The Giants have some obviously appealing trade candidates. They also have some undesirable contracts. And then there’s the Kung Fu Panda … one of the most unique players in recent memory. He has had some low lows on the ballfield, but he did not start out as some woeful novelty. And he isn’t one now.
We’ve already seen the suggestion floated by some Giants reporters, so … can I interest you in a gently used Pablo Sandoval?
Let’s start on the contract side. Sandoval is way too expensive. But he’s also dirt cheap! He’s earning a cool $19MM this year. The Red Sox are paying all but $545K of it. They’re also on the hook for a $5MM buyout next year, at which time Sandoval will be back on the open market and searching for a much more modest contract than the $95MM deal he inked in November of 2014. It doesn’t get any cheaper than this, folks. You’re paying at least that much to fill the roster spot regardless, so this rental player comes with an effective cash cost of absolutely nothing.
The question remains … do you really want a rental Panda? If so, how much value should you really give to make this happen?
If you’ve followed the Giants from afar, you might assume that Sandoval has slumped with most of the rest of the roster. In fact, he’s leading the team in wRC+ (minimum 10 plate appearances) and fWAR (he’s tied with Buster Posey at 1.0 apiece, but Sandoval has done it in just over two-thirds the plate appearances).
Yep, it has been a vintage performance thus far — a deep cut, in fact. Sandoval hasn’t produced at these kinds of levels since way back in 2011, before he settled in as a solidly above-average but comfortably sub-elite hitter and then ultimately collapsed in Boston. Through 109 plate appearances, the switch-hitting Sandoval carries a .288/.321/.596 slash with seven home runs. He’s delivering well-graded glovework at the hot corner. Oh, and he has not only filled in at first and second in recent years, but he’s even making occasional scoreless appearances on the mound just for kicks.
No money down. Zero maintenance. Versatile. Stout. Below Kelley Blue Book?!
That’s the dealer’s pitch, anyway. Almost sounds too good to be true. Just to be safe, let’s check the Carfax and have a gander underneath the hood …
Hmm well there is one catch you ought to be aware of right off the bat. Sandoval is a switch-hitter, true, but he has been absolutely dreadful against left-handed pitching. And that’s really not a new thing, if we’re being honest. But hey … at least he’s good on the heavy side of the platoon!
Yeah, okay, you’re a little worried about the sample size? If we’re focusing on what he has done against righties … yeah, it’s eighty plate appearances of a thousand-plus OPS hitting. But yikes … a 4.8% walk rate to go with a 27.4% strikeout rate? A .360 BABIP is the only thing supporting his .345 OBP. And that 31.8% HR/FB rate … not gonna last. He’s feasting on some pitchers that aren’t all at the tops of their games. Hard to put too much stock in this kind of showing from a part-time player.
To be fair, Sandoval is legitimately ripping the baseball right now, at least when it is being thrown at him from someone’s right arm. Statcast it. 14.9% barrel rate … about triple what he was averaging during the Statcast Era. 45.2% hard-contact rate. The results are outstripping even that impressive contact (.385 wOBA vs. .362 wOBA), but not by a ridiculous margin. He’s hitting the ball to the opposite field more than ever, which perhaps hints at a change in approach that is helping to produce these results.
That’s all well and good, but the bottom line is that it’s just not a terribly sustainable formula. At his best, in his first stint with the Giants, Sandoval was a model of K/BB consistency, with solid walk rates (average for that era; around 8%) and low strikeout rates (between 13.1% and 13.5% in every season from 2009 and 2014). Now he’s at half that walk rate and twice that strikeout rate — well on the wrong side of current league average in both respects. Sandoval’s 15.9% swinging-strike rate is by far the highest of his career. The newly aggressive approach is working for now, but it doesn’t feel like it’ll last.
It’s not hard to imagine the Panda changing hands this summer. He could be a functional piece for the right team. But my expectation is that it’ll be for a rather minimal trade return, even though an acquiring team won’t have to come out of pocket for his services. You may be a buyer, but I’m walking away.
I honestly really enjoyed the way this article was written. Keep it up!
Agreed very well done.
Was good for a while but it dragged.
Agreed my first thought as well.
Does he still play 3B ? Pirates are desperate for an upgrade there, however minimal it may be.
Although I’d still prefer Tim Beckham, GUY THEY SHOULD HAVE SIGNED THIS OFFSEASON, as starting SS/3B.
