When Pablo Sandoval cited his desire for a new challenge after signing with the Red Sox, the Bay Area turned into an echo chamber. Just about everyone said some variation of the following: “Pablo, you had it pretty danged easy. If you let your weight fluctuate the way you did throughout your time here, the Boston media is going to dice you up.”
Sandoval looked so happy on the day of his press conference, posing with a panda mascot and insisting that he would keep playing third base as long as he wore a Red Sox uniform. As one of the best clutch hitters in baseball, and with the backing of Red Sox legend David Ortiz, Sandoval had confidence that he could handle the Boston pressure cooker.
Later, he would rip the Giants for how they treated him. When the Red Sox came to Oakland, he told Amy Gutierrez that he left San Francisco because “I just want to be me.” In other words, the Giants were a little too worried about his weight, and he wanted the freedom to eat and work out as he chose.
The Giants pursued Sandoval, and were apparently willing to go over the five-year, $95 million pact he inked with the Red Sox. Sandoval never wanted to return, and maybe the Giants knew that all along. Regardless … boy oh boy, did they get lucky. They traded for Casey McGehee, another out of shape third baseman who was on pace to ground into 70 double plays when the Giants finally pulled the plug. Then they gave the job to Matt Duffy, who, against all odds and while learning a new position, has outperformed Sandoval in every way imaginable.
- Duffy: .304/.344/.465, 9 HR, 4 SB (0 CS), 128 OPS+, 46 RBI, 3.3 rWAR, 3.2 fWAR
- Sandoval: .260/.307/.379, 8 HR, 0 SB, 88 OPS+, 34 RBI, -0.6 rWAR, -1.0 fWAR
It’s been a rough season for the Red Sox (45-58, last place in the AL East), and this week was particularly grueling for Sandoval — and not because he got caught liking Instagram photos in the clubhouse this time, either. Thanks to several strange incidents on the field, Sandoval’s poor play since joining the team, and the looming trade deadline, the beat writers seemed to reach their collective breaking point. So did Red Sox manager John Farrell. Here’s a look.
Defense!
Prior to tonight, Sandoval and Ramirez represented a combined -26 runs in BIS’ Defensive Runs Saved.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 28, 2015
Friendly official scoring allows Pablo Sandoval to escape being charged with his 13th error. He had 11 all of last season. — Brian MacPherson (@brianmacp) July 28, 2015
Sandoval has always liked to play in on speedy hitters, but it might get to the point the Red Sox tell him to stop. https://t.co/ROHdD7zbbH — Brian MacPherson (@brianmacp) July 29, 2015
Baseball Info Solutions had Sandoval entering tonight at 3 plays below avg to his right, 5 below avg straight on, 6 below avg to his left. — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 29, 2015
For the record: There is nothing in Sandoval’s contract that prohibits him from occasionally stopping a ball down the line
— Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 29, 2015
Hitting!
Sandoval goes down swinging on pitch in his eyes, and that’s the ballgame. Six straight losses for #RedSox (42-52), 10 games back in AL East — Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) July 22, 2015
Intentionally walking Pablo Sandoval? Didn’t Brad Ausmus go to Dartmouth?
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) July 27, 2015
With an 0-for-4 tonight, Pablo Sandoval’s OBP now sits at exactly .300. That would be a career-low, as would be his .370 slugging percentage — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 25, 2015
In his 99th plate appearance this year vs. a lefty, Sandoval collected his second extra-base hit against southpaws. — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 28, 2015
Sandoval swinging at 45.3 percent of pitches he’s seen outside of the strike zone, second-highest in majors to Adam Jones, per @fangraphs — Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) July 31, 2015
Pablo Sandoval just struck out on a pitch that hit his wrist.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 31, 2015
Actually, Sandoval was hit on the forearm. He’s out of the game, with Rutledge in at third. — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 31, 2015
Conditioning!
He could wear Pablo’s pants, if clubhouse guy could take them in a little https://t.co/AxGGDXcsJ6 — Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 30, 2015
This close to trade deadline, a player coming out of game in 6th like Pablo typically means a trade. Let me know when you stop laughing — Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 30, 2015
Sandoval out due to dehydration. This is not a joke. This was announced in pressbox
— Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 30, 2015
It is almost impossible not to score from first on a double to right-center at Fenway that splits the outfielders and rolls to bullpen fence — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 30, 2015
Fangraphs pegs Sandoval as -2.9 runs as a baserunner (146th/160 players), and Hanley at -3.2 runs (150th/160). — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 30, 2015
Down 6-0 they get Sandoval thrown out at the plate for the first out. Tried to score him first. Took a heck of a relay. But still. — Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) July 30, 2015
Sandoval left the game with dehydration per the #RedSox. Talk show hosts, to the jokemobile!
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) July 30, 2015
Farrell on the Sandoval out at the plate: Based on where Sandoval was when ball was fielded, “that’s a run that should score.” — Brian MacPherson (@brianmacp) July 30, 2015
Farrell on if Sandoval’s conditioning played role in dehydration: ‘That’s something Pablo has dealt with his entire career. … (Cont) — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 30, 2015
Farrell on Sandoval: ‘There are ongoing efforts to support that, to try to get him in the best shape possible.’ — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 30, 2015
Pablo Sandoval, asked about his conditioning, said it’s fine and that he’s playing at the same size as in the World Series.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 30, 2015
We did the math: At current market rate, the Boston Red Sox signed Pablo to a five-year deal worth 103,636,355 doughnuts at Dunkin’s. — Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 31, 2015
That would be a problem if Sandoval had a weight issue. But he says he doesn’t, so there — Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 31, 2015
And good sir, what is your judgment on how Sandoval has performed this season, and the condition he is in? https://t.co/D6oq77bXaP — Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) July 31, 2015
Farrell on WEEI says Sandoval needs to ‘maintain some discipline [w/nutrition] to keep him at an optimal weight’
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 31, 2015
Farrell on Sandoval: ‘We’re a better team with him at third base.’ Team ‘not at that point’ of moving him to 1B.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 31, 2015
***
And here’s where Sandoval hits rock bottom.
Red Sox trying to move some “immovable” assets. Pablo Sandoval perhaps? Padres and Giants bid last offseason, but Giants happy with Duffy. — Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) July 31, 2015
If the Red Sox were interested in punishing Sandoval, a trade to San Diego — where Giants fans routinely pack Petco Park when the two teams meet — would be a perfect result.
The San Diego Padres made a hard run at Sandoval early in his free agency, but he never seriously considered them, he said. For that, the Padres have only one thing to blame, and it was out of their control: geography. “I wanted to get out of the NL West,” Sandoval said. “If I had gone to San Diego, it would have been crazy when we played San Francisco.” Given that the Giants and Padres play 19 times annually, that was going to be too much crazy for the Panda.
Luckily for Sandoval, the Padres are sellers at this point and would never consider such a move. Even at his current conditioning level, Sandoval would surely rather sweat it out in Boston than deal with Giants fans 76 times over the next four years.
