Recovering Cain to wait week before making start
Manager says righty is fine but won't appear in game until March 10-14
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Emphasizing that nothing is physically wrong with Matt Cain, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Saturday that the right-hander won't appear in a Cactus League exhibition game until sometime between March 10-14, enabling him to work more extensively on his recovery from surgeries.
Bochy still expected Cain, who had bone spurs and chips removed from his right elbow and ankle during the offseason, to be ready to start a game in "the first go-round" -- during San Francisco's opening five regular season contests. Cain looked sharp in his first two throwing sessions off a bullpen mound and is expected to pitch live batting practice Sunday.
"There has been no setback," said Bochy, explaining that Cain will accomplish more by working a little longer under the supervision of head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner instead of limiting himself solely to pitching.
In other injury-related developments, closer Santiago Casilla felt good enough to throw batting practice, but the Giants gave him another day of rest for precautionary reasons. Casilla sustained a bruise when a line drive hit by Casey McGehee struck him on his left shin Thursday.
Bochy said that Sergio Romo, another top Giants right-hander, continued his recovery from a sore throwing shoulder by playing catch at a 90-foot distance Saturday, one day after he threw off a bullpen mound.