The big news today, of course, is how well Tim Lincecum is holding up after he couldn’t go yesterday because of a stiff back.

Timmy participated in cardio and stretches with the rest of the team on the field today and then threw off flat ground, airing it out at times. According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, The Freak could resume his bullpen sessions tomorrow.

Buster Posey was originally scheduled to catch a bullpen session for a second consecutive straight day but ended up working on agility drills instead.

Closer Brian Wilson did not pitch as scheduled (every third day), but according to Comcast SportsNet’s Andrew Baggarly, it was just a change of schedule and not a reason for concern. AP writer Jane McCauley noted that Wilson (and lefty reliever Dan Runzler, who is recovering from a left lat strain he suffered in September) will throw tomorrow instead.

Mike Fontenot arrived in camp today. He and Emmanuel Burriss are the two position players closest to the bubble, if you get my drift. Fontenot was in a light mood when he arrived asking no one in particular, “Why do they have to put me right next to Ryan Theriot?”

Fontenot and Theriot have close ties, with both men playing at LSU and as teammates with the Chicago Cubs.

Theriot was also in camp today getting his physical, along with Aubrey Huff, Gary Brown, and Conor Gillaspie.

Chris Haft of MLB.com noted that Huff looked to be in good shape, even if he does need a haircut. According to McCauley, Giants manager Bruce Bochy, upon seeing the “fit and trim” veteran, announced to everyone in the locker room that “Huff Daddy’s here! Playin’ third base, hittin’ in the three-hole.”

Speaking of fit and trim, Pablo Sandoval will officially weigh in tomorrow, according to McCauley. Anyone care to take a guess at how much he’ll come in at? I’ve got 240.

Still no word on a Matt Cain contract extension. Comcast SportsNet’s Andrew Baggarly wrote up a nice piece last night comparing Cain’s situation to that of Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels. Both pitchers have similar resumes and it seems like both are waiting on the other to sign an extension and provide some guidelines on a fair deal.

In case you’re wondering how some of the former Giants are doing this spring…

ESPN.com reports that manager Terry Collins has all but locked in Andres Torres as the Mets leadoff hitter. Wow. Quite the christening, Terry. You do know that he hit .221 last season, right?

In Kansas City, Jonathan Sanchez didn’t begin camp on time. He’s still nursing that severely sprained ankle that he suffered with the Giants back on Aug. 16—nearly three months before the Royals acquired Mr. Damaged Goods in a trade for Melky Cabrera.

Edgar Renteria, 35, is leaning toward retirement, according to MLB.com’s Cash Kruth.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes that Mark DeRosa’s wrist seems to have calmed down and that DeRo, 37, is hoping for a productive season with the Washington Nationals.

Oh, and in case you missed my late-night rant on Red Sox outfielder Cody Ross and his bitterness towards the Giants, check that out here.

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It’s late as I’m writing this so maybe I’ve just had a long day and I’m tired. But, man, it sure seems like Ross is bitter about the way things turned out for him in San Francisco.

In one article, by Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald, Ross practically calls Giants general manager Brian Sabean a liar:

“Sabean told me that’s not why they got me, but I know that it was. He said, ‘Contrary to what you may hear, we wanted you. We wouldn’t have put a claim on you if we didn’t.’  I said, ‘I don’t care. I’m here. Let’s go. I’ll do anything you want me to do.’ “

Ross is talking about the reason the Giants plucked him off the waiver wire in August of 2010. And he’s obviously sticking to his story that San Francisco was more interested in blocking the San Diego Padres from acquiring him than picking up a sixth outfielder.

“They already had five outfielders. I was coming in as the sixth outfielder. When I got there I wasn’t playing, and I was saying to myself, ‘What’s going on?’ It was tough. I’ll be honest with you.”

Wow. Bitter much, Cody?

Rather than just walk away gracefully from the team that allowed him to win a World Series ring, Ross is blabbing his mouth all around Beantown talking about how much better it is in Boston.

In a Boston.com article by Nick Cafardo, Ross says:

“I’m really excited right now to be a part of an amazing organization, to know what these guys are all about. That’s what I want to do. Great group of guys. Looking forward to it… Boston is a great fit.”

Ross earned $6.3 million dollars with the Giants last year and originally stated that he wanted a three-year deal, then softened his demands to a two-year deal. When no one wanted to invest in him for longer than a year, he settled for a one-year contract.

