere else, the Giants will have to figure out whom it benefits them most to see at third base for the remainder of the season. They have Conor Gillaspie and Tomlinson already on the roster, although they are viewed as extra men whose flat swings work off the bench. They shipped Jae-gyun Hwang back to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, and the former KBO star will have to decide whether he wants to report. And of course, they could have a familiar option if Pablo Sandoval can prove his bat, glove and dedication in a minor league trial that begins with a game at DH for Single-A San Jose Saturday night. For now, it would be awkward for Giants manager Bruce Bochy to handicap the position. Right now Nuñez is my third baseman, so I can t go into what-ifs, Bochy said. He s on this team and I hope he s on this team. I can t speculate on what we ll do. The answer would be easy if Christian Arroyo weren t out until September at the earliest because of a fractured hand. He would get big league at-bats and try to display his major league readiness to be a starting player next season. The Giants could give a nod to development and give Ryder Jones another look, although the consensus is that he wasn t ready when he went 1 for 21 in seven games before getting hit on the wrist by a pitch. Jones and Sandoval will split time between third base and DH while possibly getting at bats at first base for Sacramento beginning on Tuesday. Hwang, if he reports, will have to be inserted into that mix as well. Nuñez greeted Sandoval and said he wasn t bothered by the fact that the Giants added another third baseman, saying, God gave me the ability to play multiple positions, so it doesn t matter.

8 In the meantime, the games do not stop. Matt Moore threw five shutout innings out of six, but a fourrun fourth marred what otherwise was a better start. Wil Myers led off the fourth with a home run. Luis Perdomo followed three singles with a two-run triple. Nuñez helped them rally to tie, although the Giants rally in the fourth was stopped cold when Gorkys Hernandez got thrown out trying to go from first to third on the single. Albert Suarez, who made 12 starts last season and is finally healthy after shoulder and calf issues forced him to miss four months, returned to the roster (in place of left-hander Steven Okert, who was optioned to Triple-A) and contributed a pair of scoreless innings. Sam Dyson appeared for the fourth time in five days and stranded two runners in the ninth when he got Hector Sanchez, as thorny an ex-giant as there s ever been, to ground out. Nuñez drew a leadoff walk in the ninth but Joe Panik popped up a sacrifice attempt and Posey struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance to send the game to extra innings. Brandon Crawford struck out with the winning run at third base in the 10th, and then stayed in the game with Nuñez moving to third base in the 11th. The very first Padres batter hit a hot smash that Nuñez snagged to take away a base hit. The Giants missed another sacrifice attempt in the 12th, when Brandon Belt singled and Tomlinson s bunt led to a forceout at second base. But Tomlinson ended up advancing on a wild pitch, and then Hundley singled to the wall in left field to end it. I can tell you this: there were two tired teams out there, Bochy said. But they kept fighting on both sides. What if Hundley s drive didn t get over the left fielder s head? Didn t matter, he said. I was going to keep on running. San Jose Mercury News Giants notes: Jae-gyun Hwang optioned to minors as part of roster reshuffling Andrew Baggarly SAN FRANCISCO The Giants might be having their most miserable and forgettable season in several generations, but don t try to take June 28 away from Jae-gyun Hwang. That s the magical day when Hwang fulfilled a dream by appearing in his first major league game, and then walked on a cloud after hitting a home run. If that s all that Hwang achieves as a big leaguer, then his decision to turn away more lucrative offers in Korea will be worth the sacrifice. His home run against the Rockies easily ranks as the best moment of the Giants wasted season, too.

