SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants may have to wait longer than expected for their most powerful bat.
Manager Bruce Bochy said there's nothing new to report regarding Hunter Pence, but he did admit that May 1 is now an unrealistic return date. Pence, who fractured his forearm March 5, had hoped to be back within six to eight weeks.
Pence has been running and throwing in recent weeks and has taken light swings with a fungo bat, but he still needs to hit soft toss and hit off a tee before he can get cleared to take BP. After that, he would likely need a rehab assignment. Bochy said he has a lot of boxes to check off.
Pence hit .277 with 20 homers last season. Giants right fielders have combined for a .250 average this season, with zero homers and just five extra-base hits.
--- There's no Thursday starter yet. Bochy said he will wait and see how the next two games go. He could need either Ryan Vogelsong or Yusmeiro Petit for heavy duty tonight or tomorrow.
--- Buster Posey was out early for extra BP, which I don't think I've seen more than a couple of times -- if that -- in four seasons on the beat. Posey is hitting .229 with just two extra-base hits, both of them homers. It looked like he was working on going the opposite way.
"He did some work off a tee today to get a couple things figured out," said Bochy, who watched. "You don't see it a lot, but I know Buster is trying. These guys are really trying. That goes with the territory."
Posey is at first base tonight with Andrew Susac, not Hector Sanchez, catching Tim Lincecum. Bochy indicated that he could get Brandon Belt back at first tomorrow, even though Clayton Kershaw is on the mound and Belt has missed a lot of Kershaw games the last few years.
--- The Giants did pitchers fielding drills before BP and the outfielders worked on cut-off throws. Bochy said this will happen once a homestand. The defense has been a little sloppy the first 14 games.