In the Boston.com story, he goes on to say he chose the Red Sox over “several options” this off-season, including—apparently—the San Francisco Giants.

Maybe Cody is just one of those guys who knows what to say when the cameras are rolling. I mean, all you have to do is substitute the word ‘Boston’ for ‘San Francisco’ in the quote above and you have practically the same sound bite Ross gave when he first came to the Giants.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for the time we had The Boss. The Giants wouldn’t have won the World Series had Ross not took it to Roy Halladay and the Phillies the way he did in the NLCS. He will always be a big fan favorite in the Bay Area because of that.

But can you at least act like you’re a little bummed to not be a Giant anymore, Cody?

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Among those who made early arrivals today? Pablo Sandoval, Angel Pagan, and Freddy Sanchez.

Prior to showing up to Scottsdale Stadium today, all three have been very busy preparing for the 2012 season.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Sandoval has been working out in Miami with his personal trainer. He looked good, according to Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who confirmed that the Kung Fu Panda has lost weight since FanFest two weeks ago. Sandoval refused to announce his weight just yet.

Sanchez was here in the late fall, rehabbing his injured shoulder before taking a break to spend some time with his family, and Pagan has been readying himself for his new gig with the Giants by working with a personal hitting instructor in Florida.

One of the bigger stories out of camp today was the latest injury setback for a Giants player. Unlike the broken finger suffered by minor leaguer Charlie Culberson (a significant injury to an insignificant player), this one was an insignifant injury to a significant player.

Two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum was held out of action this morning because of back stiffness. Within seconds of getting the information, all the beat writers began tweeting the information out. As one might expect, the news kind of got blown out of proportion.

Not to be compared to Ryan Vogelsong, who strained his back lifting weights a couple of weeks ago, Lincecum was just experiencing a little stiffness in his lower back. The kind of stiffness that you and I feel on any given morning. No big deal, really.

In fact, Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that Timmy had the same thing happen last year. So did Brian Wilson. “Mine’s stiff now, to be honest,” Bochy said.

That’s a whole lot of stiffies.

Speaking of stiffs, Angel Villalona (who was cleared of charges that he killed a man a couple years back) won’t be in camp on time. The 21-year old infielder is still having problems getting his visa cleared. Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with his legal issues, which have been well documented. Seems that Villalona (who was added to the Giants’ 40-man roster in December) is being held back for conditioning and medical reasons.

According to Andrew Baggarly of Comcast SportsNet, Villalona “was deemed unfit to qualify for his P-1 visa, which requires that he establish his status as an elite athlete.” Hmmmmmm. Very interesting, to say the least. (If you’re so inclined, you can check out the official government policy on P-1 visa requirements here.)

Giants VP Bobby Evans told Baggs that the delay could be anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks or longer and that the club is hoping it can convince the U.S. Consulate in Santo Domingo that Villalona, who has a similar build as Sandoval, is “in the condition he should be.” As for the medical issue, the team can’t comment on that due to privacy laws. In the meantime, Villalona’s jersey still awaits him in the Giants’ locker room.

Jaymee Sire of Comcast SportsNet tweeted that Vogelsong is feeling better today and was back at the yard after being sent home with the crud yesterday.

Remember when lefty reliever Dan Runzler strained his lat in the seventh inning of the Giants’ final game on Sept. 28? It seems he is still not 100 percent, according to a tweet from Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 26-year-old Runzler, who appeared in 31 games for the G-men last year and posted a 6.26 ERA and 1.646 WHIP, is competing for one of the final spots in the Giants’ bullpen this spring. Let’s face it. If he’s not fully healthy by Opening Day, he could very well wind up in Triple-A to start the season.

Chris Haft of MLB.com reports that Sanchez was working in the field on agility drills today. He can hit just fine, but won’t be playing second base in spring games until mid-March, according to Bochy.

Buster Posey was back in the squat today and caught bullpens from Barry Zito and Jeremy Affeldt.

Meanwhile, catcher Tommy Joseph, who I ranked No. 3 on my “22 Giants Prospects You Need To Know” list in November, looked awesome in BP today, roping liners and blasting bombs all over the place. He and the other catchers in camp all worked with Bochy (a former catcher himself) on swipe tags this morning. It’s highly unlikely the 20-year-old will steal the backup job from Chris Stewart or Eli Whiteside, so don’t get too excited…yet.

