Pablo Sandoval For $100 Million Anyone?

Pablo Sandoval is looking for a huge deal — are there any takers out there?

Pablo Sandoval is baseball’s most coveted free agent third baseman. At the Giants World Series parade on Halloween, he expressed his desire to remain in a San Francisco Giants uniform. Fans responded with loud applause, but the fan favorite isn’t keen on doling out a hometown discount for the organization who developed him.

Sandoval and his agent declined a $15.3 million qualifying offer, as did 12 other notable free agents seeking more lucrative, multi-year deals. Writing was on the wall prior to the regular season when general manager Brian Sabean terminated discussions with Sandoval’s agent. Now, the portly third baseman is looking for a suitor willing to offer a six-year deal in the $100 million spectrum.

Excluding the 2010 postseason in which Juan Uribe supplanted him during a World Series run, Sandoval has lit it up in 39 postseason games. He’s batted .344 with a .389 on-base percentage, and .545 slugging percentage. He’s belted six home runs (including three against Detroit in one 2012 World Series game) and 20 RBIs. Sandoval has excelled in World Series games batting .426 with an extraordinary .702 slugging percentage.

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Sandoval couldn’t have gotten off to a more futile beginning in his contract year. The 28-year-old Venzuelan hit .176 in April and didn’t hit the Mendoza line until May 14. He came into 2014 at a lighter weight and eventually inflated his offensive numbers to comparable levels from last year. Sandoval finished with a .279 average, 16 home runs, and 73 RBI. He played in 157 games and collected 164 hits. Another key number for Sandoval is 85 strikeouts doesn’t he put him near top-10 levels annually. He’s a free-swinging anomaly with a solid contact rate in an era of escalating strikeout totals leaders.

Despite his weight detriment, Sandoval’s athleticism hasn’t fallen off. If you have ever seen him stand next to fellow countryman and teammate Jean Machi, they have identical body types. Knowing one is a pitcher and the other a nimble infielder would flabbergast a casual non-baseball observer.

If Sandoval indeed continues to fluctuate in the pounds department, it will prohibit him being an everyday player as he gets older. Several N.L. teams might be opposed to investing for an extensive amount of time. A six-year contract in pro sports is a lengthy amount of time. The other question pertains to Sandoval’s intensity, desire, and focus each season after signing a long-term deal.

The Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are three American League organizations pursuing Sandoval. Meetings are presumed to happen during GM meetings in Phoenix. It would be an upgrade at the hot corner for all three franchises.

Boston’s Will Middlebrooks burst onto the scene in 2013, but he’s suffered from two years of injuries and didn’t hit .200 in just over 60 games played. Even if Boston doesn’t ink Sandoval, Middlebrooks isn’t guaranteed a starting job with Brock Holt and others presenting their cases.

White Sox general managers Rick Hahn traded for current third baseman Conor Gillaspie, who came over from the San Francisco Giants farm system. The 27-year-old hit .282 with just seven home runs, but Chicago was impressed with him in the 130 games he played. However, Sandoval is a rare talent especially at the plate and supplanting one ex-Giant for a more talented one is a move a re-hauling White Sox club would make if they deem it cost worthy.

Toronto spent excessively two years ago in trades with Miami and New York to bring in Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, R.A. Dickey, and others. GM Alex Anthopoulos signed Melky Cabrera from San Francisco in 2013. Now he could be on the prowl for another Giant because third base has become a nuisance for the Blue Jays. Brett Lawrie hasn’t been able to keep healthy and no one associates utility names like Juan Francisco, Steve Tolleson, and Munenori Kawasaki as everyday caliber bats.

A major asset for A.L. teams committing long-term to Sandoval would be the designated hitter card. I have disdain for the DH because it’s not universal and the player is only engaged in half of the sport. The rule was adopted in 1973 by the A.L. and objected by the elder N.L. Legislation was passed to adopt it to increase a major gap in offensive production between each league. The DH lengthened the careers for guys like Paul Molitor, Hal McRae, Brian Downing, Chili Davis, and Travis Hafner. It also lined the pockets of Frank Thomas and David Ortiz who didn’t have to play first base any longer.

Sandoval would be 34 by the time a six-year deal is up and it’s anyone’s estimation what physical condition he will be in by his 30s. A hamstring injury transformed Edgar Martinez from Seattle’s third baseman to one of the most prolific DHs in MLB history. Sandoval’s Tony Gwynn-type body could fail him in coming years and if it does, he can utilize Martinez’s example in the A.L.

As for the Giants, their propensity lies with signing pitchers over position guys for big money. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence are two recent exceptions, but they were deserving candidates who take care of themselves and don’t have a sexual assault investigation linked to their past.

There isn’t much transparency emerging from their front office. Sabean has reaffirmed a confidence that a deal will get done to retain Sandoval’s abilities. With A.L. teams invoking pleasantries alongside the mercurial infielder’s representatives, time could be of the essence. It’s not something the Giants can trifle with because options are finite.

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