Sanchez good to go after taking foul tip to mask

SAN FRANCISCO -- According to Giants manager Bruce Bochy, Hector Sanchez is available to be used in tonight's game, if needed.

His status was questioned following the latest foul tip to deflect off the catcher, who said concussions are a valid concern following Monday afternoon's game.

In Monday's fifth inning, an 89-mph fastball ricocheted off Nate Schierholtz's bat and drilled the left side of Sanchez's mask.

"He took a pretty good shot," Bochy said. "In fact, when I went out there, I thought I was going to have to take him out then.

"He's good to go right now."

Sanchez said Buster Posey has suggested he try to "get smaller" behind the plate when the bases are empty.

"I tried to do that," Sanchez said. "But I guess the ball followed me. It's something that's happened to me all my career. I had to laugh so I wouldn't cry. But it's tough. There's nothing I can do."

Bochy -- a former catcher -- said he couldn't relate much to Sanchez, since the damage catchers incur now is a more prevalent issue than during Bochy's playing days.

"I didn't really feel it as much as these guys are feeling it now," Bochy said self-deprecatingly. "Now we're so much more conscious of it; we have tests to see if there's any concussion. It's better to be safe than sorry, but I think back to the foul tips I got and I was fortunate that I never had one that gave me a concussion; now you would argue that talking to me."