In case you’re heading down to Scottsdale this spring, you might want to print out the non-roster invitees list and 40-man roster. I’ve got all the jersey numbers of the Giants players listed, so you’ll know who’s who out there on the diamond.

The first Cactus League game will be on Friday, Mar. 3 against the D-backs. Early birds can catch the Giants’ worm as they play an intrasquad game on March 1.

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Just not as a player.

Burrell, who recently quit the game because of lingering foot problems that prevent him from playing pain-free, could return to the Giants…as a special assistant.

According to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the 35-year-old Burrell might show up at spring training for a week or two and—like Will Clark and J.T. Snow before him—provide some old-fashioned experience and advice to the young dudes.

Schulman confirmed that Giants skipper Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean have indeed talked to Burrell about rejoining the organization. Bochy was quoted as saying, “We think a lot of Pat.”

Burrell would likely be used as some type of hitting instructor. We know he’s not being brought in to talk about the idiosyncrasies of playing left field.

Come to think of it, Pat The Bat could be just the type of guy to help reinvigorate the clubhouse if things get too tense. I can see it now: Giants lose a couple of guys to injuries, look flat in their first few Cactus League games, start barking at each other in the clubhouse…and in walks some dude in a skimpy, leather gimp outfit to loosen things up.

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The Giants suffered another injury Monday when it was revealed that minor league second baseman Charlie Culberson will be out indefinitely with a broken finger on his left hand. Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was the first to tweet the news. Andrew Baggarly of Comcast SportsNet says that Culberson dropped a weight on the tip of his finger.

Yesterday, news about Ryan Vogelsong‘s back injury reverberated throughout Giants nation. Vogelsong, who is also battling the crud, will be out up to two weeks after straining his back lifting weights. Maybe trainer Dave Groeschner needs to start doing safety sessions in the weight room.

The injury to Culberson isn’t exactly a blow of the Buster Posey or Freddy Sanchez proportion, but with the way things panned out last season, fans don’t really want the “Another Day, Another Injury” tune to get stuck in their heads.

Culberson, 22, wouldn’t have made the team anyway. The Giants’ 2007 first round draft pick spent the entire 2011 season at Double-A Richmond, where he batted .259/.293/.382 (0.675 OPS) with 10 HR, 56 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 137 games (587 plate appearances). Culberson’s a mid-range prospect who I rated 21st on my “22 Giants Prospects You Need To Know” list back in November.

In other Day 3 news…

• Brian Wilson continues to make progress as he slowly works his arm back into shape after experiencing serious elbow problems all of last year, evidently. According to Schulman , manager Bruce Bochy declared Wilson’s bullpen session today “better than it was three days ago.” Baggarly quoted Bochy as saying, “I don’t think he needs a lot of outings, to be honest” and adds that Wilson is throwing pain-and-hiccup-free at about 80 percent right now.

Wilson also reportedly pitched with sore hips and a sore back for most of last year. (Funny, he looked fine busting moves in San Francisco mayor Ed Lee’s campaign video). Looks like B-Weez will pitch in the pen every three days and begin pitching in Cactus League games on or around March 11.

• Tim Lincecum spent some time working on his pickoff move today, per Schulman. He was notorious for letting opposing base runners get huge leads and swipe bases off him last year, so it’s good to see Timmy upping his game in that area.

• KNBR host Marty Lurie reported that Heath Hembree was throwing at about 95 mph today.

• Finally, in one of the strangest stories of the spring so far, Kevin Kaduk at Yahoo’s Big League Stew writes that former Giants outfielder Carlos Beltran recently footed the bill for his ex-Mets teammate Jonathon Niese‘s nose job. before and after pics at BLS.

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Kroon, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year during spring training, is a class act. The guy was one of the friendliest players in camp and always took time out (more so than most other players) to chat with fans. Seemed like he always had a smile on his face, too.

Originally taken by the Mets in the second round of the 1991 draft, Kroon pitched for manager Bruce Bochy when the two were in San Diego. Bochy coaxed him into withholding his retirement last year, in case the Giants needed him, and Kroon was extended an invitation to spring training.