9 It s been tough for Hwang to keep himself sharp while being a reserve player for the first time in his career, and the writing was on the wall before the club optioned him back to Triple-A Sacramento prior to Saturday s game. Hwang was in a 2 for 25 slump after beginning his career with four hits in his first 11 at-bats. He had started 10 games at third base but found himself coming off the bench after Eduardo Nuñez returned from his hamstring injury and began to showcase his skills to opposing scouts. Now Hwang faces competition for at-bats at Triple-A, too. Pablo Sandoval is set to report to the River Cats on Tuesday. Although Hwang no longer has the ability to opt out of his contract, the Giants are expected to give him that courtesy if he is so inclined. For now, Hwang remains on the 40-man roster. They replaced him on the 25-man roster with Orlando Calixte, who addresses an ultra-thin outfield. Giants manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged that Hwang s pinch hitting role would be a challenge for someone who has never done it before. It s tough for him to be sitting and watching games and get his timing, said Bochy, who held a lengthy meeting with Hwang and interpreter Mark Kim in his office. We d like to get him playing again. He s been at a disadvantage. He s getting pinch hitting or spot starts against (pitchers) he s never seen. He s a talented player. It s been difficult to get Jae the necessary at-bats. Hwang said he tried not to change too much about his preparation, but he has developed some helpful routines. Since I m starting off the bench, I have to get ready in the middle of the fifth (inning) and get my arm loose and my body loose, Hwang said through interpreter Mark Kim on Friday. Then every time we are on defense, I try to go to the cage and see what pitchers I might hit against and what their pitches are, so I ll be as prepared as possible whenever I get the call from Boch. In the meantime, Hwang tried to be a conscientious teammate. He said he would arrive at the ballpark earlier than he otherwise would so he could get his warmup routine and treatment done. The last thing he wanted to do is take up space in the trainer s room while starting players like Brandon Crawford and Buster Posey are trying to do their daily maintentance before games. I can do all of that before they need to, Hwang said. I wanted to do what would be most efficient for myself in terms of allocating my time. The Giants also optioned struggling left-hander Steven Okert in favor of right-hander Albert Suarez, a contributor who made 12 starts last season but only recently returned to Sacramento s roster after missing four months with shoulder and calf injuries. Suarez offered innings coverage and the Giants were desperate for it following Friday night s 11-inning loss.

10 San Jose Mercury Pablo Sandoval re-signs with Giants, apologizes to fans and former teammates Andrew Baggarly SAN FRANCISCO It was weigh-in day for Pablo Sandoval. He weighed in on why he spurned the Giants as a free agent three years ago, and how he wished he could take that decision back. He weighed in on the relationship he must repair with former teammates whom he badmouthed out the door. He weighed in on his health, and whether he was giving up switchhitting for good. (He s not.) He weighed in on the second chance he is receiving now that his minor league contract with the Giants became official on Saturday. I learned my lesson, said a svelte and sunny Sandoval, as he greeted reporters in the dugout he once filled with his chatter and custom handshakes. I apologize to the fans, especially for the things that I said both the things I said to (them and) my former teammates. There s a lot of things out there, man. But the thing is, I have to be respectful to the Giants organization. They give me the opportunity to be here. Now I get a second chance. I had a lot of special moments here. I have the greatest moments of my career here, so to have a second chance is the most important thing. The prodigal Panda will seek to prove himself in the minor leagues, beginning with a start at designated hitter for Single-A San Jose on Saturday. He ll report to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday for what Giants manager Bruce Bochy expected to be an evaluation period of at least 40 to 50 at-bats. Sandoval acknowledged he has more to demonstrate than his conditioning, his bat speed or his defense at third base. I learned a lot of things, man, said Sandoval, whom the Boston Red Sox released in the third season of a five-year contract even though he s still owed more than half his $95 million guaranteed salary. I m more mature. I respect more the game as I should. In baseball you don t stop learning until it s over. If you don t have good people around you, it s going to be the worst thing for you. I have to prove a lot of things, man. I m happy to be back. I ll do the best to get in good shape and be with my teammates like old times. Old times were the best of times, for both Sandoval and the Giants. He was named MVP of the 2012 World Series after hitting three home runs in Game 1 against the Tigers Justin Verlander. He caught the foul pop that clinched Game 7 of the 2014 World Series in Kansas City. Before the champagne dried, he distanced himself from the organization that signed and developed him. He told friends even during the victory parade that he was about to ghost the Giants. The spring after he signed with the Red Sox, Sandoval was quoted as saying he wouldn t miss anyone in San Francisco except for Manager Bruce Bochy and right fielder Hunter Pence.

