It’s safe to say the defending world champs weren’t projecting this as a starting lineup a few months ago:
CF Cody Ross
2B Mike Fontenot
1B Pablo Sandoval
LF Aubrey Huff
RF Brandon Belt
SS Orlando Cabrera
3B Miguel Tejada
C Chris Stewart
For the record, this is the Giants’ 122nd game of the season. The eight players in the Giants’ lineup tonight have started at those positions a grand total of 98 times this year.
Ross - 3
Fontenot - 8
Sandoval - 4
Huff - 1
Belt - 0
Cabrera - 16
Tejada - 37
Stewart - 29
Only Stewart and Tejada are playing at their most common positions. Tejada actually had started 37 games at both third base and shortstop, but he had played more innings at third.
What made the odd lineup even odder is that the Giants originally had Huff in right field and Belt in left before switching the two. Huff had played right in 13 of his 14 outfield starts this season, and all three of Belt’s previous outfield starts had come in left.
So, why are we seeing this? Not only did Carlos Beltran go on the disabled list Tuesday, but the Giants have also had to send Nate Schierholtz (foot) and Jeff Keppinger (wrist) for tests that will help determine how much time they’ll miss. Finally, Aaron Rowand is nursing a strained intercostal muscle.
At least the Giants have the right starter on the mound tonight: Jonathan Sanchez loves those walks and strikeouts, so there shouldn’t be a whole bunch of balls is play. He can go as long as he wants, too: with just two players on the bench in Mark DeRosa and Eli Whiteside, the Giants don’t figure to do any pinch-hitting.