He performed well in camp (1-0, 1.86 ERA, 11 L in 9.2 innings), but prior to Opening Day was assigned to Triple-A Fresno, where he went 2-5 with a 5.11 ERA, 1.642 WHIP, and 20 saves for the Grizzlies. He never got called to San Francisco.

Kroon became a legend in Japan after he set the record for the fastest pitch ever in Japanese baseball in 2005, at 161 km/h (100 mph). Three years later, he was clocked at 162 km/h [watch video].

During his six seasons in Japan, Kroon racked up 177 saves to go along with a 2.68 ERA and 1.141 WHIP in 305.1 innings.

He announced his retirement via Twitter on Sunday:

After 21 years I have decided to retire from the game of baseball. I am excited for the next adventure in my life and being a full time parent. I have been blessed too be able too (sic) have a great career. I could not have done it without the support of so many people. I would like to thank the N.Y. Mets (who drafted me), Padres (Major League Debut), Reds, Mariners, Dodgers, Angles, Tomoteros (Mexico), Yokohama Baystars, Tokyo Giants and the S.F. Giants for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love. I would like to thank every coach and teammate that I have ever come across in my career. The fans in Japan and America you were amazing with your support I love you. Most of all to my family. My wife Tricia and kids M.J, @matthew_kroon, and Madison who made my career possible I could not have done it without there support. I love you. My mom for raising me and believing in me I love you mom. My sisters I love you. What an amazing ride!!! I can say It was an honor to play this game. It is great to know the last Big League jersey i wore was the S.F. Giants!! You fans were great I will never forget you!! #ontothenext I still will remain on twitter so plz continue following me.

Good luck in whatever the future holds for you next, Marc!

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There he was, sitting in the squat, receiving fastballs and assorted other pitches from familiar batterymates Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.

And there he also was in the batting cage, swinging his lumber with that sweet, familiar stroke.

Buster Posey looked great on Sunday, the second day of spring training.

Still recovering from a trenchant leg and ankle injury that wasted most of his 2011 season, Buster reminded his teammates, coaches, a few local reporters and national media folks, and fans on hand at Scottsdale Stadium that Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.

During BP, he roped pitches to left field mainly, even blasting a couple high over the fence into the lawn seats. According to Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News, Posey looked good in all four rounds of batting practice.

Behind the plate, he dug out a couple of pitches in the dirt. But no blocking yet. That’s coming later, so says skipper Bruce Bochy.

I think Pavlovic said everything you want to hear as a Giants fan when he wrote, “Aside from the brace on his left leg, there are no signs so far that Posey was ever hurt.”

Posey is reportedly pining to play in the March 3rd Cactus League opener against the D-backs. And I say let him!

My inside scoop, Crook, got some nice stills and shot some video of one of Posey’s BP sessions and was kind enough to send it to me for your viewing pleasure:

How Posey’s ankle and leg respond to baseball activity remains to be seen. He told Pavlovic that his ankle is sore when he wakes up, but “after a few steps it feels normal. I’m really happy with the way everything felt today.”

So is Lincecum, who told Comcast SportsNet’s Andrew Baggarly, “it was like having the old Posey back.”

Barry Zito added, “It’s good for the morale of the team. We feel like we’re a full unit again.”

Of course, if things get too bad, Bochy could always toss Posey out in left field, like he did with Pablo Sandoval for an inning during the Taiwan tour in October.

That idea wouldn’t fly with Buster, though, who told reporters today, “I’m too slow (to play in the outfield). Then again, Burrell played out there.”

Besides, Posey’s intent on being a catcher. And that’s it. He knows the day is coming when his body will force him to first base or DH (if he ever ends up in the American League). It’s foolish to think otherwise. Ivan Rodriguez, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek…the list of converted catchers is larger than the number of pain pills these (and most other major league) backstops have had to swallow from years of taking a beating behind the dish.

But for now and the foreseeable future, he’s a catcher and still has a lot of fire in his belly to prove that his place among the Johnny Bench‘s and Gary Carter‘s of the world is secure.

Posey’s not the only Giant trying to work the kinks out this spring.

According to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, pitcher Zito is looking to add some velocity and more movement to his pitches by using his legs more. (Earth to Zito: Aren’t pitchers taught in Little League to use their legs to generate power?)