11 Asked to clarify those comments on Saturday, Sandoval said it was a miscommunication but only a partial one. If I meant that I missed Bochy and Hunter, it s the guys I d been joking around with most, Sandoval said. Hunter is like my brother and Bochy is like my dad. But at the end of the day, I missed all the guys. I missed all the team. The fan support is the greatest. So a miscommunication? Yes, but at the end of the day, I was emotional. So I learned a lot of things from that. I learned a lot of lessons. Why did he come back now, to a place where he knew he would face the awkward task of repairing relationships? Why not try to make a clean start in someone else s minor league system? Why here? Five years, three rings. Three World Series. Dynasty, Sandoval said, staring into the cameras. The fan support. What else? The team. Manager. Teammates. Everything. It s where I came from, you know. I grew up here. Now I ve got a second chance to be here. I have to make the right decision. This one is the right decision. This is where I always love to play so I m here. In a somewhat startling statement, Sandoval said that re-signing with the Giants after the 2014 World Series would ve been the right decision, too. (I was) emotional, a lot of things happened, Sandoval said. I wish I could get back to that time to get the opportunity to sign again. I would sign it. But it s past. It s past. I m moving forward right now to do the best. Give me another chance. I m here. That s the most important thing. I m here to show them that I am ready for it. The Giants sought to aid Sandoval s PR efforts by releasing an apologetic statement from him while announcing the contract: I have always loved and appreciated the Giants organization, my Giants teammates and the fans of San Francisco. I have so many great memories and I want to thank the organization for giving me another chance to come back here. When I left the Giants in 2014, my comments were emotional, insensitive and misguided and I truly regret and apologize for my actions. I am committed to working hard to contributing to the success of the Giants. Sandoval didn t make it clear whether he individually apologized to former teammates on Saturday, although he gave bullpen catcher Eli Whiteside a bear hug as soon as he walked into the clubhouse. He dropped his Red Sox duffel bag in an empty locker between those belonging to Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford. This reunion, with all its emotional entanglements, wouldn t be happening if the Giants weren t their worst record through 98 games in the club s San Francisco era and Sandoval weren t a virtually free player. The Red Sox are on the hook for the roughly $49.5 million owed to him through 2019, minus whatever prorated portion of the major league minimum salary ($513,000) he would be paid by another club.

12 Sandoval is no doubt aware that the Giants are staring at a total void at third base in the near future, if they trade away Eduardo Nuñez as expected prior to the July 31 deadline. They have a dearth of position players to fill out the roster at Triple-A Sacramento, as well; even top prospect Christian Arroyo will be out till at least September because of a fractured hand. There is desperation on both sides, and there s nobody else left at the bar. It s a free look at a player who s done some good things in this game and has talent to hit a baseball, Bochy said. Sometimes a change of scenery can get a player back to where he was, and he was pretty good here. Sandoval, who passed a physical, looked to be in relatively good shape. He said he is healthy following shoulder surgery. There won t be a DH as a fallback spot with the Giants, though. He will have to prove his entire game, Bochy said. We can make a call on whether he can help us here or not, Bochy said. There s no guarantees. The fact he s willing to go the minor leagues and show what he can do, it s a win-win. This amounts to a flyer, albeit a more intriguing one given the history and controversy. Will Sandoval get an opportunity on the Giants roster at some point this season? Probably. Will he become their third baseman for the foreseeable future? Probably not. Sometimes when you look for lightning in a bottle, you get Pat Burrell. Other times, you get Dan Uggla. We ll see where he s at and what he has, Bochy said. We know a lot about Pablo, but he s had a lot of time off. Bochy spent several minutes talking with Sandoval in the manager s office Saturday morning, but he didn t seek an explanation or apology for how the former All-Star left the club. I didn t feel like that was a priority today, Bochy said. Sandoval did not weigh in on one matter: the whereabouts of the final out ball from 2014 the one that Madison Bumgarner has said he wouldn t mind having for safe keeping, and one that the Panda was rumored to have sold. Past that, he said with a stammer. I m past that. MLB.com Blach takes on Lamet, Padres in finale Jonathan Hawthorne Looking to continue their season success against the Giants, the Padres wrap up a four-game series Sunday when Dinelson Lamet (3-4, 6.40 ERA) takes the mound. The righty has not yet faced the Giants. The Giants start Ty Blach (6-5, 4.36 ERA), who has pitched well in his past three starts, posting a 2.33 ERA. His efforts have paid off, giving the Giants three wins. Blach said, mechanically, he's turned a corner thanks to more film study.

