Castillo sends gear to Venezuelan kids

Giants third basemen Jose Castillo has a huge box labeled Venezuela No. 12 sitting three feet from his locker. Inside the box are over 30 pairs of shoes and cleats that Castillo has been saving to send to his hometown in Venezuela. Castillo, who was raised in small town outside of Barinas, Venezuela, said he has been doing this since his days with the Pittsburgh Pirates. 'There's a lot of kids who don't have anything where I'm from,' Castillo said. 'I told the guys on the team to give me their extra shoes and cleats so that I could send them to Venezuela. Now look at the box.' The cardboard box is full of orange and black cleats, turf shoes and running shoes that Giants players have worn throughout the season. On the top sit a pair of tightly laced cleats with the No. 12 written in black ink on the tongue of the shoes. Castillo, who captured the Venezuelan Winter League batting title this last offseason with a .384 batting average as a member of the Leones del Caracas, said it's the least he could do for the good fortunes he has be given by God.