Makes me sick how dumb this FO is when it comes to outside additions.
Same story under Neal, player development A+
Free agent additions (even with limited playroll)
F
Idc what he’s doing, no one should want him. A cancer and overrated player.
Still bitter about 2010, eh ?
Panda ain’t no Brooks Conrad, that’s for sure.
As a giants fan, I couldn’t disagree with you more. The guy is not a cancer. He crumbled under a big contract and the pressure in Boston. That’s behind him now. He doesn’t need to be a teams super star player. He doesn’t need to live up to that contract. He just needs to be a lethal bench bat that can play the corner infield spots and DH if needed. Championship contenders will want a guy that is cool with playing a part time role and will show up with a positive attitude everyday no matter how much he is playing. And don’t forget, the guy has been there before and knows what it takes to win a World Series…he does have 3 rings.
As long as you understand they won’t give up anything for him. Anything at all.
You must ghost write love stories for a living man…..come on, the only reason he’s performing now is that he’s looking at a new contract in 2020.
He’s the guy who signed for big money on a very big Boston stage…you make it sound as if he was forced for sign and oh well it didn’t work out very well but it really wasn’t his fault…he really has a neat nickname though!
This guy is as greedy as any other ball player who always “signs for his family”. If you made him play for 1 year deals, you might get value for him but give him a long term deal is the recipe for getting sub par results from “Kung Fu Panda”! He left his best days behind him in 2014…which is forever from 2020!
Why not check in with a Boston fan and see what they think of him….after all he’s still getting paid for that horrendous decision by Boston Mgt!
He also blasted the Giants when he left.
Sandoval crumbled under mediocre pressure here in Boston. I remember a rather reasonable expectation of what he was from fans and media. The best available player that off season at a position that was becoming a revolving door. But I don’t ever recall anyone thinking he’d carry this team… He was supposed to shore up third base and provide above average production. The way fans of Sandoval act like he came in here with the expectations of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford (two who did crumble under pressure), or JD Martinez is silly.
No team should trade for him. Why? Because he hits better in SF than nearly anywhere else.
That and they are selling far more Panda Hats than Longoria jerseys. I’m sure he’s made them a lot more than the league minimum they are paying him this year.
His 2019 splits say differently.
OPS home .823
OPS away 1.028
You’re gonna take 50 PA over his career trend?
Any team worth contending would literally have no problem having a bench guy who can fill in both corners of the infield and hit well, according to his current numbers. If he’s hot he’s hot, any manager in their right mind would take his price tag on that bet. Which I really hope he ends up on a contending team this season. Pandas a great player and even better personality, he deserves at least one more play off run.
His career trend is fattest guy in the room combined with Bartolo Colon training program combined with I was really good for a minute 5 years ago. I’d love the 50 PA trend if I were you and trying to trade him.
As a contending team, you’d be getting him for four months, for mere pennies, in a contract year, while he’s on a hot streak. Hate on him all that you want, but that’s really just being short-sided. Ride the hot hand and dont worry if he comes back to earth in 2020, hes not your problem then.
Baseball insiders have recently revealed why he is called the “Kung-Fu Panda.” It has very little to do with a movie. Once upon a time, when Sandoval was a child, he used to love cuddle fish. He wrapped them up in in chopsticks and ate them. One day at the zoo, he brought a some cuddle fish with him for lunch. The last one he ate was still VERY alive. While in the chopsticks, the cuddlefish sprayed ink all over his body. Pablo then freaked out (which is understandable due to his current lack of sight). He ran around until he fell into the giant Panda cage. Unfortunately, the Panda he crossed paths with was in heat. The two were about to get VERY well acquainted. The “in heat” panda then sprayed him in the face. At this point (between the Panda and the black ink of the cuddlefish) Pablo was completely covered in black and white animal excrement. Luckily, Pablo had just finished his Karate classes for the day. He knew all the karate moves to use on that Giant Panda to defend himself. That, my friends, is how he became known as Kung-Fu Panda.
Off your meds?
That wasn’t even funny
Why does anyone take the time to tell someone a joke is NOT funny? The best way to prove that, is by ignoring it. If you met someone that said a “not funny” joke, would you pull them aside as they were walking away to let them know you thought their joke was “not funny?”
Who would just blurt out a lengthy joke to a stranger in the first place?
Let alone get pissed when the audience doesn’t laugh?