13 "I feel like I've been staying on line a little bit better," Blach said. "I was getting a little bit rotational. But I feel like I'm getting down and out over my front side a little better and getting the ball down. Getting more ground balls. That's been good for me." Lamet has allowed five runs in each of his past two starts. His ERA has increased from 5.35 on June 29 to Things to know about this game The Giants are advising fans to plan ahead Sunday, since the annual San Francisco Marathon will close streets around the city. Upgrades and testing to MUNI and Caltrain lines may also impact public transportation. Blach posted a quality start opposite the Padres in April, spinning seven innings of three-hit ball. The Giants, though, went on to lose the game, 5-2. Lamet has struck out seven or more batters in five of his nine starts since making his Majors debut against the Mets in May. MLB.com Giants walk off in 12th on Hundley's single Jonathan Hawthorne and AJ Cassavell SAN FRANCISCO -- Starting in place of All-Star catcher Buster Posey certainly comes with expectations. Nick Hundley met those -- and then some -- when he looped a single to the left-field wall Saturday afternoon, giving the Giants a 5-4 walk-off win over the Padres in 12 innings. San Francisco's fifth walk-off win of the season resulted in an enthusiastic infield celebration. It was Hundley's first walk-off hit since joining the organization this season. "I had to go in the fetal position," Hundley said. "It just didn't stop. They were all over it. It was good. You like those days." Brandon Belt blooped a single to center field off Padres reliever Kevin Quackenbush to begin San Francisco's uprising. Belt was forced out at second on Kelby Tomlinson's sacrifice-bunt attempt, but after a wild pitch moved Tomlinson to second, up came Hundley, who drove an 0-1 curveball to the base of the wall. "I can tell you this, there were two tired teams out there," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "But both clubs kept fighting. It was a great win for us after losing a very tough one last night." It was just the second win in the past nine games against the Padres at AT&T Park for the Giants, who improved to 10-5 in extra innings. Neither Padres starter Luis Perdomo nor Giants starter Matt Moore earned the decision. Both exited after the sixth inning with the game knotted at 4. Both also had relatively similar outings; Perdomo surrendered eight hits, while Moore allowed seven.

14 Perdomo was done in by a rocky fourth inning -- though it wasn't entirely his fault. Hunter Pence reached when shortstop Allen Cordoba -- starting in place of the injured Erick Aybar -- booted a routine grounder. After retiring Hundley, Perdomo allowed the next four men to reach base, and three unearned runs would score. The biggest blow was Eduardo Nunez's two-run single, which tied the game. Nunez finished with a game-high three hits. "I'd love to see [Perdomo] get to the point where he picks up a teammate when he makes an error," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Cordoba misses that ground ball, puts a guy on base, and it's a series of singles in a row before he settles back down. Then he goes out and throws the ball well the rest of the game. That's a big thing in his development. When something goes wrong, trying to right the ship for everybody else." Offensively for the Padres, Wil Myers homered for the second time in as many games. But the San Diego offense mustered just one hit over the final eight frames, a ninth-inning double by Matt Szczur. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Perdomo's productive triple: In the fourth inning, Perdomo became the the seventh pitcher in Major League history to triple three times in a season. His hit, which took one hop before losing momentum at the right-field wall, scored Szczur and Luis Torrens to give San Diego a three-run cushion. The hit also made Perdomo a part of San Diego history. Among Padres pitchers, only Perdomo and Tim Lollar have recorded three triples for the club all-time. "The first swing that he took earlier in the game was pretty unattractive. I think it's something I have to learn from," Moore said. "It's