Schulman also noted in his blog that right-hander Ryan Vogelsong might be out a couple weeks with a strained back that he suffered while lifting weights earlier this month (more on this story here). An MRI confirmed the strain, similar to the one Brian Wilson showed up to camp with last year.

Speaking of Wilson, he too threw off a mound today. So far, so good for B-Weez, whose right elbow flared up late last season.

Sandoval has been a tweeting (and workout) fool the past couple of days. He’s been busting ass in Miami until he and the rest of the non-injured offensive dudes show up to Scottsdale on Thursday. Most of the Panda’s tweets have been centered around his workout sessions with his trainer, Greg Oliver. He did happen to toss out a tweet about a Pepsi commercial that he shot with Angels outfielder Bobby Abreu, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen and pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Still no word on a new Cain contract, but Schulman did report today that Madison Bumgarner told him that he has not yet been approached by the team about a long-term contract. I don’t see why Schulman would even ask MadBum about that. It’s not like the Giants are under any kind of pressure to protect the 22-year-old from free agency. He’s not even eligible for arbitration until 2013. Call me when 2017 gets here, Hank.

Among the national media outlets at Scottsdale Stadium today: ESPN, FOX Sports, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, and USA Today. No Showtime. But you already knew that. Check out the ESPN video interviews with Posey (here) and Bochy (here).

Here are a couple of stills featuring Zito, Lincecum, Wilson and Posey, courtesy of the Crookmaster:

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Vogelsong, 33, just signed a two-year, $8.3 million dollar contract with the team to avoid arbitration after putting together a surprising 2011 season in which he went 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA, 1.252 WHIP, 7.0 SO/9 rate, and 3.1 BB/9 rate.

He also earned his first All-Star nod last summer.

Should he tweak his back or something, the Giants do have Eric Surkamp or Ramon Ortiz they could turn to as a short-term solution.

But I wouldn’t be too concerned about the injury, Giants fans. It’s way early in the spring and the MRI he had on his back didn’t show any structural damage. A treatment plan of alternating heat and ice plus rest should make Vogey strong in no time.

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Catchers and pitchers reported to Scottsdale Stadium this morning as the San Francisco Giants kicked off another year of spring training here.

I can’t be there myself this year, unfortunately, but I’ve got a couple of “on-the-scene” tweeps who will be relaying first-hand reports to me throughout the Cactus League season.

I’ll also be recapping the day’s events as reported from the various beat writers who are covering the Giants in Arizona.

No matter what, I promise you’ll get an aggregated recap of each day’s news. That way you won’t have to go to four or five different sites to find out everything that’s going on.

Let’s get started, shall we?

According to manager Bruce Bochy (via Comcast SportsNet’s Andrew Baggarly), Giants closer Brian Wilson is “on track” and threw 40 pitches off a mound. He will not be facing any live batters anytime soon, and in fact, probably won’t even make his Cactus League debut until the second week.

Hitters aren’t expected to show up until Thursday, but San Jose Mercury beat writer Alex Pavlovic tweeted that Brandon Crawford was in the batting cage this morning at 7:45. Nate Schierholtz, Hector Sanchez, and Brandon Belt are also in camp early, per Jaymee Sire (Comcast SportsNet).

Sire also tweeted that Tim Lincecum has been in camp for a week-and-a-half and has already thrown a couple of bullpen sessions to Buster Posey, saying the Giants catcher “looks good.”

San Francisco Chronicle beat writer Hank Schulman says he talked to Belt, who also arrived in camp earlier this week. Belt, who spent six weeks in the Dominican Republic, hopes his playing time in winter ball will translate into consistency at the plate this spring.

Baggs also reported today that Posey won’t be catching on consecutive days early on, but will likely be behind the plate in the team’s Cactus League opener against the Diamondbacks on March 3.

Freddy Sanchez will likely be used as a designated hitter during the first week of games, per Baggarly.

The whole Pablo Sandoval weight issue that Craig Calcaterra of NBC’s Hardball Talk made a big deal out of last week was—like I mentioned in the comments section of said blog—blown way out of proportion. Jame McCauley of the Associated Press tweeted today that Bochy is “unconcerned” about the Panda’s weight. The skipper said, “He looks good. I don’t see it being an issue.”

As I mentioned in yesterday’s 13 Giant Questions post, Matt Cain wants to have his contract situation resolved by the end of spring training. Pavlovic tweeted that Bochy understands why Cain wants to keep his (free agency) options open.

