SAN FRANCISCO - Nick Noonan walked toward the exit of the Giants' clubhouse to give his parents and fiancee the great news when Angel Pagan grabbed him into a congratulatory hug. Gregor Blanco offered a fist bump and some good-natured razzing: "Don't cry, OK?"
"It's OK to cry," hollered San Francisco first baseman Brandon Belt, who bawled when he made the team two years ago.
Noonan cracked the San Francisco Giants' opening day roster Friday night, only two weeks after being optioned to the Triple-A Fresno club.
Noonan received the good news that he had been recalled to the big leagues with the reigning World Series champions after going 2 for 3 with a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning of a 3-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. That raised his spring training batting average to .273.
Manager Bruce Bochy called him into the office for the news afterward. It just so happened Noonan's fiancee, Amanda, and his parents, Bill and Athena, were at AT&T Park on Friday night 鈥� and his parents live in San Diego, so they will be able to attend Monday's opener in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.
"It feels really good," Noonan said. "I had a lot of fun playing out there today. I just kind of played with a big smile on my face, actually, from the moment I took the field to the last out. He called me in and told me, 'You're going to break camp with these guys and get some playing time.'"
Even after the 23-year-old Noonan was optioned March 15 to the Fresno roster, he still believed he had a chance to rejoin the Giants. He batted .296 with nine home runs and 62 RBIs in 129 games for Fresno last year.
"I just felt like there was an opportunity for me here," he said. "Kind of looking at everyone around me, I never counted myself out. I stuck to that plan, and here we are today."
Also after the game, the Giants placed infielder-outfielder Brett Pill, infielder Tony Abreu and left-hander Eric Surkamp on the major league disabled list. The moves were retroactive to March 22.
In addition, outfielder Francisco Peguero and right-hander Jean Machi were optioned to Fresno. They will have the day off Saturday then report to the Grizzlies club Sunday.
The Giants still have a decision to make on the 25th roster spot, likely between outfielder Cole Gillespie and third catcher Guillermo Quiroz. Bochy said that decision will be made after backup catcher Hector Sanchez plays again Saturday in an extended spring training game to test his inflamed right shoulder.
Sanchez went 1 for 3 with a home run Friday
"He had a good day today," Bochy said.