bear down right there. There's no reason not to give him my best stuff." Yates escapes: With a handful of everyday players out of Saturday's lineup, the Giants had plenty of pinch-hit options. They turned to Brandon Crawford during a rally in the eighth. Crawford blooped a double, which had a hit probability of 29 percent according to Statcast, to shallow right-center field, moving Hunter Pence to third. But Kirby Yates -- who struck out the side and now has 48 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings for the Padres -- whiffed leadoff hitter Gorkys Hernandez to escape the jam. QUOTABLE "I thought I beat him, thankfully. If he caught it, I would have kept running, right into the Cove."-- Hundley, on his game-winning single TAXED BULLPEN In six games on their road trip, the Padres have needed 30 1/3 innings from their bullpen. That's largely been due to some poor starting pitching, but two extra-innings games haven't helped, either. They're carrying nine relievers and had planned to call up a shortstop before Sunday's game. That may no longer be the case, given the circumstances. "We've seen a lot of innings out of the bullpen over the last five days, about as many as I've seen," said Green. "We have a long bullpen right now. We've got a lot of guys down there. We just need a good start from [Dinelson] Lamet tomorrow." WHAT'S NEXT

15 Padres: Rookie flamethrower Lamet has struggled recently, largely because he hasn't found the strike zone consistently. After consecutive rough outings, Lamet looks to turn things around in Sunday's series finale against the Giants. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. PT on MLB.TV. Giants: Giants lefty Ty Blach, with a 2.33 ERA over his past three starts, takes the mound Sunday in the series finale on MLB.TV. Blach said he's focused on keeping the ball down in the zone, helping him turn a corner. MLB.com Sandoval on SF return: 'To be here, it's special' Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants hope to learn by early August if Pablo Sandoval deserves a second chance -- or if they have second thoughts about giving him one. The inevitable became official Saturday as Sandoval, cast aside by the Red Sox after 2 1/2 mostly fruitless seasons, agreed to terms on a deal with the Giants that will allow him to demonstrate whether he retained or can recapture the hitting prowess that distinguished his tenure with San Francisco from "To be here, it's special," Sandoval said at AT&T Park. "I had the greatest moments in my career here." Giants manager Bruce Bochy estimated that Sandoval should demonstrate his skill level after accumulating 40 to 50 plate appearances in the Minor Leagues, a trial which likely will last two weeks. Bochy said that Sandoval's willingness to engage in what is essentially an extended tryout is a "win-win" for the switch-hitting third baseman as well as for the Giants, whose offense has remained among the least productive in the Major Leagues all season. "I think you look at it as a free look at a player who has done some good things in this game," Bochy said of the Sandoval experiment. "It happens sometimes. A change in scenery can get a player back to the player that he is." Sandoval was expected to join Class A Advanced San Jose and play Saturday night for the Giants' California League affiliate against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He's then scheduled to advance to Triple-A Sacramento. Beforehand, Sandoval hadn't appeared in a Major League game since June 19 for Boston, which designated him for assignment on July 14. Sandoval compiled a slash line of.212/.269/.354 in 32 games with Boston this season. He also recorded four homers and 12 RBIs. During his 161-game Boston stint, Sandoval totaled 14 homers and 59 RBIs to go with a slash line of.237/.286/.360. This was far from Sandoval's level of production with San Francisco (.294/.346/.465). His output peaked in 2009, his first full year with the club (.330/.387/.556 with 25 homers and 90 RBIs), though he was good enough to make the National League All-Star team in '11 and '12. Sandoval also tied a record by hitting three home runs in Game 1 of the '12 World Series against Detroit.