Speaking of Cain, Schulman noted that the right-hander looks thinner. Shotgun told the Giants beat writer that he got an early jump on his off-season workouts and has been doing a lot more cardio this winter.

I also predicted yesterday that Huff will win the first base job out of spring training, and Bochy hinted as much today telling Schulman that Huff’s track record gives him the inside edge. That being said, Brett Pill and Belt will still compete with Huff this spring for the first base job.

Lincecum has taken over Barry Zito‘s corner locker, according to Schulman. Zito was apparently feeling a little claustrophobic there.

“Crook”—one of my “insiders”—showed up at the yard today and said that he saw Javier Lopez signing autographs for everyone. Meanwhile, Charlie Culberson walked by and no one even noticed him. Or cared? Because, according to Baggs, Culberson is wearing Aaron Rowand‘s old No.33.  Not exactly the best way to endear yourself to Giants fans, Charlie.

Rowand, who’s in camp with the Miami Marlins (and still getting paid handsomely by the Giants), is wearing No. 33, which belonged to Scott Cousins last year. Cousins is switching to No. 6, after his favorite childhood player, J.T. Snow. Don’t you just love it?

Meanwhile, minor league outfielder Tyler Graham (who stole 60 bases last year for the Fresno Grizzlies), is wearing Andres Torres‘ old No. 56.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Angel Pagan will wear No. 16 this year for the Giants, Clay Hensley will wear No. 34, Melky Cabrera No. 53, and Madison Bumgarner has evidently switched from No. 40 to No. 23.

Lincecum and Cain will throw tomorrow; Wilson will throw again on Monday, per Baggarly. Workouts on the field are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on most days.

Check back here each day for updated information. And click here to check out my 2012 Giants Ultimate Spring Training Guide.

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As hope for another World Series title springs eternal, Giants fans have a lot of questions on their minds.

Here are 13 of the biggest ponderings I’ve received recently from readers, followed by my best attempts at answering them…

Question #1: “Who’s on first?”

OK, knock it off with the Abbott & Costello routine, would ya?

Oh, wait. You really do want to know who’s going to play first base this year for the Giants?

As it stands now, Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Buster Posey and Brett Pill have all been mentioned as possible first basemen for the Giants in 2012.

My best guess: Here’s what’s gonna happen: Huff is going to win the job out of spring training. Posey will get a day or two at first each week during the first month of the regular season while the team carefully monitors his ankle’s response to playing catcher three to four days a week. Depending on how that goes, Posey will either pick up more games at first (if he’s battling soreness or inflammation) or more games behind the dish (if his rehab is going fine).

As for Belt, let’s face it. As much as we all want to see him succeed (and some of you seem to have a crystal ball and have already anointed him the next Will Clark), he’s a career .219 hitter. And he’s young. That’s not going to bode well for him with Bruce Bochy calling the shots.

However, if Huff looks like the 2011 version (vs. the 2010 version) of Huff, all bets are off. Huff Daddy could find himself in a similar role that Pat Burrell played while he was a Giant: a veteran hitter off the bench with Belt taking over the starter’s role.

Brett Pill? Fresno-bound.

What I don’t think we’ll see at all in 2012 is Huff or Belt platooning in left field. That job’s going to Melky Cabrera (see questions #8 and #9) with occasional starts by Huff or Belt when the Melk Man needs a day off.

Question #2: “Will Matt Cain sign a contract extension?”

Perhaps a better way of asking this question might be, “Will Matt Cain become a free agent after this season?”

My best guess: How the hell should I know? We all hope that Shotgun will sign an extension, but that’s going to all come down to one thing: money.

If the Giants are serious about locking Cainer up long-term (as they have said publicly), then he’ll be signed…before Opening Day.

Question #3: “Who will be the closer if Brian Wilson goes down?”

There’s a good reason this question is being posed.

Brian Wilson hasn’t been fully healthy in a while. He showed up to spring training last year in a cop car and battled back spasms (not related to the police vehicle) which led to him starting the season on the DL. Then he had to shut it down at the end of the season when his Tommy-John-surgically-repaired elbow started acting up.

Yes, Virginia, there’s reason to be concerned.

