Giants Outfielder Schierholtz Not Ready To Play
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- Giants outfielder Nate Schierholtz tested his fractured right foot Friday and is still too sore to play a full game.
San Francisco's brass was waiting until Schierholtz underwent an exam from a team doctor later Friday before deciding whether to put yet another key player on the disabled list. The defending World Series champion Giants placed five players on the DL during their recent 4-6 road trip and six others missed time with injuries.
Schierholtz went without a walking boot Friday for the first time this week and did some early sprint work in left field, then followed that by hitting in the cage.
"He's still a little sore," manager Bruce Bochy said about an hour before the Giants hosted the Houston Astros.
Schierholtz fouled a pitch from Atlanta's Tim Hudson off his foot in the series opener with the Braves on Aug. 15. Schierholtz played through it, then had an MRI during Monday's off day. A CT scan followed to confirm the fracture.
Schierholtz has hit safely in seven of his last eight games and went 9 for 32 with two homers and two RBIs on the road trip.
"I was hoping it would feel better right now," Schierholtz said. "I might have to remind myself I did break it. ... I don't know if I made it worse playing through it. Everything in me wants to play. If I get back to where I was last week and back track, I can't help. I can't play in that kind of pain. If I come back to soon, I'm going to be back where I started."
Injured closer Brian Wilson, last season's major league saves leader with 48, threw for six minutes on flat ground for the second straight day as he works back from elbow inflammation. There is no timetable for his return, though Bochy hopes for early September. Fellow reliever Sergio Romo, who also has an inflamed pitching elbow, threw one inning Friday in Arizona rookie ball and could be activated Sunday.
Also Sunday, San Francisco is expected to get outfielder Andres Torres back from a lower right leg contusion.
The Giants are calling up left-hander Eric Surkamp from Double-A Richmond to pitch Saturday in his major league debut. That means San Francisco must clear roster room on both the 40-man and 25-man rosters.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Surkamp is pitching in place of the injured Jonathan Sanchez, sidelined with a sprained ankle. Surkamp is 10-4 with a 2.02 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 23 appearances and 22 starts this season for the Flying Squirrels.
Rookie Brandon Belt was quick to send Surkamp a congratulatory text message to the 24-year-old Surkamp. They played together last year in the minors.
"He's got a fierce demeanor," Belt said. "He goes right after you. He gets a lot of strikeouts with his curveball. That thing is nasty."
While Romo could be ready soon, he's on alert to return to Phoenix for the birth of his second son at any time.
He deemed himself 100 percent after throwing 15 sliders among his 20 pitches Friday. He allowed one hit and struck out three in the one inning.
Romo is 3-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 53 appearances.
"I'm rockin'," Romo said. "If there's a positive I got out of this was a couple weeks rest."
Third baseman Pablo Sandoval had Friday night off to rest his ailing shoulder and quadriceps muscle.
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