FORT MYERS, Fla. — Why expect a flamingo when you’re promised a panda?
Pablo Sandoval’s weight has generated some buzz in recent days because of an unflattering photo that surfaced from one of his workouts at the Boston Red Sox’s spring training complex. Sandoval’s weight is a non-issue for the Red Sox, though, as the organization knew exactly what it was getting when it signed the man known as Kung-Fu Panda to a five-year, $95 million contract over the offseason.
“His body type hasn’t changed since signing with us,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said Friday at JetBlue Park. “He’s a guy that’s converted from a catcher to a third base position. He transitioned successfully at it a number of years ago. His body works for him.
“If he didn’t perform to the level that he has, I don’t know that we’d have pursued him as a free agent. But he’s here. He’s ours. And we’re extremely happy that he is.”
Sandoval is a big dude. He’s listed at 245 pounds despite not cracking the 6-foot mark, and some of that weight resides in the third baseman’s midsection. He isn’t the only player in Major League Baseball history to take the field with a less-than-impressive physique. Not everyone can be a Greek God.
Of course, there are some who point to Sandoval’s weight as cause for concern. The Red Sox are paying Sandoval a lot of money. The idea of Boston eventually eating — no pun intended — a large portion of his contract because of diminished production based on weight issues is troubling.
The problem is there’s really no reason to be worried about Sandoval’s weight at this point. It’s not like Sandoval has ever been a skinny major leaguer, yet it hasn’t stopped him from earning two All-Star selections and playing a pivotal role in three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants.
“We’re well-aware of Pablo’s career, who he is as a person well before he signed here,” Farrell said. “We’re looking forward to getting him on the field and acclimating him into this roster.”
This week isn’t the first time Sandoval’s weight has been brought to the forefront. He frequently faced questions regarding his size during his seven seasons with the Giants, and Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington even defended Sandoval recently when asked about the 28-year-old’s conditioning.
“Pablo is always going to look like Pablo, you know?” Cherington said. “You’re going to notice him when he walks on the field. I don’t think that’s ever going to change. But there are no concerns on our end at this point as to whether he’s going to be where he needs to be in spring training and on Opening Day.”
Sandoval might pack on some pounds here and lose some there. However, his fluctuating weight doesn’t appear to be a byproduct of him sporadically letting himself go. Instead, Sandoval is comfortable within his skin and fully capable of being where he needs to be physically when it matters most.
Call him “fat” if you want to. But he sure is happy.
“You will get to know that Pablo has an infectious personality. He cares about his teammates. He plays the game the right way,” Farrell said. “We’re extremely excited that he’s in our uniform. He’s going to be a productive player for us.”
Sandoval has come as advertised. The Red Sox have no complaints.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@stevesilva