My best guess: Bochy will likely go with a closer-by-committee if B-Weez hits the disabled list. If we’re talking an extended amount of time on the DL, though, the Giants could go one of three ways:

1) Give the job to Sergio Romo;  2) Make a trade (depending on how much season is left and where the Giants are in the standings); or 3) Bring up closer-of-the-future Heath Hembree.

Question #4: “Will Brandon Crawford be the everyday shortstop?”

He’s young. He hasn’t proven he can hit at the major league level. And Bochy is the manager. It’s a fair question.

My best guess: The Giants have been saying that Brandon Crawford will be the everyday starter at shortstop. But I wouldn’t get too comfy if I were you, Professor.

Despite the progress Crawford made hitting the ball in the Fall League, and despite his flashy leatherwork, the club signed veteran Ryan Theriot for a reason.

Crawford has shown a penchant for struggling mightily against left-handed pitchers and it’s quite conceivable that Theriot will get damn-near every start against southpaws. And because he’s so good with the glove, it’ll be easier for Bochy to put Crawford into games as a late-inning defensive replacement.

Hey, that brings up another good question: “How’s Crawford supposed to improve against left-handed pitchers if he’s not in there to work through it?” (Sorry, pal, this list is limited to 13 questions.)

Question #5: “How many games will Buster Posey play?”

Oooh, another crystal ball question.

My best guess: Well, given the fact that he’s reportedly ahead of schedule and he’s an absolute beast of an athlete and competitor, I’d say the odds of Posey fully recovering from last year’s devastating, season-ending injury are quite good.

During the off-season, Giants head trainer Dave Groeschner worked with Posey, setting goals, and monitoring his progress. From everything I’ve seen, there’s no reason to think Posey will start the season on the DL.

However, any “setbacks” could always muck things up. I’m going to go out on a limb (no pun intended, Buster) and predict that Posey plays in 140 contests this season, with 110 of those games behind the plate.

Question #6: “Will Pablo Sandoval put up MVP-type numbers?”

A lot is riding on the Kung Fu Panda’s success at the plate this year, maybe even more so than last season, when Pablo missed 41 games due to a broken hamate bone in his hand.

After the Giants lost Posey and Freddy Sanchez for the year and just about everyone on the team not named Aubrey Huff got injured too, the chances of the Giants winning the NL West nose-dived.

My best guess: Will the Panda put up MVP numbers? Yes. Why, yes he will. 

Here’s the deal: Pablo Sandoval, a first-time All-Star last year, won’t have as much pressure on him in 2012 with the return of a healthy Giants’ lineup. A more relaxed Panda will also have more run-production opportunities, with a much-improved top of the order featuring Angel Pagan. He also got his eye fixed in November (Lasik surgery) so he will presumably be able to see the ball better in 2012. His left shoulder is completely healed and he’s bulked up, adding about 10 pounds of muscle (not fat, as some have suggested).

I can see Sandoval batting .300 or better with 30 homers and close to 100 runs driven in. Seriously.

Question #7: “How many games will Freddy Sanchez miss in 2012?”

LOL. That’s making an assumption, now isn’t it?

My best guess: Freddy is fragile, his injury history proves as much. That’s not to say he’s soft, though. There’s a difference. When he dislocated his shoulder last season, it was because he was playing all out, the only speed The Mole knows.

Since 2005, Freddy has missed an average of 40 games a year, so I’ll go with that. Forty.

Question #8: “Which outfielder will get the most playing time?”

While the Giants have an abundance of infielders (particularly first basemen), they are actually kind of thin on outfielders. The current list of outfielders includes Pagan, Cabrera, Nate Schierholtz and perhaps Belt, Huff and Emmanuel Burriss.

My best guess: Look for Pagan, Cabrera and Nate the Great to be your everyday starters in the outfield with the other dudes I mentioned filling in as needed.

Question #9: “Can Melky Cabrera repeat his 2011 performance?”

The Melk Man collected 201 hits last year for the Kansas City Royals and batted .305/.339/.470 (0.809 OPS) with 18 HR and 87 RBI.

Was it a breakout year or a fluke?

My best guess: Cabrera, 27, is not in Kansas anymore, Toto. He will now play half his games at AT&T Park, a notorious pitcher’s yard, so there’s that to think about. Then again, he’s in a contract year again, too. The switch hitter has always been considered a very talented player who just never reached his potential before now.

