The pregame interviews with Bruce Bochy are funny in a way. Fairly frequently, probably every other game or so, Bochy is holding a nugget of useful injury news. Every once in a while he’ll volunteer the information, but generally someone needs to ask. Whenever anyone asks anything about Freddy Sanchez, the news is usually on the gloomy side. Today was no different, but this time his shoulder wasn’t the problem.
“Freddy’s had a setback. His back now is bothering him. We have to get checked out, I think he’s going to get an MRI on it. So we’ve had a minor setback here.
“When I went to see him in Arizona the back was bothering him a little bit, and then it just got worse. He’s at a point where he can’t do anything because of the back.”
Sanchez had a “flareup” this spring with his lower back, but hasn’t been a “chronic deal” for the Giants’ infielder, who was trying out a move to third base at minor league camp in Arizona. That obviously has been put on hold.
Pablo Sandoval update
I asked Bochy whether the prognosis had changed for Pablo Sandoval, and Bochy said this:
“It’s hard to say but he’s starting to do some baseball stuff now. He’s able to take some light swings with one hand there. I probably can answer that question better here in a couple weeks, exactly where we’re at with Pablo.”
You never know what injury news Bochy may be holding, so I had to ask.
Blame Affeldt
Before most games the starting pitchers who aren’t going that night get together to the left of the batting cage with strength and conditioning coach Carl Kochan. Before hitting the cage, the pitchers are led on a variety of stretching drills, which look vaguely like something from Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks.
Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner chatted for a while, shuffling their feet and looking around. Then Barry Zito came running over from the clubhouse tunnel. The rest of the pitchers ribbed Zito for being late, and Zito kept saying, “It’s Affeldt’s fault. It’s Affeldt’s fault,” as the other starters laughed.
Affeldt, ever a team player, followed Zito over to the starters’ area and took the blame. “It’s my fault guys, I was talking to him.”
