Difficult decisions for SF Giants on reserves GIANTS

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Scottsdale , Ariz. -- In a little more than two weeks, the Giants must make some difficult and even wrenching decisions on the makeup of their five-man bench, a task they view with the utmost gravity, given how many National League West games are decided late.

General manager Brian Sabean, manager Bruce Bochy and their staffs are weighing so many needs and combinations, they would be hard-pressed to name five favorites, though one is abundantly clear:

Outfielder Gregor Blanco, a 28-year-old Venezuelan whose speed has been the talk of the Cactus League, is as close to a stone-cold lock as any nonroster invitee could be.

Blanco has been a blur. He nearly had an inside-the-park home run in his first game of camp, an intrasquad game. He has scored from second on a wild pitch, gone from first to third on a grounder to the right side and turned a routine single to right into a double.

Bochy declared that Blanco is faster than Andres Torres. In 14 Cactus League games, Blanco has played center field as well as Torres did. As a plus, Blanco has gone 16-for-36 (.444) with a .512 on-base percentage.

"He's done all he can do to make this club," Bochy said Sunday. "He's played great. We can't say anything definite on what's going to happen. I will say he's played as good as anyone this spring."

That was a public statement. Privately, some decision-makers have said it is difficult to imagine Blanco not being one of the 25.

Gregor Blanco singles to right field in the 3rd inning of the San Francisco Giants Cactus League spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Monday, March 5, 2012. Gregor Blanco singles to right field in the 3rd inning of the San Francisco Giants Cactus League spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Monday, March 5, 2012. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Difficult decisions for SF Giants on reserves 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

In signing Blanco, timing was key for the Giants. They were able to get his signature on a contract in November when his career was at low ebb, before he tore through Venezuelan winter league pitching to win Most Valuable Player. He saw a Giants roster with little outfield depth and room for him.

"I like winning teams," he said. "I think this is a great team. It's a really good group of guys."

Blanco came up with the Braves in 2008 and played for Atlanta until mid-2010, when he was dealt to Kansas City. The Royals traded him to Washington in May, but Blanco did not play an inning for the Nats.

He was hitting .203 in 143 at-bats for Triple-A Syracuse when he took a step he stubbornly had postponed and had surgery to remove bone spurs in his left wrist that he said affected his swing.

Blanco missed the second half of the 2011 season, and Washington cast him adrift.

If Blanco is all but assured one bench spot, four are up for grabs.

One will be a backup catcher, with Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart in a competition too close to call, particularly because Whiteside has demonstrated he can throw now that his right elbow is healed.

That would leave Brett Pill, Brandon Belt, Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Emmanuel Burriss and Joaquin Arias competing for three jobs.

Outsiders have made certain assumptions: Pill must be on the team because the Giants would have no other right-handed power off the bench. Belt probably will start at Triple-A so he does not rot on the bench in San Francisco. The Giants cannot keep Fontenot, Theriot and Burriss.

However, the decision-makers have made it clear they do not care about having a "conventional" bench. Flexibility is more important.

For instance, the Giants might decide they need a third middle infielder more than a right-handed power bat because of uncertainty over Freddy Sanchez's readiness, especially with Pill having a minor-league option.

If the Giants take two of the three middle infielders, nobody should assume Fontenot and Theriot are favored over Burriss because of their experience.

Burriss has outplayed both this spring and impressed the staff with his maturity and improvement. Plus, he is out of minor-league options. Fontenot and Theriot do not have guaranteed contracts.

Arias is a 27-year-old infielder who has injected himself into the discussion with his arm and range at shortstop. He could be a right-handed complement to Brandon Crawford, a role envisioned for Theriot, who has not impressed this spring.

The toughest bench decision could be about Belt, who has nothing left to prove at Fresno. The original assumption had Belt competing with Aubrey Huff at first base, but now it seems the player whom Belt could be pushing is Nate Schierholtz, who might not be a lock as the Opening Day right fielder.

Belt has had a better (and healthier) spring. It is not beyond reason that the Giants will choose his bat over Schierholtz's glove, with Belt at first base, Huff in left field and Melky Cabrera in right.