Pablo Sandoval: A $100 million Panda?
Pablo Sandoval wanted $100 million this offseason. Negotiations with San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean stalled and placed on the back burner. The MLB‘s longest tenured GM wasn’t going to appease an undisciplined and unpredictable third baseman with a franchise cornerstone deal.
Sandoval put on a great audition for not just the Giants, but all MLB teams on national television in Wednesday’s Wild Card game in Pittsburgh. He was locked in at the plate with two hits and a walk. He didn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone. His Gold Glove caliber defense was unveiled with a great catch that witnessed him flip over the Pirates dugout and land safely.
That was the All Star version. Investing $100 million will also get you the other half of Sandoval. It consists of questionable off-the-field antics, physical endurance, and a weight dilemma which threatens to cut his big league years short one day.
Pablo Sandoval and relief pitcher teammate Jean Machi share identical body types. Except one can run circles around the other. What makes Sandoval a rare breed is his athleticism and nimble footwork at his size. He’s listed at 5-11 and 245 pounds, which is a conservative estimate at best. Sandoval breezed through San Francisco’s farm system and began as a catcher and third baseman.
The 28-year-old Venezuelan has a track record of allowing his weight to balloon. Some have attributed his weight to a growing list of injuries from hamate bones to hamstrings. As he nears 30, the concerns surrounding his bulging frame and being in good enough shape to play entire seasons are legitimate.
Injuries can’t be forecast, but Sandoval is proof enough playing third base at that weight isn’t a secure, long term proposition. Not one that is worth $100 million contract. Brian Sabean traded for Hunter Pence in 2012 and he was a major contributor for their World Series. Pence was given a $90 million deal. It’s money well spent for a versatile and durable player who stays in fabulous shape and is one of the few “Iron Men” in modern baseball.
Sandoval is a magician at the plate, able to hit pitches only a select few can drive or send over a wall. He’s a career .294 hitter, but carried a meek .160 average a month into 2014. He proceeded to hit .300 or better the next four months. In September, he dipped back down to .218. It’s a wide spectrum range Sandoval traverses and it seems to expand annually.
He finished with a .279 batting average and .324 on-base percentage with 16 home runs and 73 RBI. He launched three home runs in a World Series game, plays terrific defense, and bears a fan nickname bestowed on him by ex-Giants Barry Zito. It doesn’t make him a $100 million player.
Sabean and the Giants know it better than any other MLB front office because Sandoval is their organization’s product. If they cannot reach a deal or another team outbids, San Francisco would lose a popular name and a rare offensive threat manufactured from their minor league system. Life would go on and the next cost efficient prospect or free agent would be summoned.
All it takes is one team’s interest and Sandoval will be paid according to the likes of Adrian Beltre, David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman, and Evan Longoria. Not to say that his talent isn’t equivalent, but MLB has been pitcher dominant for well over five years now.
Beltre was the only full time third baseman to hit over .300 in 2014. Josh Donaldson, Todd Frazier, Kyle Seager, and Longoria were the top four home run hitters. None of them finished with averages over .275. Donaldson’s 98 RBI were the highest total, so there wasn’t a 100 RBI season at the hot corner.
Anthony Rendon shined once Zimmerman was lost to injury once more. He belted 21 home runs, drove in 83 runs, and hit .287. He’s making just over $2 million now, so is this 24-year-old is going to command the same target as Sandoval when his time arrives.
Doling out a massive contract for a gifted, yet inconsistent and overweight third baseman isn’t a sound investment. It’s a bad precedent. Compensation for lagging production that doesn’t approach Mike Schmidt, George Brett, or Chipper Jones’ levels isn’t a requisite in 2014. The fact San Francisco ended preliminary discussions before the season began speaks volumes as to how far apart each camp is from one another. Rightfully so.
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