**The Official 2010 Giants Post-Season Thread**
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Andres Torres expected to hit leadoff for Giants in Game 4
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he intends to revert to his regular lineup in Game 4 today, with Andres Torres back atop the order.
Torres, who grounded out as a pinch hitter Tuesday, is 3 for 26 in the postseason and struck out four times in Game 2 on Sunday in Philadelphia. But his struggles go back further than that -- even preceding his Sept. 12 appendectomy that sidelined him for nearly two weeks.
Perhaps it's not a coincidence that Torres began his sharp downturn Aug. 20 in St. Louis, after a long dugout discussion with Chris O'Leary, his personal hitting coach who also works with Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols.
Torres struck out three times that night, acknowledging he had too many mechanical thoughts going through his head. Entering that game, he had a .287 average and .368 on-base percentage and was averaged 1.96 strikeouts per walk. But in his last 28 games, he hit .200 with a .248 on-base percentage and averaged 4.57 strikeouts per walk.
And now he's struck out 12 times and walked just once this postseason, while swinging through high fastballs.
"It's not the swing. I just need to concentrate more," said Torres, who takes medication to treat an adult hyperactivity disorder. "I get distracted by so many things. I just need to see the ball. Sometimes I lose focus. I just need to watch the ball."
Torres said he is staying positive. Now he must prove he can stay calm, too.
"I just need to stop thinking,"
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he said. "I can't jump at the first pitch. I need to see pitches. Everything is quick. I need to slow things down."
# Juan Uribe started at third base after an MRI exam showed no structural damage in his left wrist and inflammation subsided with treatment. Bochy acknowledged Uribe wasn't 100 percent, but sufficient to play.
Uribe is likely to return to shortstop today in Game 4, with Pablo Sandoval a good bet to start at third base over Mike Fontenot.
# The tomahawk chop didn't bother Madison Bumgarner in Atlanta, and the 21-year-old rookie said he wouldn't dwell on his less glossy home numbers (1-3 with a 4.60 ERA in eight starts) when he takes the mound today.
"I'm definitely comfortable pitching at home," he said.
# Phillies manager Charlie Manuel confirmed both before and after Game 3 that right-hander Joe Blanton would pitch Game 4, saying he "didn't see any use in discussing" whether to move up Roy Halladay to take the mound on three days of rest.
Blanton hasn't started in three weeks, although he got an inning of work in the regular-season finale Oct. 3 and he threw under simulated game conditions last week. Blanton beat the Giants Aug. 18 at Philadelphia, holding them to two runs in 61/3 innings. He struck out seven in that start, and did not issue a walk.
# Second baseman Freddy Sanchez doesn't need to lob throws anymore -- and that's a lucky thing for the Giants. He handled seven chances without issue Tuesday, including a double-play grounder to end the game.
Sanchez said his strained his right rotator cuff, which he sustained Sept. 25 at Colorado, is much improved.
"Thank God," Sanchez said. "From where I was in Colorado to now, it's significantly better. It's not 100 percent, but I'll take where I'm at right now."
# Outfielder Aaron Rowand's teeth were chattering as he talked to reporters. He had come straight from the cold tub.
"First time I played almost a whole game for a long time," said Rowand, who hadn't started since Sept. 16. "I had to get in that tub or I wouldn't be able to move in the morning."
# The "Rally Thong" has gone team-wide. The company that makes Aubrey Huff's red, rhinestone-studded lucky underwear sent an unsolicited shipment of four boxes of thongs and other assorted items to AT&T Park. Huff took charge from there, passing out the skimpy skivvies to teammates -- some of whom politely declined.
Huff will continue to sport the original; the Giants are 25-12 since he started wearing it under his uniform.
# Cole Hamels lost for the first time in five career NLCS starts.
# Matt Cain went 11-0 in 18 regular-season starts in which the Giants scored at least three runs for him. The Giants were 16-2 in those starts.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he intends to revert to his regular lineup in Game 4 today, with Andres Torres back atop the order.
Torres, who grounded out as a pinch hitter Tuesday, is 3 for 26 in the postseason and struck out four times in Game 2 on Sunday in Philadelphia. But his struggles go back further than that -- even preceding his Sept. 12 appendectomy that sidelined him for nearly two weeks.
Perhaps it's not a coincidence that Torres began his sharp downturn Aug. 20 in St. Louis, after a long dugout discussion with Chris O'Leary, his personal hitting coach who also works with Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols.
Torres struck out three times that night, acknowledging he had too many mechanical thoughts going through his head. Entering that game, he had a .287 average and .368 on-base percentage and was averaged 1.96 strikeouts per walk. But in his last 28 games, he hit .200 with a .248 on-base percentage and averaged 4.57 strikeouts per walk.
And now he's struck out 12 times and walked just once this postseason, while swinging through high fastballs.
"It's not the swing. I just need to concentrate more," said Torres, who takes medication to treat an adult hyperactivity disorder. "I get distracted by so many things. I just need to see the ball. Sometimes I lose focus. I just need to watch the ball."
Torres said he is staying positive. Now he must prove he can stay calm, too.
"I just need to stop thinking,"
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he said. "I can't jump at the first pitch. I need to see pitches. Everything is quick. I need to slow things down."
# Juan Uribe started at third base after an MRI exam showed no structural damage in his left wrist and inflammation subsided with treatment. Bochy acknowledged Uribe wasn't 100 percent, but sufficient to play.
Uribe is likely to return to shortstop today in Game 4, with Pablo Sandoval a good bet to start at third base over Mike Fontenot.
# The tomahawk chop didn't bother Madison Bumgarner in Atlanta, and the 21-year-old rookie said he wouldn't dwell on his less glossy home numbers (1-3 with a 4.60 ERA in eight starts) when he takes the mound today.
"I'm definitely comfortable pitching at home," he said.
# Phillies manager Charlie Manuel confirmed both before and after Game 3 that right-hander Joe Blanton would pitch Game 4, saying he "didn't see any use in discussing" whether to move up Roy Halladay to take the mound on three days of rest.
Blanton hasn't started in three weeks, although he got an inning of work in the regular-season finale Oct. 3 and he threw under simulated game conditions last week. Blanton beat the Giants Aug. 18 at Philadelphia, holding them to two runs in 61/3 innings. He struck out seven in that start, and did not issue a walk.
# Second baseman Freddy Sanchez doesn't need to lob throws anymore -- and that's a lucky thing for the Giants. He handled seven chances without issue Tuesday, including a double-play grounder to end the game.
Sanchez said his strained his right rotator cuff, which he sustained Sept. 25 at Colorado, is much improved.
"Thank God," Sanchez said. "From where I was in Colorado to now, it's significantly better. It's not 100 percent, but I'll take where I'm at right now."
# Outfielder Aaron Rowand's teeth were chattering as he talked to reporters. He had come straight from the cold tub.
"First time I played almost a whole game for a long time," said Rowand, who hadn't started since Sept. 16. "I had to get in that tub or I wouldn't be able to move in the morning."
# The "Rally Thong" has gone team-wide. The company that makes Aubrey Huff's red, rhinestone-studded lucky underwear sent an unsolicited shipment of four boxes of thongs and other assorted items to AT&T Park. Huff took charge from there, passing out the skimpy skivvies to teammates -- some of whom politely declined.
Huff will continue to sport the original; the Giants are 25-12 since he started wearing it under his uniform.
# Cole Hamels lost for the first time in five career NLCS starts.
# Matt Cain went 11-0 in 18 regular-season starts in which the Giants scored at least three runs for him. The Giants were 16-2 in those starts.
