Giants Announce Final Opening Day Roster

Well, Bruce Bochy hinted at it last week, but now it's official: the Giants will take the risk of making starting third baseman Pablo Sandoval the only backup to catcher Bengie Molina. The Giants will begin the season with a 12-man pitching staff that includes rookie right-hander Joe Martinez as a long reliever.

The staff won't include Luis Perdomo, the Rule 5 draft selection who appeared destined through most of the spring to claim a relief role. Instead, the Giants designated Perdomo for assignment and purchased the contract of right-hander Brandon Medders from Triple-A Fresno.

The Giants also optioned catcher Steve Holm to Fresno; reassigned right-handed pitcher Justin Miller to Minor League camp; placed left-handed pitcher Noah Lowry on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain; placed right-handed pitcher Sergio Romo on the 15-day DL with a right elbow sprain; and purchased the contracts of infielders Rich Aurilia and Juan Uribe and outfielder Andres Torres from Fresno.

Martinez, 26, will be the lone first-time Major Leaguer among the Giants. Expected to return to Minor League camp by mid-spring, Martinez instead filled the Giants' need for a long reliever by recording a 1.72 ERA in his final five games.

Including Torres and Velez on the team forced Holm's return to the Minors. The Giants figure they can rely on Molina to handle the bulk of the catching during April, when they have four scheduled off-days. They'll likely call up Holm when Molina or Sandoval encounters fatigue or injury -- or when the club figures the risk of either setback is too great.

For now, the Giants will enjoy the luxury of needing only a catcher-and-a-half.

The Giant's 2009 Opening Day roster includes:

Pitchers (12): Jeremy Affeldt, Matt Cain, Alex Hinshaw, Bob Howry, Randy Johnson, Tim Lincecum, Martinez, Medders, Jonathan Sanchez, Merkin Valdez, Brian Wilson, Barry Zito.

Catchers (1): Molina.

Infielders (7): Aurilia, Emmanuel Burriss, Travis Ishikawa, Edgar Renteria, Sandoval, Juan Uribe, Velez.

Outfielders (5): Fred Lewis, Aaron Rowand, Nate Schierholtz, Torres, Randy Winn.