SAN FRANCISCO -- Bruce Bochy walked into the trainer's room this morning and saw a player on every table.
"I said, 'Come on! Are you serious? Are you guys playing tackle football games after every game?'" Bochy said.
Nope, they're just feeling the effects of a long season. The Giants are the Walking Wounded right now, but Bochy did get some good news this morning. Matt Duffy walked in, got his ankle heavily taped, and deemed himself playable. That kept Bochy from going to Plan B, which was having Juan Perez play second base and Kelby Tomlinson handle third. (Plan C was Buster Posey at third base, but Bochy wanted to keep Posey and Madison Bumgarner together.)
Duffy said he has a little bruising and minimal swelling in his sprained right ankle. He has sprained that ankle a few times before -- losing 3 1/2 weeks in A-ball to the injury -- so he knows this sprain isn't that serious. He also knows the Giants need him. Duffy said he "is aware of the roster situation," and that played a part in the decision to get taped and get back out there. He's hoping that this sprain heals without costing him a game.
Duffy almost came out of Wednesday night's game, but he got taped after the first inning and stayed in.
"We're trying to win games," he said, smiling. "I don't want Buster to be playing third base."
The Cubs immediately threw over to first after the injury delay last night, and Duffy said that actually helped him out. He was ticked and it got his adrenaline going, and he promptly stole second base.
"Yeah ...." he said. "Like I said, that kinda fired me up a little bit."
--- As for the others: Brandon Crawford was in a good mood this morning, twisting his core and joking that a lineup change was coming when I told him he looked spry. The Giants expect him back after another day or two ... Joe Panik did some running of the bases for the first time and took swings ... There's nothing new with Hunter Pence; he's rehabbing ... Angel Pagan will get here during the game and will get checked by team doctors. He should be active on Friday ... Gregor Blanco did pre-game running and is available on a double-switch or as a pinch-hitter.
--- There is nothing new to report on Matt Cain. He is currently on track to make his next start, Bochy said.
--- The Giants feel pretty good about their chances today because No. 40 is on the mound. Bochy said he didn't consider moving Bumgarner up in the lineup. "I want him focused on pitching right now," he said. That wasn't the case in St. Louis, where Bochy used Bumgarner as a pinch-hitter. He struck out against Trevor Rosenthal with two outs in the ninth, and then apologized to his manager.
"He came into the office after the game and he felt like he lost the game," Bochy said. "I said, 'You're kidding me, right?' That's his makeup."
