The Giants opened the doors of AT&T Park on Wednesday to show the media what's different in the ballpark this season. But we already know what's different.


Gone are the enormous banners that adorned the light standards.

Gone is the mural that covered the left-field wall. Gone is the counter showing career home runs. Gone are the rubber chickens. Gone, we can presume (though the clubhouse was locked), are the personal TV and invisible ropes in the corner.

Gone: any sign of Barry Bonds.

"It's not relevant," said Staci Slaughter, the team's senior vice president.

Also missing was the Splash Hits counter, but the team promises that will be back in place by opening day. The removal of the counter (which is now at 60, with 35 of those belonging to Bonds) was not due to the park-wide Bonds extermination. It was removed for construction in the right-field wall of McCovey Cove Loft, one of two large corporate party suites added to the ballpark. The other is the Legends Club on the suite level.

In this, the 50th anniversary of the team's arrival in San Francisco, the celebrating of team legends is a very big deal. But one team legend has been rendered invisible.

BECKETT PITCHES IN MINORS

Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, who missed the team's just-concluded trip to Japan because of back spasms, pitched four shutout innings in a minor league game in Florida on Thursday. He threw 47 pitches, allowed one hit, didn't walk a batter and struck out six.

Beckett, who went 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA last year, will pitch again in Florida on Tuesday, then is scheduled to join the team for the weekend series in Toronto.

Beckett felt soreness in his back after throwing a warmup pitch before his scheduled start March 8 against the Florida Marlins, and left without facing a batter.

PETTITE TO PITCH SUNDAY

Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game Sunday.

Pettitte, originally slated to start the Yankees' second game of the regular season on Wednesday, has been slowed by back spasms. If all goes well, he likely will make his first start of the season Friday or Saturday.

PRIOR FACES BATTERS

Mark Prior said he felt strong after facing live hitters for the first time in a year on Thursday.

The San Diego Padres right-hander, who had shoulder surgery in April while with the Chicago Cubs, threw 25 pitches during an eight-minute session. Prior will start the season on the 60-day disabled list and is expected to be ready to pitch in the big leagues around June 1.

The next step, Black said, is for Prior to throw a bullpen session on Saturday before facing hitters again on Tuesday. He is expected to throw to hitters three more times in Peoria before participating in a simulated game.