16 Asked why he chose the Giants during his brief entry into free agency, Sandoval said, "Why here? Five years, three rings -- three World Series. Dynasty times three. The fan support. Teammates. The manager." Sandoval lacked this sentiment when he left the Giants for the Red Sox as a free agent following the 2014 season. San Francisco remained competitive in the bidding until Boston offered the "Kung Fu Panda" $95 million over five years. After signing with Boston, Sandoval said that Bochy and right fielder Hunter Pence were the only Giants he would miss. Saying "I learned my lesson" and citing "miscommunication," Sandoval apologized to players and fans for those remarks. He did add, "Hunter's like my brother now; Bochy was like my dad at that time." Sandoval also admitted, "I wish I could get back the time to have the opportunity to sign here [after 2014]." But, he concluded, "It's past." MLB.com Suarez, Calixte deliver after promotions Jonathan Hawthorne and Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- As the Giants struggled this season, Albert Suarez's presence was magnified by his absence. Suarez, 27, contributed significantly last year as a reliever and spot starter, inheriting the swingman's role that Yusmeiro Petit capably filled from A calf injury disrupted Suarez's season, but he recently was deemed healthy enough to pitch. Needing innings to be consumed, particularly after enduring extra-inning contests in two of the previous four games, the Giants wasted little time in recalling Suarez from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday. Sure enough, he contributed two scoreless innings to San Francisco's 5-4, 12-inning victory over San Diego, blanking the Friars in the seventh and eighth. "I really think that we missed him," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "There's a lot of times we could have used him." It was business as usual for the quietly confident Suarez, who finished 3-5 last year with a 4.29 ERA in 22 games (12 starts). "It was great to be back. I feel like I can get the job done," Suarez said. Backup catcher Nick Hundley, who delivered the game-winning single in the 12th, was impressed by what he saw from Suarez. "It was big to get a fresh arm in here, with how much these guys have been grinding," Hundley said. Summoning Suarez was among multiple roster moves the Giants engineered Saturday. Rookie infielder Jae-Gyun Hwang, who burst onto the scene last month when he homered in his Major League debut, was optioned to Triple-A. The Giants also optioned left-hander Steven Okert to Sacramento while recalling utility man Orlando Calixte from the same affiliate.

17 Hwang's playing time decreased when third baseman Eduardo Nunez returned from a stint on the disabled list after the All-Star break. Bochy said that Hwang was at a disadvantage as a pinch-hitter or while making spot starts against unfamiliar pitchers. "It's tough for him to be sitting and watching games and trying to get his timing," Bochy said. "We'd like to get him playing on a consistent basis. We don't know what's going to happen. We do need him. He's not used to sitting on the bench." The 25-year-old Calixte was hitting.262 with 13 homers and 41 RBIs in 76 games for Sacramento. Upon joining the Giants Saturday for his second stint this season, he delivered an RBI single in San Francisco's three-run fourth. "We're a little short in the outfield on guys with experience. Calixte will give us that," said Bochy. Okert had a 6.75 ERA in 12 appearances. NBC Sports Bay Area PABLO SANDOVAL SINGLES IN FIRST AT-BAT WITH SAN JOSE GIANTS, FINISHES 1-FOR-4 NBC Sports Bay Area Staff In his first at-bat with the Giants organization in nearly three years, Pablo Sandoval singled to left field against Rancho Cucamonga. Serving as the designated hitter, Sandoval batted right-handed against Rancho Cucamonga left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson. Sandoval's single followed singles by prospects Steven Duggar and Bryan Reynolds. First baseman Aramis Garcia followed with an RBI single, moving Sandoval to second base. But the next batter, Ryan Howard, hit a line drive to Quakes second baseman Drew Jackson, who stepped on second base to double off Sandoval. In second at-bat, Sandoval flied out to deep left field for the final out of the bottom of the second inning. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 4th, Sandoval grounded a ball deep into the hole at shortstop. Omar Estevez made the throw across the diamond for the out, but Sandoval picked up an RBI. In the bottom of the seventh, Sandoval grounded out to third base for the second out of the inning. Sandoval got one final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth. After Reynolds drove in Duggar to cut the Quakes' lead to 5-4, Sandoval had a chance to play hero, but he worked a walk. He was lifted for a pinchrunner. He finished the night 1-for-4 with a single, walk and RBI.

