Morse will rehab leg, not retire

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Michael Morse fans, rejoice. He is going to stay in Arizona and rehab his hamstring injury when the Giants go north Tuesday and not retire.

“I don’t want to go out like this,” Morse said Saturday. “My plan is to stay here until I’m ready, play some (extended spring) games, then go to Triple-A and play games, then figure out what’s next.”

Morse believes he is about two weeks from playing. He was on track to make the team as a reserve first baseman and outfielder — and power threat off the bench — before injuring his left leg running the bases against the White Sox on Monday.

When general manager Bobby Evans persuaded Morse to sign a minor-league deal and come to spring training to see whether he had anything left, Morse declared he would make the team or go home. Cueto ready: Johnny Cueto’s abbreviated Cactus League was more than enough. He pitched in two games plus two minorleague games, including one Saturday in which he struck out 10 Diamondbacks prospects over the equivalent of seven innings.

Cueto was so efficient, the staff had him face seven hitters in his final inning just to get him to 85 pitches.

He even had time to coach D’backs shortstop prospect Jasrado Chisholm, who was trying to take Cueto deep all day. In the final inning, from the mound, Cueto told Chisholm he was pulling his eye off the ball. Chisholm singled on the next pitch. When Chisholm took a huge lead off first, Cueto picked him off, making players from both teams chuckle.

Hwang wins honor: JaeGyun Hwang won the 2017 Barney Nugent Award for the best Giant in his first bigleague camp. Players, coaches and trainers vote on the award, named for a onetime Giants trainer who died in 2014.

Hwang, 29, is ticketed for Triple-A Sacramento, where the organization wants him to play left field and first base to become more versatile.