Just as weird as expecting positive responses from commenters on the internet I guess
I get your point. I guess what I meant is I see a TON of unfunny jokes in the comment section on this site. Almost everyone (myself included) just ignores them and never looks at them again. I actually agree with you. That particular post wasn’t all that funny. I just don’t know what it is about that post (or any post) that makes someone take the time to say it wasn’t funny. Was it the length? Did it seem like I spent a surplus of time/thought/energy on it? If so, I do have to apologize. I put less than three minutes of time, thought or energy into that entire thing combined. It was probably the lamest post I have ever made that was supposed to be funny.
BTW… I do interpret the multiple “Cool story’ comments as at least a couple members of the audience laughing. Some people laugh at a comedian while so e people just sit there unamused. Only the insecure losers heckle.
Cuttlefish, not cuddlefish. Thanks for the cool story though, bro.
Thanks for the input. I need that kind of constructive criticism to point out my flaws so I can stay on my game.
Cool story bruh
Please ban this guy
For what? Making a joke that you didn’t happen to find funny?
Agreed
Please seek mental health. All I read is hate. Not one part was funny.
Hate? Really? Where? What did I say hateful? Whom did I write hateful things about and what exactly is it that I hate?
Panda means SF Giants and that is where he belongs right now… Period…
He means more to the Giants than he would to any other team.
100% true, but Farhan has no ties to him and seems to care less about the nostalgia that is tied to the Giants. If he can get a young player that will strengthen the farm system, he will trade Pablo Sandoval. It doesn’t matter what he has done, or what he means to the 2019 Giants. What matters is how they will turn this franchise around. Sandoval will not be on the next winning Giants team. Anything they get for him will have a better chance at contributing in the future. I love Pablo Sandoval. I love the Giants more.
I REALLY hope he stops caring about the nostalgia
Yes agreed. And let’s just understand that he’s worth nothing to anyone besides the Giants… like if you want a low level minors career backup catcher, ok… or some crap reliever with 7 arm injuries and is 28 now, fine.
Boston fans win the World Series and still be salty lmao
It’s bochy last year and they are friends. Why would you trade him?
He’s a fat useless POS who will never amount to anything when the pressure is on, 9 year old World Series performances aside.
A fat useless POS? Geez. Calm down man.
Lol “will never amount to anything when the pressure is on”. Go ahead and look at his postseason stats. He has been pretty consistently great when the pressure is on.
Just a terrible take based on you being salty that the red sox signed him to a terrible contract
2014 was 9 years ago? can’t imagine what else you exaggerate about : )
But you’re not bitter, right ?
Yeah, okay bub. Go ask Justin Verlander about that World Series a few years back and get back to me.
I can’t imagine a contender acquiring Sandoval, even for a bench bat.
The trade deadline rule changes I think will make Sandoval an interesting piece at the 7/31 trade deadline. If you look at him as a hedge or insurance for your corners, someone who can really play 3rd base and a quality bench bat with pop AND has a minimum wage contact, what’s not to like
First and foremost his contract appeals to low(er) budget teams MIN/TB and teams already over the cap, NYY. PHI, MIN and NYY all have starting corners that are RHH so that’s a fit there as well.. Who else has his profile that will be on the market? Supply and demand still matter don’t they?
As the author points out the prospect cost for him is not high. At the same time given the number of players the SFG will be shopping, I can see Sandoval being attached to a lead player where his inclusion alters the overall quality of a return. These new trade rules, if you are a serious playoff contender you must have 25-40 man depth to take you all the way thru October.
Acquiring team needs to carry him on the roster for 31 days in August until rosters expand in Sept. Who knows maybe you didn’t need the insurance, so you just leave him off a playoff roster OR maybe he’s a lottery ticket who in a part time ABs produces, 2 months is a SSS after all..
In the NL PHI is a good match, AL I like the MIN
Great article Jeff
Am I the only one old enough to have heard Roger Miller singing “King of the Road” when reading the title of this article?
I’m right with you!
There are several conflicting stories about the origin of the song. One version the I tend to believe involves the Grand Canyon and VerKamps Gift Shop (I worked there 2007-2008 when if closed after 102 years of family owned operation). I was told the story by Susie VerKamp (a wonderful lady) and many of the lyrics fit so well.
It’s easier if I quote an interview with Jack VerKamp before he passed away…..
Miller, 17 years old at the time, got a job with Verkamp’s as a clerk, living in a travel trailer in old “Tent City.”
