Shoulder healed, Sanchez swinging freely

SAN DIEGO -- If Giants catcher Hector Sanchez has looked like a brand new player since being recalled last month, it's because he feels like one.

Sanchez, who sustained a right shoulder injury while playing in the Venezuelan Winter League last season, said he's feeling fully healthy and uninhibited with his swing. As a result, he's become the solid option behind the plate that he was during the club's 2012 title run.

"My shoulder feels 100 percent, and I've really been concentrating on my swing," Sanchez said. "I was working in Triple-A, and I started to feel really good, really comfortable, swinging at pitches in the strike zone."

Sanchez drove in three runs in Sunday's win over Arizona, and he went 2-for-4. Since being recalled Aug. 8, Sanchez is hitting .286 in 35 at-bats.

"I don't remember exactly when [it happened], but when my shoulder started feeling good, I started feeling more aggressive," Sanchez said.

After being placed on the disabled list with the strained shoulder, Sanchez was optioned to Triple-A Fresno upon his return, where he played 32 games.

Manager Bruce Bochy said he's seen a noticeable difference in Sanchez's approach at the plate since his return.

"When he came back from Fresno this last time, you could see a difference in the way he was swinging the bat," Bochy said. "The shoulder wasn't affecting him. Watching him throw, I thought, 'This is the Hector that we saw last year.'"