Minor setback for Sanchez delays his rehab assignment

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SAN FRANCISCOSecond baseman Freddy Sanchez encountered a minorsetback, as Giants manager Bruce Bochy termed it, in his rehab from rightshoulder surgery.

Sanchez felt soreness while making a throw in an extendedspring game at Scottsdale on Monday. He was scheduled to play seven innings butcame out after four.

Its nothing major, Bochy said. Just enough to back himoff playing for a day or two.

Sanchez was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with SanJose as early as Tuesday. Now he wouldnt join the Single-A club until Thursdayat the earliest.

But no tests were ordered and the soreness didnt come as asurprise to Giants officials. Trainer Dave Groeschner told me that he and hisstaff anticipated that Sanchez would deal with bouts of soreness as he pushedhis shoulder and gained arm strength. They had hoped to get Sanchez throughthose periods during the spring, but he wasnt able to make enough progress toplay second base in major league exhibitions.

Sanchez had been doing very well in recent weeks, Groeschnertold me. It was apparent when I watched Sanchez take infield practice duringthe season-opening series at Chase Field that Sanchez was getting much more onhis throws, angling across his body and carrying himself with more confidence all things he wasnt able to show during the spring.

Once Sanchez begins a rehab assignment, he can remain in theminors for a maximum of 20 days. Its likely he will begin at San Jose and thengraduate to Triple-A Fresno. He hasn't played second base in anything beyond a minor league scrimmage since June 8, when he dislocated his shoulder while diving for a ground ball. Sanchez had surgery in late August.

In his absence, the Giants continue to piece together playing time at secondbase with Ryan Theriot and Emmanuel Burriss.

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