SAN DIEGO – Duane Kuiper strolled past Joe Panik in the visiting clubhouse and offered a word of encouragement.
“Good luck, Lou Brock,” Kuiper said.
“Yeah,” Panik replied. “I don’t think they’ll be expecting me to take three bags today.”
For the first time in his big league career, Panik is starting in the leadoff spot Friday as the Giants begin their three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Panik batted leadoff one game as a 20-year-old at short-season Salem-Keizer in 2011.
With Denard Span needing one more day to make sure he’s past his hip soreness, plus Buster Posey and Hunter Pence resting from the middle of the lineup, Giants manager Bruce Bochy decided to get creative in the leadoff spot.