Giants Player Updates

[Fullabull]

Giants Player Updates :bigsquare

[Fullabull]

J.T. Snow was available for Sunday's game but did not play. Snow missed Saturday's game after an allergic reaction to medication.
If you normally start J.T., it looks like it's safe to use him this week.

Ramon Martinez was held out of action another day Sunday after he still was complaining about headaches two days after suffering a concussion.
Martinez took an MRI and is still day-to-day. He traveled with the team to San Diego on Sunday night. Trainer Stan Conte said neurological tests performed on Martinez didn't show any problems. Rich Aurilia says he'll be able to play this week when he's eligible to come off the DL, so there's no need to rush Martinez back.

Reggie Sanders was moved up to the leadoff spot tonight. He went 1-for-4.
David Bell hit second. It's unclear whether Sanders will continue to bat leadoff when Rich Aurilia returns Tuesday. If he does, that's bad news for his fantasy value.

Backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba suffered a bruised thumb after a collision at home plate on Friday night.
He is available to catch in an emergency tonight. Consider him day-to-day.

Tsuyoshi Shinjo had a 4-for-4 day, raising his average to .247.
He had been in an 0-for-15 slump. Shinjo may be an excellent defensive center fielder, but with a .305 OBP and a .341 SLG he still isn't much of a regular.

[Fullabull]

Jeff Kent had just his second three-RBI game of the season on Monday. He's raised his average from .250 to .278 over the past 13 games.
Kent appears to be playing better. He's still not on 100-RBI pace, but he does figure to reach the century mark and perhaps get up to 110.

Giants placed infielder Ramon Martinez on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion.
Martinez doesn't really need a stint disabled list, but someone had to go.

J.T. Snow, making his first start since Friday, went 0-for-4 against the Padres on Tuesday.

[Fullabull]

Jason Schmidt struck out 13 while giving up three runs in eight innings today against the Yankees.
As many problems as he's had recently, we don't know if we like the idea of Schmidt throwing 124 pitches. Schmidt may be having the best run of his career over his last three starts. If he's still available in your mixed league, he won't be for much longer. Pick him up.

[Fullabull]

Rich Aurilia went 2-for-5 with a double and a homer on Tuesday.
Aurilia, returning to 2001 form, is batting .344 (10-for-29) with two HR and seven RBI in seven games since coming off the disabled list.

Damon Minor continued his recent hot play with his fourth home run yesterday, but J.T. Snow kept pace, hitting one himself.
Once the Giants are through with American League DH rules this could be an interesting battle. But with Jeff Kent and Rich Aurilia heating up, Dusty Baker may decide he doesn't need Minor's offense and would rather have Snow's superb defense.

Damon Minor went 4-for-4 and homered for the third straight game tonight.
Before the game, manager Dusty Baker said the first-base job depends on how J.T. Snow hits and how Minor fields. Minor fields better than Snow hits, but even if Baker goes to Minor for a while, it's likely that he'll turn back to Snow eventually.

[Fullabull]

When asked about the status of setup man Felix Rodriguez, manager Dusty Baker hemmed and hawed, and then more or less conceded Tim Worrell would be fulfilling that role for now.
"I'm not going to tell you," Baker said when pressed about Rodriguez. "You just write it." But when asked if Worrell would get the eighth-inning call from the bullpen, Baker said, "Probably." How did this happen to the game's most-dominant setup man of the past two seasons? F-Rod had a 2.64 ERA in '00, a 1.68 in '01, and currently sits at 5.20 this year. The key could be his control. Rodriguez averaged a 2.70 k/bb rate over the past two years. That figure has fallen to 1.73 this season.

Tim Worrell, 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA, is now the top setup man in San Francisco.
Worrell has won the job over Felix Rodriguez, at least until he falters or Rodriguez reclaims it. Rodriguez managed to win nine games in the role last year as any team with Barry Bonds can win games late. Don't expect any saves, but with a 1.15 WHIP and 2.88 k/bb ratio Worrell has some value.

Reggie Sanders hit leadoff for the Giants yesterday for the first time this season.
Sanders has a .333 OBP (.350 during June) this year with 10 stolen bases, which makes him the closest thing the Giants have to a leadoff hitter. We'll have to wait and see if the switch is permanent.

Leadoff hitter Reggie Sanders hit two homers -- one a grand slam -- today.
Sanders has been a mild disappointment this year, but he's worth picking up in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped. When healthy, he is going to help in every category except batting average. He is about due for an injury, but maybe this is the year that he avoids the DL.