Ratto: Analyzing Game 3's Lineup Shakeup

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Oct. 19, 2010RATTO ARCHIVEGIANTS PAGEGIANTS VIDEONLCS GAME 3 LINEUPS
Ray Ratto
CSNBayArea.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- As nearly anticipated, Aaron Rowand is your new Giants center fielder . . . for a day, anyway.

Bruce Bochy announced a significantly different lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, a right-hand-heavy one which had Andres Torres out of it and Rowand in the eighth spot and Edgar Renteria as the new leadoff man. It did not include Pablo Sandoval, however, as the regular starting third baseman was passed over for Juan Uribe, whose wrist was certified healthy enough to play third base.

Hes a go, Bochy said of Uribe. Came in, took some swings, got his treatment. So hes out there. And with Torres not playing today, we felt like Edgar was out best option to lead off, and thats why hes at short.

In addition, Aubrey Huff drops to sixth for the day, but Bochy said he intended to go back to his everyday lineup again in Game 4 against right-hander Joe Blanton. Id say its fair to say (that the lineup is day-to-day), but with the right-hander, you probably see our regular lineup out there tomorrow.

Huff is the only left-handed hitter in the lineup that faces Cole Hamels. The Phillies, for their part, send the exact same eight players in the exact same batting order that they did for Game 2, with second baseman Chase Utley in the two-hole and third baseman Placido Polanco in the three-spot.

Ray Ratto is a columnist for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

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