ST. LOUIS --- Angel Pagan ended up with plenty of company on the flight to Scottsdale yesterday.
Late in the homestand, the Giants decided that Joe Panik would join Pagan at the team's facility in Arizona to continue rehabbing. It turns out Tim Lincecum also made that trip, and he'll spend the week rehabbing his hip injuries. Manager Bruce Bochy said Lincecum could face hitters while he's in Scottsdale, which would put him on the verge of a rehab assignment. Panik (lower back) also will head to the minors at some point to get some at-bats.
As for the guys that are here, well ... Andrew Susac is here.
Susac returns after missing 26 games, and the timing is perfect. Buster Posey caught 21 of those games and started two others at first base and DH, and Bochy said he "could tell a little bit by watching him yesterday that it was catching up to him."
Posey gets the day off today, but this won't necessarily be the time share it was before Susac got hurt. Bochy said Susac will catch a little more than Hector Sanchez did, but he sure didn't sound eager to move Posey around too much. It's easy to see why: This is the stretch run, the Giants need Posey doing Posey Things behind the plate as often as he can.
--- Nori Aoki ran sprints earlier and will take some swings. Bochy said Aoki is "doing well. He feels back to normal." Aoki will be activated when the seven days on the DL are up.
--- The Giants still have not announced a Wednesday starter. On we go.
--- Madison Bumgarner was named National League Player of the Week. Obviously. They could have announced that yesterday.
"I didn't know somebody was even close to him, to be honest," Bochy said.
While talking about Bumgarner, Bochy admitted that he considered using the slugging pitcher as the DH during the last game in Arlington last month. The Giants have always been hesitant to risk it with Bumgarner, and even though he's a good athlete and has a ton of pop, there's always increased risk when a pitcher takes swings. This guy, after all, is paid to be one of the world's best left-handers. But Bochy did sound like he's coming around a bit on the idea of letting Bumgarner -- who has four homers -- pinch hit.
"He's a legit hitter," Bochy said. "He's not a pitcher I think you hit eighth. He could hit seventh."
(Oh man. The #LineupMonkey would combust if that happens.)
