After spiral, Pablo Sandoval acknowledges mistakes, set for Red Sox rebound
FORT MYERS, Fla. – After two wasted years in Boston, Pablo Sandoval knows he has a long way to go before he can win over the Red Sox fans. His teammates, however, already seem to be on his side.
The slimmed-down Sandoval has gained converts with an outstanding spring in which he has flashed his old All-Star form, hitting .349, handling third base adroitly and appearing to regain his bat speed. The constant smile and joie de vivre that characterized his seven seasons with the San Francisco Giants – three of them culminating in World Series titles – are back too.
Whether that translates into regular contributions that may erase the image of an out-of-shape Sandoval floundering defensively and at the plate won’t be determined until the season. Despite the lack of serious competition, manager John Farrell has yet to name him the starting third baseman.
But his track record and renewed commitment raise hopes Sandoval can help make up for some of the offense lost with David Ortiz’s retirement and provide the Red Sox consistent production from a position that was a black hole last season.
Boston's third basemen ranked last in the majors in on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.686) in 2016, which Sandoval missed almost entirely with a shoulder injury that required surgery.
“I think he’s going to be great,’’ center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said. “He’s a great clubhouse guy, has a lot of positive energy. He’s a guy, when he’s at his best, he’s one of the best in the game. He’s a fun talent and I can’t wait to see him shine this year.’’
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Teammates are typically predisposed to support each other in good times and bad. It’s part of the team ethos. Fans are a different story. They don’t receive paychecks from the club, and instead shell out money in the expectation of high-level play.
They saw very little of that from Sandoval in his first season in Fenway, when he set career lows in most offensive categories – he batted .245 with a .658 OPS – while being ranked by advanced metrics as the worst defensive third baseman in the big leagues.
The next year, Sandoval showed up overweight to spring training, lost his starting job to Travis Shaw and got hurt, finishing with just six at-bats.
So Sandoval, 30, understands the skepticism that awaits him when the club heads north.
“I have a lot to prove to the fans, my teammates, the team, and they have been very supportive,’’ he said in Spanish. “It has been really important, and it inspired me to work harder.’’
Those around the team are encouraged by what they see. They notice that Sandoval, who spent the offseason working out at the Red Sox’s spring training facility, is more nimble around third base after shedding some 30-35 pounds. His weight is always a bit of a mystery publicly, but he appears to be in the 245-pound range.
They also see him work in the cage, which Sandoval points to as the reason for the return of his bat speed. A quick bat, combined with uncommon hand-eye coordination, accounts for the so-called Kung-Fu Panda’s ability to hit bad pitches.
Outfielder Chris Young, a respected veteran, noted that players have an advantage over fans in gauging a teammate’s commitment because they see what happens behind the scenes.
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“You may have people who have their mind made, and that’s their right,’’ Young said in assessing how fans may react to Sandoval. “But I think for the majority, the way he’s being going about his business, he’s won me over. I’m a fan of the game as well, so if he’s won me over, he can win anybody over.’’
While with the Giants, Sandoval had a history of dropping copious amounts of weight through winter workouts, then gaining it all back and then some during the season.
He said the difference this time is he’s sticking to a training program he finds works for him. He started it while recovering from the early-May shoulder operation, which gave him time to reflect.
Sandoval now acknowledges becoming complacent when he signed a five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox in November 2014, after he set a postseason record for hits as the Giants claimed their third crown in five years.
“I didn’t have the maturity or the right people around me to push me and tell me, ‘Keep going,’’’ he said. “That’s when the problems started and I went on a downward spiral, until I realized I had to acknowledge my mistakes and find the best way to make up for them.’’
Another source of motivation was the birth of a son last year, and the desire to extend his career into his late 30s so the kid could appreciate watching his father play in the majors. At the rate he was going, odds were Sandoval would be out of the game when his contract expired in 2019, if not sooner.
“Everything changed when I saw my son being born,’’ Sandoval said, proudly pulling out his smartphone to show a photo, but keeping his son’s name private. “I was able to spend time with him every day, watching him grow, waking up at 2 a.m. for his feedings. That’s what motivated me to get up early in the morning every day to go train.’’
Not everything seems to be right with his family situation. Sandoval credits his fiancée, the mother of his son, with helping point his life in the right direction, but there have been reports of a rift with his brother Michael, who along with former agent Gustavo Vazquez was involved in negotiating his current contract.
Sandoval declined to comment on that topic, but acknowledged his other brother, Luis, is no longer his chef.
Whatever the status of those relationships, Sandoval said he’s “a new man,’’ making the Red Sox cautiously optimistic he can be a factor on a club with legitimate championship aspirations.
“He’s a more confident person this year for the work he’s put in,’’ Farrell said. “I think he himself recognizes he’s got more range defensively. The bat speed is improved over a year ago, probably even two years ago. He’s put himself in a better place to perform, and it’s playing out on the field. Physically he’s improved; mentally he’s a more confident guy.’’