fighting chance

Eli Whiteside will have to battle for a job with the San Francisco Giants in spring training. The deal signed by the former Delta State star on Saturday will give him an opportunity to beat out young catchers Chris Stewart and Hector Sanchez for the right to back up Buster Posey in 2012. The veteran Whiteside, 32, hit just .197 with four homers last season while sharing catching duties with Stewart (.204) after Posey went down for the year with a gruesome knee injury. Sanchez spent most of the past season in the minors, so the main competition for the No. 2 job figures to be between Whiteside and Stewart. Whiteside, a good defensive catcher, has to like his chances. He could have gone elsewhere. The Giants saved some money, though probably just a little, by not offering Whiteside a shot at salary arbitration and putting him on the free agent market. He’ll make $600,000 if he lands a spot on the 25-man roster in the spring; if he goes to the minors, he’ll make just $175,000.