SF Giants might send down Brandon Belt GIANTS BEAT

Giants Brandon Belt reacts after striking out for the second time against the Dodgerss, Monday April 11, 2011, in San Francisco, Calif. Giants Brandon Belt reacts after striking out for the second time against the Dodgerss, Monday April 11, 2011, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close SF Giants might send down Brandon Belt 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

(04-19) 04:00 PDT Denver -- Brandon Belt did not start Monday night's game against the Rockies, and there is a fair chance his next start could be in a Fresno Grizzlies uniform.

Cody Ross went 1-for-3 with a two-run double and two walks in his second rehab game for Fresno in Las Vegas on Monday night. The Giants plan to bring Ross to Denver today, assuming all went well in Vegas, and activate him if he is ready to play. If so, they will have to send either Belt or Darren Ford to Fresno, unless someone else needs to go on the disabled list.

Manager Bruce Bochy said he and general manager Brian Sabean have not decided whom to demote, but Bochy strongly hinted it could be Belt, who is hitting .196 in 51 at-bats, with two extra-base hits.

Before putting Belt on the team, Bochy and Sabean discussed the ramifications of returning him to Fresno upon Ross' return.

"If it's time to make that move, it wouldn't be the worst thing," Bochy said. "The kid is ahead of schedule. He only had one year in the minor leagues without frankly having much success at the higher level. We've thrown a lot at him.

"But we haven't made the decision yet."

Belt has played Gold Glove-caliber first base and shown he can take a walk - but his patience is not paying off in hits. Instead, it could be a sign of timidity.

"It's all about getting the good part of the bat on the ball," Bochy said. "I talked to him a little bit about that today. I think there's a fine line there, especially if you're a little late on pitches. I think he's had a few pitches to hit that he's missed because he's been late, which tells you he might not be aggressive enough."

Zito update: Barry Zito's stay on the disabled list will last far longer than 15 days. Bochy said Zito's sprained right foot will remain in a boot for two weeks, and it could be a month or more before he returns. Specialized X-rays confirmed there was no fracture.