SCOTTSDALE -- Tuesday was Angel Pagan Day in the clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium. Pagan spoke publicly for the first time since losing his hold on the center field job and was honest about the fact that the Denard Span signing caught him by surprise. Span said the two met for a few minutes, and the Giants don't expect any issues going forward.
So we know who the starters are in the outfield, and we know that Gregor Blanco will be the dependable backup and will end up contributing in a number of ways. What we don't know: Who gets the fifth spot in the outfield ... or, will there even be a fifth outfielder?
Bruce Bochy and Bobby Evans met to discuss that topic Monday, and it'll be an ongoing discussion. The Giants aren't committing one way or the other. They're leaving the door open to carry a fifth outfielder or a third catcher or whatever makes the most sense after six weeks down here.
[PAVLOVIC: Giants spring training Day 6: Brown ready to learn, compete]
"We have a lot of good options here," Bochy said. "There are a lot of good kids coming through our system and six-year free agents."
Bochy didn't offer many specifics, but he did concede that Mac Williamson is one of the longer shots.
"He's a guy where I think it's fair to say we think he would probably be better served to go to Triple-A and get a full year there," Bochy said. That being said, Bochy won't totally rule the young prospect out. Matt Duffy was supposed to get more seasoning last year but he forced his way onto the roster last spring.
Jarrett Parker is in a bit of a different boat after his star turn last September. The Giants wouldn't mind Parker developing a bit more in the minors, but as Bochy has said a few times since that outburst in Oakland, it's hard to ignore that kind of pop off the bench. Parker was blasting balls to deep right during the first BP session on Tuesday, and the environment down here in Arizona will certainly give him ample opportunity to homer his way onto the Opening Day roster.
It was once thought that Kyle Blanks, a non-roster invitee, could win that fifth outfield job just as Justin Maxwell did last spring, but Bochy said he will primarily be a first baseman this spring. "We're going to slow-play him," Bochy said. "He's coming off (an Achilles) injury." Blanks is shockingly big in person and he has the power the Giants need off the bench, but the math gets a little more complicated if he's a first baseman. Buster Posey is Brandon Belt's primary backup and Andrew Susac will play some first this spring. Trevor Brown plays first, too, and during Tuesday's workout Ehire Adrianza drifted over there for a couple of drills, just in case.
Belt, by the way, won't play much -- if any -- left field this spring. Kelby Tomlinson won't really be out there either, and he has said that he has a lot more work to do in order to be comfortable in the outfield. That's a project for a future spring.
"He has enough on his plate to learn third base and play some shortstop," Bochy said of Tomlinson. "I don't want to overwork him. He's trying to make this club. I'd say outfield is on the back burner for him."
With guys like Tomlinson, Parker, Williamson and Brown, the Giants have more flexibility than in the past. All have options remaining, so Evans can shift guys in and out depending on health and the schedule. The guess here is that the Giants would prefer going with four outfielders, with Belt and Tomlinson available in an emergency. As long as the starters are healthy that'll work, and on Day 1 of full squad workouts, Pagan declared himself 100 percent and Span lined quite a few balls into the net beyond right field and appeared to be fully over hip labrum surgery.
LIGHTER SIDE: Buster Posey had the perfect answer when asked how to spell Samardzija.
FAMILIAR FACES: It's an endless reunion tour out here. Damon Minor, now the hitting coach for Triple-A Sacramento, was out working with infielders today. Edgar Renteria may be here as soon as tomorrow to do a stint as an instructor, and Jeremy Affeldt and Tim Hudson are also headed out here soon. Most of the former instructors -- Randy Winn, Rich Aurilia, etc. -- will be here too.
ICMYI: I have a Facebook page now. On that page, here's video of Span taking BP.
QUOTABLE: Bochy wouldn't give up much when asked about his annual speech. He spoke to his players for about 30 minutes in the morning, and it's likely that he reminded players that ownership made quite an offseason commitment. Spend five seconds looking around that room and you'll see more than $300 million in offseason contracts or extensions.
"I'm sure more is expected out of us," Bochy said. "We're expecting more out of ourselves than anyone else. That's who we are. You've got to go out there and do it."
