Giants spring training Day 26: Alguacil visits clubhouse, says he feels great

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jose Alguacil survived a scare and he's feeling strong, which means enough time has passed that his facial fractures are fair game in the clubhouse.

"You look better than you did before," a Giant said Friday as he hugged Alguacil. 

The first base coach laughed and smiled, and then continued greeting a line of players and coaches.

"I'm feeling great," he said. "There's no pain."

Alguacil has a shiner where the ball broke his nose and bandage over the minor facial fractures that are still healing. He is dealing with some blurred vision, and he won't know an exact return date until his next visit with an eye doctor, but he said he should be back at the job in a week to 10 days. That's the absolute best-case scenario after Alguacil was hit by a foul ball that went screaming into the folding chairs set out for coaches at Surprise Stadium. 

Alguacil had surgery and spent several nights in the hospital, but he said it won't be long before he's back throwing BP. He won't even need a new pair of glasses. The original pair was knocked off by the blow and left a deep gash across his forehead. 

"They didn't break," he said, smiling. "They're back there in my locker."

GAME RECAP: Madison Bumgarner pitched four innings, allowing just a pair of unearned runs, but the Giants lost to the Indians ... Brandon Belt hit his 25th career spring training home run ... Jimmy Rollins pulled a Trevor Bauer pitch into the bullpen area for his first homer as a Giant ... Chris Marrero had two more hits, including a hard triple to right, but he wasn't able to pull out another walk-off when he came up with two outs in the ninth. He struck out looking ... Kelby Tomlinson had a pair of hits ... Derek Law had a rough one, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks. 

CUETO WATCH: Johnny Cueto will start Saturday's game at Scottsdale Stadium but he'll only pitch an inning or two in his debut. Matt Cain will back him up, with Ty Blach starting the other half of the split-squad up the road. 

RED, WHITE AND BLUE: Mark Melancon and Jeff Samardzija have been added to the United States roster for the World Baseball Classic, and it sounds like Melancon will be part of that bullpen as early as the second round. Here's a full story.

ICYMI: The latest podcast featured interviews with Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker. You can stream it here or download it on iTunes here.

FAMILIAR FACE: If you were watching really random WBC action the other day, you might have seen former Giant Travis Blackley pitching for Australia. 

QUOTABLE: "Why not, right?" -- Melancon on dropping a two-strike curveball for an inning-ending strikeout with the bases loaded.

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