Sanders headlines latest cuts

As uncertain as the San Francisco Giants' opening day roster at the big-league level is, the minor league affiliates are in even more flux. However, the future is a bit clearer now that 12 more players, including one-time hot prospect Marcus Sanders and a quintet of first basemen have been sent home from Scottsdale.

The latest round of releases included:
Marcus Sanders
Patrick Dobson
Joey Dyche
Henry Gutierrez
Juan Jean
Santiago Lara
Chad Rothford
Will Thompson
Tyler Von Schell
Matt Weston
Gregorio Geronimo
Yosandy Ibanez

Counted among the Giants' top prospects as recently as last spring training, Sanders, still just 22 years old, was never able to get his arm fully healthy following shoulder surgery in 2005. The athletic middle infielder had been unable to get on the field at all this spring and had to discontinue his throwing program again. In 2007, he struggled through fewer than 300 at-bats in Augusta before undergoing a third surgery on his right arm.

The 2003 draftee, who signed a year later as a draft-and-follow, put up his best season for Augusta in 2005 when he hit .300 and swiped 57 bases. If he ever is able to finally get to the point where he can throw the ball without pain, his overall ability will likely get him another look in organized ball.

Ibanez, 25, made his professional debut in San Jose last season after defecting from Cuba the previous fall. After just 32 innings, he jumped to Connecticut where he logged only 11 more frames. The righty struggled with command and had to be shut down for several stretches because of arm problems. He would have needed to earn a starting spot in Connecticut to remain in the organization this year.

Rothford, a huge switch-hitter who collected 54 RBIs and nine homers for short-season Salem-Keizer in his professional debut last year, got caught in a numbers game with Angel Villalona and Andy D'Alessio likely to take the lion's share of playing time at first base in Augusta this season.

Dobson and Dyche both regressed significantly over the last two years, while Lara, Jean and Geronimo continue a trend of older international signings who have not panned out when brought stateside.