18 San Jose went on to lose 5-4 to Rancho Cucamonga. Sandoval signed a minor league deal with the Giants on Saturday. He will stay with Single-A San Jose until Triple-A Sacramento returns home from Tacoma. NBC Bay Area Sports HUNDLEY COMES THROUGH LATE FOR GIANTS, PICK UP WALK-OFF WIN VS PADRES Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO -- With All-Star catcher Buster Posey getting a break after logging nearly five hours behind the plate a day earlier, San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy knew he would have to lean heavily on Nick Hundley. With one swing in the 12th inning, Hundley provided the Giants with far more than they expected from the veteran backup. Hundley singled in Kelby Tomlinson with two outs in the 12th, lifting San Francisco to a 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. It was Hundley's fifth game-ending hit of his career and his first since July 11, 2014, with Baltimore. It came after Kevin Quackenbush tried to fool him with back-to-back curveballs. "The first one was a little too far away for me to do anything with," Hundley said. "I tried to get something a little closer and thankfully I did." One day after the teams played 11 innings in a game that lasted nearly 5 hours, the Giants and Padres had another extended battle. Pinch-hitter Tomlinson reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a wild pitch from Quackenbush (0-2). After Hunter Pence flied out, Hundley lined an 0-1 pitch over the head of left fielder Jose Pirela as Tomlinson rounded third and scored without a throw. It was the Giants' second win in the last nine games against their division rivals at AT&T Park. "There were two tired teams out there," Bochy said. "When you lose a game the way we did last night and you have a day game the next day, you have some tired guys out there. And a lot of times the team that gets ahead, the other team has a tendency to get a little flat. I'm just proud how they bounced back." Eduardo Nunez had three hits and two RBIs, Hundley singled twice and San Francisco took advantage of an error by San Diego shortstop Allen Cordoba that led to three unearned runs. Will Myers hit his second homer in two days as part of San Diego's four-run fourth but the Padres wasted multiple opportunities and lost for the fourth time in six games.

19 "He hits some balls really well to the pull side," Padres manager Andy Green said. "When Wil's really rolling he's using the entire baseball field. He'll tell you the same thing. I still think there's room for growth too." Josh Osich (3-1) retired five batters and struck out three in getting the win. The Giants left the bases loaded in the sixth and stranded runners at second and third in the eighth. San Diego got the go-ahead runner to third with two outs in the ninth but came up short when pinchhitter Hector Sanchez grounded out. Both teams had the leadoff runner on in the 10th but failed to score. SEEING TRIPLE: Padres starter Luis Perdomo hit his third triple of the season in the fourth inning. The last pitcher to hit three triples in a season was Dontrelle Willis in Perdomo's three triples this season are the mostever by a Padre pitcher in team history (since 1969). The Padres have four triples in the first three games of this series. "He can fly," Green said. "I'd venture to say there's not a pitcher in the game that runs much better than he does." PANDA RETURNS: Third baseman Pablo Sandoval signed a minor league contract with the Giants, returning to the team he broke into the majors with. The 2012 World Series MVP was to report to Single-A San Jose and will join Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. The Boston Red Sox released Sandoval on Wednesday when the third baseman didn't report after being designated for assignment last week. TRAINER'S ROOM: Padres: INF Erick Aybar was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised left foot. The injury happened Friday night when Aybar fouled a ball off his foot. LHP Buddy Bauman was reinstated from the 60-day DL to take Aybar's spot. Giants: Posey was held out of the starting lineup after catching all 11 innings of Friday's game. San Francisco's All-Star struck out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. UP NEXT: RHP Dinelson Lamet (3-4, 6.40 ERA) pitches the series finale for San Diego on Sunday while the Giants counter with LHP Ty Blach (6-5, 4.36 ERA). Lamet has had seven or more strikeouts in five of his nine starts this season. NBC Sports Bay Area SANDOVAL RETURNS, APOLOGIZES TO FANS FOR WAY HE LEFT GIANTS Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO The first two steps of Pablo Sandoval s second stint in San Francisco were positive. Sandoval showed up to AT&T Park on Saturday in decent shape, the kind that will allow him to go straight to the minors instead of spending a few weeks cutting pounds. He also said the right things,