Major League Baseball

San Francisco Giants notebook: Waiver claim of Cody Ross keeps paying off

Published Oct. 18, 2010 10:11 a.m. ET

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PHILADELPHIA -- Giants GM Brian Sabean didn't deny that he claimed postseason hero Cody Ross off waivers from the Florida Marlins in August partially to block the outfielder from going to San Diego Padres.

But the GM said there is a misconception that the Giants didn't want the player.

"Well, you don't claim anybody unless you really like the player because you can end up in the very situation we were in," Sabean said. "Quite frankly, other than (Andres) Torres, we didn't have a good all-around outfield option. Nate (Schierholtz) can do some things, but Nate's not an established hitter. So it was fortuitous."

That's putting it mildly. Ross struck again in Game 2 of the NLCS on Sunday night, breaking up Roy Oswalt's no-hitter with a tying, solo home run in the fifth inning.

It was Ross' fourth homer of the postseason; he also had a game-winning single in the NLDS clincher against the Atlanta Braves.

Not bad for a player the Marlins gave away to save his remaining $1 million in salary. Could Sabean ever envision Ross being a difference maker in the postseason?

"Not necessarily on this stage, but the kid hit 24 home runs last year, he's a good all around player and he's a little bit streaky," Sabean said. "He's got a good thing going from one series to the next, so we'll see what happens the rest of the way."

Ross made $4 million this year and would receive a raise in his final year of arbitration, but Sabean left a clear impression that the club will tender him a contract.

"His situation is not daunting," Sabean said. "His number isn't going to go off the map. His platform year was last year, not this year, so it's a very affordable situation if we go that route."

Ross, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., said he'd love to work out a multiyear deal.

"When I got an idea of how this team is and is going to be, and playing in front of that crowd every day, I can't see a place I'd rather be," he said. "This has been an amazing experience for me. I'd love to play here longer than these few months or even another year. I'd like to finish my career here."

Shortstop Juan Uribe was a late scratch from the Game 2 lineup and will go for tests today on his left wrist, which he injured while sliding into second base in the sixth inning Saturday night.

The Giants started Edgar Renteria at shortstop Sunday and installed him as the No. 8 hitter; they bumped up Ross from eighth to sixth.

Uribe was diagnosed with a contusion but will have tests, likely an MRI, to rule out ligament damage, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. The initial read is that Uribe could be fine with rest and treatment to start Game 3 on Tuesday night at AT&T Park, but Bochy said the infielder "couldn't quite let it go" on Sunday when he tried to swing a bat.

Bochy said it was premature to talk about replacing Uribe on the postseason roster with another infielder; if the Giants took that route, Uribe would be ineligible for the World Series, should the Giants advance.

Uribe has struggled in the postseason, going 2 for 18 with a walk and five strikeouts. But 11 of his 24 home runs in the regular season tied the game or put the Giants ahead.

If Uribe can't start Game 3 against Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels, the Giants would be forced to start either Mike Fontenot, a left-handed hitter, or Pablo Sandoval, who has struggled from the right side all season.

Madison Bumgarner was available in relief again for Game 2, but he remains the choice to start Game 4, Bochy said.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said the plan remains to start Joe Blanton in Game 4 as opposed to bringing back Roy Halladay on three days of rest. Blanton was 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA in 29 games (28 starts) this season, but he beat the Giants on Aug. 18 while holding them to two runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Despite Bochy's insistence that Jose Guillen could rejoin the team, Sabean said he wasn't sure if the veteran outfielder was in San Francisco, Miami or back in the Dominican Republic.

"We don't have any plans to add him, so it is what it is," Sabean said.

For more on the Giants, see Andrew Baggarly's Extra Baggs blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs . E-mail abaggarly@mercurynews.com .