Zito, Giants take on D-backs today

After a day off, the San Francisco Giants (11-5-3) are back in action today and they’ll visit the Arizona Diamondbacks (7-11) at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick for their 20th exhibition game of the spring. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. (PT).

Left-hander Barry Zito (2-0, 4.00) goes up against righty Trevor Bauer (1-0, 2.57).

Zito will make his fourth start of the spring season. He has allowed four earned runs and three walks in his first three starts (9.0 IP) to go along with 7 strikeouts. His command and big, breaking curve have both looked sharp so far, and his velocity has been better than usual this spring. In his last start, Zeets struck out four in four innings but also allowed four hits and two walks and surrendered two runs.

Bauer has appeared in three games this spring, two of them starts. In his most recent outing on Mar. 14, the 6-1, 175-pound flamethrower struck out three and allowed just one hit and one walk in a two-inning stint against the Padres. Bauer was the D-backs’ first-round pick in last year’s draft and—according to some baseball scouts—the 21-year-old has drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum. Baseball America rated Bauer No. 9 on its top prospects list last year.

This is the third meeting of the Cactus League season between the Giants and Snakes. They split the other two decisions back on March 3 & 4.

The game can be heard via a live web stream on the MLB.com’s Media Center.

Today’s starting lineups…

Giants (11-5-3):
1. Pagan (cf)
2. Cabrera (lf)
3. Sandoval (3b)
4. Posey (c)
5. Huff (1b)
6. Schierholtz (rf)
7. Theriot (2b)
8. Crawford (ss)
9. Zito (p)
Starting pitcher: B. Zito (2-0, 4.00)

Diamondbacks (7-11):
1. Bloomquist (ss)
2. Parra (cf)
3. Upton (rf)
4. Kubel (lf)
5. Goldschmidt (1b)
6. Montero (c)
7. Roberts (2b)
8. Ransom (3b)
9. Bauer (p)
Starting pitcher: T. Bauer (1-0, 2.57)

Pre-game notes: Both teams are sending out their “A” lineups today. This will be a good preview of what the Opening Day match-ups might look like when these two teams meet on April 6 (with Timmy getting the start instead of Zito, of course). Today’s exhibition game is expected to be sold out … Due to the off day yesterday and to keep in line with his throwing schedule, Matt Cain faced the Oakland’s AAA team yesterday in a minor league game. Cain tossed five shutout innings, allowing just one hit with no walks and four strikeouts. Infielder Freddy Sanchez also played, going 1-for-5.

Position battles: Below are the number of innings that each player has logged at his position(s), through the Giants’ first 19 Cactus League games.

C — Stewart (47), Whiteside (41), H. Sanchez (36), Posey (15), J. Williams (15), Susac (9), Joseph (6)
1B — Pill (59), Belt (41), Huff (33), Dominguez (30), Oropesa (3), Anders (3)
2B — Burriss (41), Theriot (33), Noonan (31), Fontenot (29), Panik (18), Arias (17)
3B — Sandoval (68), Gillaspie (67), Dominguez (12), Arias (9), Burriss (8), Noonan (4), Theriot (1)
SS — Crawford (59), Arias (38), Theriot (30), Adrianza (15), Burriss (13), Fontenot (9), Panik (5)
LF — Cabrera (46), Christian (45), Perez (21), Belt (15), Burriss (14), Pill (10), Graham (8), Huff (5), Parker (5)
CF — Pagan (53), Blanco (46), Brown (30), Graham (28), Cabrera (11), Christian (1)
RF — Schierholtz (59), Kieschnick (29), Perez (21), Blanco (20), Belt (17), Graham (11), Christian (9), Parker (3)