“The more I watch it, and see it’s me, it doesn’t feel like me,” Ishikawa said two days after he sent the Giants to the World Series with his three-run, ninth-inning homer in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.
“It's like someone pretending to be me.”
Life in San Francisco has changed for the 31-year-old first baseman and (now) outfielder, who prided himself on being a back-bencher yet now finds himself unable to hide behind the big boys.
“I can't walk across town,” Ishikawa said. “I can't be that modest, quiet, back-of-the-room guy anymore. I’m taking a lot of pictures. It’s great. It’s a very humbling feeling right now. It just hasn’t fully sunk in. It’s hard to put into words what it feels like.”
No changes: Manager Bruce Bochy said the Giants have no plans to change the rotation or roster for the World Series, which means unused Tim Lincecum remains in the bullpen and Games 1 through 4 will go to Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson and Ryan Vogelsong, in that order.
Bochy said the staff gave no thought to Yusmeiro Petit replacing Vogelsong in the rotation. Vogelsong lasted only three innings in Game 4 of the NLCS. Petit has pitched nine shutout innings in two games, allowing two hits and striking out 11.
“I like Petit in the job he’s done in the role we’ve had him in,” Bochy said. “Going back to Washington, without Petit, it’s hard to say what would have happened (in the 18-inning win). In St. Louis, the innings he gave us were big.”
Lincecum has not pitched since Sept. 28.
Notwithstanding what happened to the Cardinals when their “Lincecum,” Michael Wacha, was asked to pitch the ninth in Game 5 of the NLCS, Bochy professed a need for Lincecum.
“Timmy’s done a lot for us,” Bochy said. “I’ll stick with that. When you get to the postseason, there’s going to be a guy, maybe two, who don’t get a lot of work. It doesn’t mean they may not get a key role.
“You can’t ever have enough pitching and experience. I think about Timmy all the time. Trust me. We know what he can do for us.”
The Giants had hoped to let Lincecum throw to hitters for practice Saturday, but he woke up with a sore neck.
Souvenirs: Ishikawa’s home run ball was in his locker Saturday. The fan who caught it returned it for a signed bat, then was presented with tickets to Game 3 of the Series.
Michael Morse also has the ball he hit over the left-field fence for the pinch homer that tied Game 5 an inning earlier. At least he thinks he does.
“I hope it’s that ball,” Morse said. “It could be a Wilson minor-league ball.”
Not likely. His homer landed in a tunnel not accessible to fans.
Briefly: Although Morse is expected to be the designated hitter in Kansas City, Bochy was not ready to say who will have that role. ... Bumgarner has thrown 312/3 postseason innings after 2171/3 in the regular season. Bochy, asked if he needed to see whether Bumgarner is OK to pitch Game 1, said, “I think I would insult him if I checked on him. He's a big, strong guy.”
