Giants tell Posey not to block plate this season...

[Upton]

It is not a hint, or a suggestion, or a plea, but a direct order: Manager Bruce Bochy has told catcher Buster Posey not to block the plate this season. "I'll take this out of Buster's hands," Bochy said after Giants pitchers and catchers, including Posey, finished their first formal workout of spring training Sunday. "As a manager, that's my job. I certainly don't want people to think he's backing off on his own. It's something we'll work on with him this spring."

Posey was a full participant in a workout he long anticipated after the May 25 home-plate collision with Florida outfielder Scott Cousins resulted in a broken leg and ligament damage that required multiple surgeries to repair.

Posey caught the bullpen sessions of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, took batting practice to the cheers of a small crowd of spectators, worked on changing direction while running, and catching drills such as blocking balls in the dirt and springing to his feet to throw out baserunners.

Seeing Posey in action was "good for the morale of the team," pitcher Barry Zito said. "It feels like we're a full unit again." Lincecum already threw two bullpens to Posey before camp formally opened and said, "It's like having the old Posey back. It was just one of those fluky years not having him."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/19/SP6O1N9T92.DTL#ixzz1myMvCazl

Smart move. Though, as you can see, in reality, Posey wasn't blocking homeplate when he was injured. He was actually in front of the plate when Cousins went out of his way to hit him..

I don't want to argue about what happened last year though. I just want to wish Buster the best of luck in coming back from this career threatening injury..

[Kingofalldems]

1. Move him to 1st base

Trade Belt to the Nats for Jesus Flores (Major League ready catcher) and say John Lannan.

[Upton]

2. Posey will see his share of 1st base..

that's for sure. There's concern that his repaired ligaments may not be able to take the constant grind of squatting behind the plate day after day..so they are not going to chance it.

And while they do have a bit of a logjam at 1st (Huff, Belt, Posey)..I don't think the Giants are willing to give up on Belt. Anyway, I checked out Flores' stats, and he hit just .209 last year in 30 games. Also, I noticed he's been up and down with the Nats for a number of years, but 2010 is missing..Baseball Reference doesn't even have stats for him in the minors for that year..did he suffer some kind of major injury?

The Giants have plenty of upcoming catchers in the minors anyhow. We'll take Lannan though, he always seems to give the Giants trouble.

[Kingofalldems]

3. Flores has been injured--- came back part time last year

He raked in Venezuela this winter so he's healthy now. He is blocked by Ramos here. Lannan is an innings eater.

[Auggie]

4. Giants have a potential catcher in AAA, Hector Sanchez

He caught many pro games subbing for Posey last year and will probably make the team this year.

No way they'd trade Belt.