Giants hold Posey back with ankle ‘tweak’

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — One of the themes for the Giants this spring is caution with an older team. Pitchers are not being rushed onto the mound and regulars are getting ample time to prepare their bodies for the season’s rigors.

Buster Posey has not played, partly because of what manager Bruce Bochy termed an ankle “tweak.” Shortstop Brandon Crawford and center fielder Austin Jackson will not play until Thursday to ensure that Crawford’s right shoulder and Jackson’s legs are ready.

Posey was better Saturday and took batting practice in Scottsdale.

Crawford routinely develops right-shoulder stiffness early in spring training. Bochy said Crawford’s shoulder and Jackson’s legs are fine, and the staff wants to keep it that way.

Hunter Pence, Joe Panik and Evan Longoria will debut Sunday, with Longoria the DH. Andrew McCutchen and Pablo Sandoval will make their second starts.

Bench coach Hensley Meulens will manage. Bochy is going to San Diego for a memorial service for former major-league GM Kevin Towers.

Gregor Blanco and Pablo Sandoval, both nonroster players, have tripled, and homered, respectively, in the Giants' first two spring games. Gregor Blanco and Pablo Sandoval, both nonroster players, have tripled, and homered, respectively, in the Giants' first two spring games. Photo: Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle Photo: Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Giants hold Posey back with ankle ‘tweak’ 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Stratton’s curve: The bases were loaded with two outs in the second inning of Saturday’s 9-3 victory over the Dodgers when Chris Stratton froze Chase Utley for strike three. The pitch? It had to be the one that finally got him to the big leagues, the curveball.

“Might as well, right?” Stratton said. “It’s something I can use in any situation, especially when things get hairy.”

Stratton completed two shutout innings in his Cactus League debut, same as rotation competitors Ty Blach and Andrew Suarez on Friday.

The 27-year-old Stratton was happy to test his curveball against several Dodgers regulars, particularly left-handers Utley, Cody Bellinger and Alex Verdugo. Breaking pitches tend to flatten in the desert air, so the life on the curve Saturday was heartening.

February or not, Stratton wanted to bail himself out. Bochy let him because Stratton had not reached his strict early-spring pitch count.

Stratton did not look into the dugout for guidance, a tip he learned from former Giants pitcher Matt Cain, who explained that coaches sometimes view that as a sign the pitcher wants to be rescued. That was hardly all Stratton gleaned from Cain before the 33-year-old retired after the season. Cain dispensed advice freely.

“I think he knew his time was winding down and he wanted to pour as much as he could into not only me, but Ty Blach and some of the younger guys,” Stratton said. “He taught you how to be a professional and attack each day.”

Stratton is sure Cain would make a great pitching coach, and Cain told him in September he felt it would be an “injustice” if he did not impart his years of knowledge to the next generation of Giants pitchers.

Cain lives in Arizona and has been invited to be a camp instructor.

“I love Matt Cain,” Stratton said. “I really wish he was still around so we could mess with him. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance to come around to at least say hey.”

Lincecum update: Before he threw a showcase for about 20 teams in Seattle on Feb. 15, Tim Lincecum held a private workout for the Giants as a courtesy to his old team.

The Giants like the idea of a reunion, but a big-league deal remains a long shot because of uncertainty over Lincecum’s readiness and the club’s desire to remain under the luxury-tax threshold.

Briefly: The Dodgers’ catcher Saturday was Henry Ramos, older brother of 18-year-old Giants outfield prospect Heliot Ramos. … Stratton trivia: His grade school in Tupelo, Miss., once was Tupelo High, which Elvis Presley attended.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman

Giants 9, Dodgers 3

Notable: A day after Pablo Sandoval homered, fellow 2014ers Gregor Blanco and Hector Sanchez tripled and homered, respectively. Mac Williamson also homered on a three-RBI day, as did St. Mary’s alumnus Kyle Jensen. … Chris Shaw went 0-for-4 with a strikeout as the DH, and Brandon Belt was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his Cactus debut. … Chris Heston, attempting a comeback with the Giants three seasons after his no-hitter, allowed a run in the ninth. Tyler Herb also allowed a run. The Giants got Herb when they traded Heston to the Mariners.

Quotable: “He still plays like he’s in his 20s. Gregor plays all three (outfield) positions and he’s great to have in the clubhouse. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but he gives us depth.”

— Manager Bruce Bochy on Blanco

Sunday’s game: Giants vs. Cubs, at Scottsdale, 12:05 p.m. Radio: KNBR

— Henry Schulman