GIANTS NOTEBOOK: Torres pushes for roster spot

Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News

GLENDALE, Ariz. — According to Tim Flannery, the Giants' third base coach and resident bunting guru, nobody is worse at laying one down in practice than Andres Torres.

"But once the game starts, there's nobody better," Flannery said.

Torres is getting more than bunt hits. The non-roster outfielder has a ..450 average this spring, tied with Milwaukee's Corey Hart for the Cactus League lead. His .511 on-base percentage is the best in the desert. And there's little doubt he would be one of Bruce Bochy's 25 men if the manager had to draft his opening day roster now.

"I can't say enough about how well this kid's played," Bochy said. "He makes things happen. In that first inning, he's down two strikes and gets a walk. He's a good defender, a good runner. This kid's doing all he can to make this club, believe me."

Torres, a muscular switch hitter, chases down most everything in center field, where the Giants need a competent backup to Aaron Rowand. He has better fielding instincts than Eugenio Velez. He's more refined on the basepaths. And as Flannery can attest, Torres is trusty in a sacrifice situation.

Signed as a six-year minor league free agent, Torres, 31, last appeared in the majors with Texas in 2005 but compiled most of his big league time in 2002-03 with Detroit. He credited former Tigers teammate Alex Sanchez with teaching him the art of bunting.

"Anything to get on base," said Torres, who is generously listed at 5-foot-10. "When the tying run is on deck, you don't try to hit a home run."

Unhappy with Jack Taschner's team-high 11 walks, the Giants are surveying the trade market for the left-hander while keeping tabs on free-agent lefty Will Ohman. Bochy held a closed-door meeting Thursday with Taschner, who was shopped at last year's trade deadline and could be moved for a midrange prospect. The Phillies reportedly have expressed interest.

Ohman is more of a true specialist, having held left-handers to a ..197 average in his career. Lefties have a .288 average against Taschner.

Another left-hander, Alex Hinshaw, might be next in line for a sit-down with Bochy. He walked two Friday and has a 6.14 ERA this spring.

Randy Johnson (biceps irritation) played long toss with no problems and said he plans to pitch three innings against the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

Barry Zito improved from his previous outing, allowing one earned run in six innings of a 10-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

From MLB.com

San Francisco	San Francisco 10, Chi White Sox 3 Today's Boxes 3/20/09 HOU 4, CIN 2 FLA 8, ATL 6 NYY 4, MIN 2 NYM 4, BAL 0 PHI 2, STL 2 BOS 11, PIT 4 TOR 15, TB 4 DET 5, WSH 2 LAA 6, ARI 1 MIL 6, SEA 5 CLE 7, OAK 6 CHC 5, SD 3 TEX 11, COL 5 KC 9, LAD 4	Chi White Sox
	March 20, 2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E San Francisco 1 2 0 2 0 1 2 0 2 10 17 1 Chi White Sox 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 2
	Standings | Recap: SF | CWS

	San Francisco AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Torres, RF-CF-RF 3 1 1 1 1 0 2 .450 Burriss, 2B 4 0 3 2 0 0 1 .396 Downs, 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .276 Schierholtz, LF-RF 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 .313 1-McBryde, PR-CF 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .667 Guzman, J, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 .395 2-Rohlinger, PR-3B 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 .300 Ishikawa, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 .271 3-Bowker, PR-1B 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 .245 Rowand, CF 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 .220 Velez, LF 2 0 1 2 0 0 2 .333 Uribe, DH 4 2 2 1 0 0 1 .279 a-McClain, PH-DH 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 .250 Frandsen, SS 3 2 2 0 0 0 1 .294 Bocock, SS 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 .278 Holm, C 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 .200 Posey, B, C 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .438 Totals 40 10 17 8 2 4 22 a-Doubled for Uribe in the 9th. 1-Ran for Schierholtz in the 7th. 2-Ran for Guzman, J in the 7th. 3-Ran for Ishikawa in the 7th. BATTING 2B: Rowand (4, Contreras), Frandsen (4, Marquez), Ishikawa (3, Torres, C), McClain (2, Lujan). TB: Torres; Burriss 3; Schierholtz; McBryde; Guzman, J; Ishikawa 2; Bowker; Rowand 2; Velez; Uribe 2; McClain 2; Frandsen 3; Posey, B. RBI: Uribe (8), Burriss 2 (5), Torres (4), Velez 2 (9), McClain 2 (5). 2-out RBI: Burriss 2; Torres; McClain 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ishikawa; Rowand; Bocock. GIDP: Guzman, J; Ishikawa; Downs. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING SB: Frandsen (1, 2nd base off Ely/Stewart), Uribe (1, 3rd base off Ely/Stewart). CS: Torres (1, home by Contreras/Stewart). FIELDING E: Guzman, J (3, throw). DP: 2 (Frandsen-Burriss-Ishikawa, Guzman, J-Burriss-Ishikawa). Chi White Sox AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Anderson, B, CF 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 .279 Wise, CF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265 Ramirez, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .275 Torres, E, SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .118 Quentin, LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .279 Dye, RF 3 1 0 0 0 0 2 .186 Kroeger, RF 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 Thome, DH 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 .200 Konerko, 1B 3 1 2 1 0 0 0 .396 Broussard, 1B 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .152 Betemit, 3B 4 0 2 1 0 1 4 .324 Stewart, C 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .200 Lucy, C 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214 Lillibridge, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 .222 Totals 33 3 7 2 3 5 11 BATTING 2B: Konerko (3, Zito). TB: Anderson, B; Quentin; Kroeger; Konerko 3; Betemit 2. RBI: Konerko (11), Betemit (12). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Betemit 2. GIDP: Stewart; Dye. Team LOB: 7. FIELDING E: Stewart 2 (3, catcher interference, throw). PB: Stewart (1). DP: 3 (Lillibridge-Ramirez-Konerko, Ramirez-Lillibridge-Konerko, Betemit-Lillibridge-Broussard). San Francisco IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Zito (W, 1-1) 6.0 6 3 1 1 3 0 5.49 Sadler 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 12.86 Hinshaw 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 0 6.14 Wilson 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Contreras 3.0 5 3 2 2 0 0 3.60 Ely (L, 0-1) 1.0 3 2 2 0 1 0 18.00 Marquez 2.0 3 2 2 0 0 0 5.23 Torres, C 2.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 Lujan 1.0 3 2 2 0 2 0 9.00 Marquez pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. WP: Marquez. HBP: Thome (by Zito), Schierholtz (by Contreras). Groundouts-flyouts: Zito 9-6, Sadler 0-2, Hinshaw 1-2, Wilson 0-2, Contreras 5-3, Ely 2-0, Marquez 2-4, Torres, C 4-1, Lujan 0-1. Batters faced: Zito 25, Sadler 3, Hinshaw 6, Wilson 3, Contreras 15, Ely 6, Marquez 9, Torres, C 8, Lujan 6. Inherited runners-scored: Torres, C 1-1. Umpires: HP: Paul Schrieber. 1B: Casey Moser. 2B: John Tumpane. 3B: . Weather: 83 degrees, sunny. Wind: 1 mph, Varies. T: 2:50. Att: 7,275. March 20, 2009 Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner