it was well known in baseball circles that Durham would most likely re-sign elsewhere. San Francisco Giants (2003–2008) After the 2002 season, Durham signed a three-year contract US$20.1 million with the San Francisco Giants with a $7 million player option for a fourth year that was later exercised. The health Durham displayed during the earlier years of his career vanished. Between 1996 and 2002, Durham appeared in at least 150 games each season, but in 2003 he only appeared in 110 games and in 2004 he appeared in 120. Recurring hamstring injuries and other injuries caused Durham to spend time on the disabled list. The injuries also hampered Durham's success when he was on the field. Durham's running game and stolen bases dropped as Durham tried to protect his hamstrings from reinjury. Despite these injuries, Durham did post solid offensive numbers during his time in the line up. Because of Durham's injuries that limited his speed and the recurring injuries to Giants outfielder Moisés Alou, Durham was given the opportunity to bat fifth in the batting order more often. Durham was batted fifth regularly in 2006. In the 2005–2006 off-season, Durham adopted a new work out and strength conditioning routine. The result was a healthy Durham and perhaps his best offensive year in 2006 when in 137 games he batted .293 with career highs in slugging percentage (.538), home runs (26), RBIs (93). Durham re-signed with the Giants for a two-year contract worth $14.5 million on December 2, 2006. Giants general manager Brian Sabean lauded Durham for making an impressive transition from a lead off hitter to a middle of the order run producer. After re-signing with the Giants, Durham struggled in 2007. Durham called the season "embarrassing" and the "worst" of his career. Durham admitted that his defense had suffered because he was thinking about his hitting while on defense. Durham claimed he had trouble adjusting to the new strategy to pitch against him, which included throwing cutters inside and throwing curveballs on the outside corner. Some Giants fans and radio personalities criticized Durham's performance in 2006 as being motivated by money because 2006 was Durham's contract year. Durham denied these claims and claimed that almost every year is a contract year. On August 21, 2007, against Sergio Mitre of the Florida Marlins, Durham fouled a pitch at the plate that bounced up and hit his groin. He would