Cain to face Minor Leaguers; Petit tabbed vs. A's

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Matt Cain, the Giants' No. 2 starter, will continue tuning up for the regular season by pitching in a Minor League exhibition Friday instead of the Cactus League showdown against the Oakland A's that's scheduled for 6:35 p.m. PT.

Manager Bruce Bochy emphasized that the assignments should not be interpreted ominously in any way. Cain, Bochy said, is fully healthy. The Giants mainly wanted to give Cain an early workday instead of having him stew all afternoon.

Moreover, Bochy said that the Giants' brass wanted to see Yusmeiro Petit start another big league exhibition. The Giants also need to find some innings for David Huff, who's competing against Petit and Kameron Loe for the long-relief role. Petit is 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in five outings (one start) this spring. Huff has no record and a 2.25 ERA (one run allowed in four innings) in three games, while Loe is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA (three earned runs in eight innings) in five appearances.

Petit, who began camp as the leading candidate to claim the long-relief role, finished 4-1 in a late-season rotation stint last year.