Morse enjoys hitting fifth behind Posey

SAN FRANCISCO -- The numbers don't reflect it, but Giants left fielder Michael Morse explained the benefits of batting fifth behind Buster Posey.

"I really like watching him hit, especially [from] on deck," said Morse, who began Saturday with a team-high 17 RBIs. "His approach is kind of similar to mine -- trying to stay up the middle [or hit] the other way [to right field]. Sometimes pitchers tend to pitch him the way they pitch me. So I've been having fun hitting behind Buster."

Posey's current struggles haven't diminished Morse's respect for him.

"He's such a hitter that if you ask me if he was in a [slump], I would have never known that," Morse said. "The way he goes about his work every day and his at-bats -- he has quality at-bats, takes a lot of pitches -- he's one of the best hitters in the game. I get the privilege to hit behind him."

Morse homered and hit a sacrifice fly while hitting fifth Friday. Until then, his performance had been uneven from the No. 5 spot. Friday's game improved his batting average as San Francisco's fifth hitter to .182 with two homers and five RBIs in seven games. By comparison, he's hitting .400 with one homer and six RBIs while hitting sixth and .238 with three homers and five RBIs from the cleanup spot.