June 10, 2011
URBAN ARCHIVE
GIANTS PAGEGIANTS VIDEO
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Mychael Urban
CSNBayArea.com
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Amazing.Incredible.Jaw-dropping.Mind-blowing.Unbelievable.No, not the game -- though the aforementioned adjectives certainly apply to the Giants' 3-2, jump-off win over the visiting Reds on Friday.URBAN: Giants Insider gallery: Pinch-hit Nate
They're more applicable, however, to the remarkable run of injuries to San Francisco stars that continued when second baseman Freddy Sanchez dislocated his right shoulder while diving to stop a ground ball from bleeding into center field.RELATED: Sanchez leaves game with shoulder injury
It wasn't nearly as severe as the Buster Posey fiasco, nor will the reaction be so viciously visceral. But make no mistake: It's every bit the bare-knuckled blow to the bouncies.
Sanchez will be sent for an MRI on Saturday, after which the amount of time he'll miss will become more clear. Suffice to say, though, that whether it's a best-case scenario (no ligament damage) or worst-case (post-meat-grinder), we're looking at somewhere between "not a short time" and "can I move in with Buster?"Thus, the focus will quickly shift from a truly sensational game that featured a little bit of everything but balloon animals and mimes to the issue of what happens to the already hamstrung -- no pun intended -- Giants roster while Sanchez recovers.When Sanchez went down, the first thought was Mike Fontenot, whom manager Bruce Bochy before Friday's game suggested would be back from his groin injury by Tuesday.Fontenot, in another cruel twist of fate, left Triple-A Fresno's game Friday with -- wait for it -- groin tightness.So here's what you're looking at, Giants fans: The same thing you looked at Friday night after Sanchez's injury.Miguel Tejada at third base, Brandon Crawford at shortstop and Manny (Don't call me Emmanuel) Burriss at second.And when Pablo Sandoval returns? That's expected Tuesday, too, but Friday's developments might expedite things. If it does or not, Sandoval obviously takes over at third base when he comes back, Crawford stays at shortstop, and, given how badly the Giants offense needs anyone on a roll, the suddenly smoking Tejada moves to second base for the first time in his career.Ideal? No. But little about this defense of the world title has been ideal, and the Giants are still in first place.Amazing.Incredible.Jaw-dropping.Mind-blowing.Unbelievable.