The Giants have placed 24-year old lefty starting pitcher Eric Surkamp on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th due to a strained flexor tendon. Surkamp pitched in 6 games (all starts) for the Giants last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 2-2 with a 5.74 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP. He also pitched in 24 games (23 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 11-4 with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Surkamp will likely start the 2012 season in the minors when he comes off the D.L., but he could help the Giants at some point in 2012.

The Giants have placed 27-year old lefty reliever Dan Runzler on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th with a strained lat muscle. Runzler pitched in 31 games (1 start) for the Giants last year and he was 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Runzler has now pitched in 83 games (1 start) in his first three years with the Giants and he is 4-2 with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. The Giants hope that Runzler can help them in the bullpen at some point in 2012.

The Giants have placed 34-year old righty swinging 2B Freddy Sanchez on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th due to a right shoulder injury. Sanchez played in 60 games for the Giants last year and he was 69 of 239 (.289 avg, .730 OPS) with 21 runs scored, 3 homers and 24 RBIs. He has now played in 196 games in his first three years with the Giants and he is 224 of 772 (.290 avg, .720 OPS) with 87 runs scored, 11 homers, 78 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Freddy Sanchez just can’t seem to stay healthy for the Giants.

The Giants have placed 34-year old righty starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27th due to back spasms. Vogelsong will likely be ready to make his first start of the year on time. He pitched in 30 games (28 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He has now pitched in 47 games (28 starts) in his first three years with the Giants and he is 13-10 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. The Giants hope that Vogelsong will give them another strong year in 2012.

If 24-year old righty swinging catcher Buster Posey wouldn’t have gotten hurt earlier this year, you have to think the Giants would be right there with the D-Backs. Posey played in 45 games for the Giants this year and he was 46 for 162 (.284 avg, .756 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 4 homers, 21 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He has now played in 160 games in his first three years with the Giants and he was 172 for 585 (.294 avg, .815 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 22 homers, 88 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Giants have really missed Posey’s bat as having either 31-year old Eli Whiteside or 29-year old Chris Stewart are akin to having two pitchers in the starting lineup. Whiteside has played in 77 games for the Giants so far this year and he is 40 for 193 (.207 avg, .605 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 4 homers, 17 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Chris Stewart has played in 61 games for the Giants this year and he is 29 for 146 (.199 avg, .545 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs. The Giants should have really dealt for a stopgap type catcher like Ramon Hernandez.