Giants start season with left-field platoon, for now

LOS ANGELES -- Explaining how he'll deploy his left fielders, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Monday that he will play switch-hitting Andres Torres against left-handed pitching and left-handed-batting Gregor Blanco against right-handers, at least during the season-opening series against the Dodgers.

This sounded like a platoon. But Bochy said that it isn't.

"Whoever's the hottest with the bat will be out there," Bochy said.

Thus, Torres also will start against Los Angeles left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu on Tuesday, followed by Blanco against right-hander Josh Beckett on Wednesday.