Can he repeat (or come close to repeating) his 2011 performance? Yes. Will he? Probably not. Look for something closer to his career batting average of .275 with a dozen homers and 65 runs batted in. Overall, though, I think Giants fans will be pleased with his performance.

Question #10: “How many bases will Angel Pagan steal?”

I like this question a lot. Must be from a fantasy baseball player wanting to know whether or not he’ll be good for some stolen bases.

My best guess: Pick him up. He’s not nicknamed “Crazy Horse” because he’s slow. In a mostly undefined role with the Mets, he still managed to swipe 69 bases in 2010–’11. He’s going to be a running fool this year for Bochy. You thought Andres Torres was a good leadoff hitter? Pagan’s on base percentage the past four years has been around .337, which ain’t half bad. Playing at AT&T Park, I really believe Pagan has the potential to lead the league in triples. 

Defensively, I think he’s way underrated. But I’ve watched him play and he’s actually quite good in the outfield. He’ll be out there every day.

Like Cabrera, Pagan is also entering a contract year. Without the bright lights of New York watching and criticizing his every move, I think he’ll flourish in San Francisco. Look for a breakout year for the switch hitter. 

Question #11: “Will any of the Giants starters miss any significant time with an arm injury?”

Another fair question, considering none of the Giants starters has been shelved due to arm problems. And that’s really unheard of in baseball these days.

Take a look at the career innings pitched totals for the current Giants starters and the number of days each has missed due to an arm injury:

• Tim Lincecum: 1,028 innings. Days missed due to arm injury: 0
• Matt Cain: 1,317.1 innings. Days missed due to arm injury: 7
• Madison Bumgarner: 325.2 innings. Days missed due to arm injury: 0
• Ryan Vogelsong: 494.2 innings. Days missed due to arm injury: 123
• Barry Zito: 2,252 innings. Days missed due to arm injury: 0

My best guess: Obviously, the odds of staying healthy get worse each year that these guys stay so doggone healthy. All of them except MadBum have missed some time due to finger, neck, back, or foot problems, but only Vogelsong has missed significant time due to an arm injury (he had TJS in 2001). Cain missed some time in ’09 after he took a liner off his elbow right before the All-Star Break.

Getting back to Question #11, I’m a firm believer in positive thinking. And being a Giants fan, I’ve gotta answer this one with my heart: NO.

Question #12: “Who will take the last three roster spots coming out of big league camp?”

It might be easier to just cut to the chase and tell you who I think won’t make the cut for Opening Day. But that would take all the fun out of it.

Let’s start by taking a look at the no-brainers:

» Catchers (1) — Posey…duh

» Infielders (4) — Sandoval, Huff, Sanchez, and Crawford are all a given

» Outfielders (3) — Pagan, Cabrera, and Scheirholtz are the obvious choices

» Starters (4) — Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, and Vogey are also in the “can’t miss” group

» Bullpen (5) — Wilson, Romo, Affeldt, Lopez, and Casilla are all no-brainers, too

My best guess: The no-brainer list of 17 above leaves eight “debatable” spots available. I’m going to say Chris Stewart wins the back-up job behind the plate over Eli Whiteside and Hector Sanchez. That’s 18. Belt, Theriot, and Mike Fontenot should all make the squad, too. That’s 21. It’s probably safe to assume that Zito will be the fifth starter. That’s 22 and leaves us with just three open spots.

Drum roll please…

I’ll go with Burriss over Pill or Justin Christian for the final utility spot. And Guillermo Mota and Clay Hensley will grab the last two spots in the bullpen, giving the Giants 13 hitters and 12 pitchers (7 relievers).

Meanwhile, Eric Surkamp, Dan Runzler, and Steve Edlefsen will all start the season at Triple-A.

As I said, all of this will hinge on whether anybody gets hurt.

Question #13: “Will Duane Kuiper get a plaque on the Giants’ Wall of Fame?”

Ah, you must have read my recent article pushing for the Giants to give him a spot on the Wall.

My best guess: Even though it’s the 35-year anniversary of the season when Kuip hit his one and only home run as a major leaguer, sadly, I don’t see the Giants making an exception for him. Not unless we all start some kind of campaign….any takers?

Well, readers, did I miss any burning questions? If so, shoot me a line.

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