“He worked out pretty good until this big influx of Boy Scouts came in,” Verkamp said. “I saw him leaning on the countertop talking to a couple of the young girls we had working there, and these guys (Scouts), they were just all over the place, so I got him out of that deal.
“Then after lunch, same thing happened. I said, ‘Roger, you’re fired,’ Verkamp recalled with a laugh. “These old gals were just working their butts off and he was (jabbering) with these young girls. So I just fired him right on the spot.”
Miller did come back to visit from time to time.
“First time he came back, he says, ‘I got something to thank you for. I wrote that “King of the Road” when I was in that little trailer. I want to thank you for getting me started on my road,’” Verkamp said. grandcanyonnews.com/news/2001/apr/04/verkamp-in-hi…
Susie, who was about 6-8 at the time said he was quite the ladies man and never had trouble finding a date for the nightly dances at Bright Angel Lodge. She Also said Miller would spend many a lunch time sitting on the back steps of the store strumming away.
Sorry for the sidetrack but of the 9 years I worked and lived at GCNP my time at VerKamps was the best.
Cool story. Thanks for sharing. It’s a great song.
My Pleasure
Thank from here too. One of my favorite songs to play on the ukulele but I’d never heard the origin story. That Roger Miller, his pappy was a pistol, so I guess that’s what made him a son of a gun.
My pleasure. When I read the story and headline the other night I couldn’t get the song out of my head. I finally had to log on YouTube for a quick fix…LOL.
So many of the lyrics fit his time at GC as well.
“Two hours of pushin’ broom”…much of his job was sweeping. In those days there was no AC so the doors were always open and the GC can be very windy…dirt and dust everywhere.
“8 by 12,4 bit room”…. the trailer he was in was 12′ long and 4 bit (50 cents per month) was a common price for employee housing in those days.
“I smoke old stogies I have found short, but not too big around”. He also had to sweep the front porch and and pick up trash in the surrounding area. He was known to pocket stogies and unfinished smokes.
“I know every engineer on every train, All of their children, and all of their names” As a “hobo” one would avoid engineers but the GC train depot was/is a short distance from VerKamps. It was common for the train crew to venture to the stores and lodges. Everybody knew everybody back then.
This read like a Jeff Sullivan article, exclamation points and all
id be curious what he can do as a team’s starter…id wonder just how much of his BOS struggles were due to injury and past events.
Wouldn’t it be great if Boston traded for him while they are still paying for him? But seriously SF’s diminishing attendance will diminish even more if Zadhi trades him. Pablo is one of the few guys playing well and he’s not costing them any money. It would be a foolish move IMO.
Fans need to stop worrying about the next few seasons and this foolish notion of reloading vs. rebuilding. This club is on a trajectory to be very bad for a few years. So far, aside from a short sample size from Yaz, the contributions from the revolving door of AAA prospects has been bleak. If nothing else, its proven just how poor the Giants farm system is at the highest levels. If you have an asset that can be traded to get even a lottery ticket for the future, especially on a short movable contract like Sandoval, Farhan needs to be cashing them in. If you’re relying on Sandoval to drive the club and the fan base, you need to admit how quickly your ship is sinking.
I don’t think there’ one single fan that is buying a ticket to go see Fat Panda pinch hit.
best hitter on the Giants right now
Todd, we don’t really care about your low-ball offers for Giants players. They obviously wouldn’t trade Pablo for the pittance you suggest.
The Panda signing was Ben Cherington’s ticket to unemployment.
Jeff, you are a really good writer, and I love that Roger Miller reference in the headline. But really, since when is “most unique” not an oxymoron?
None of these articles are submitted for grading or any other academic review. Simply ask yourself the following one question, “Did I understand what he meant?”
Being able to understand what someone actually meant is not the goal of writing. Good writing seeks clarity and clarity calls for proper word usage. I realize few people care about this kind of thing any longer, but it’s true nonetheless, unless you happen to be writing poetry. So no, not an academic concept at all.
“Most unique” is an oxymoron because unique all by itself means “one of a kind.”
There is more than one definition for unique. Aside from one of a kind it can also stand for unusual which appears to be the case in this article. That is how I read it……. one of the most unique (unusual) players in recent memory.
I could refer to a “flat earther” as a very unique individual, even though there are others and still be correct.
I didn’t mean this to be such a lengthy discussion, but since it has attracted interest, every word can be found to have secondary and even tertiary meanings. This shouldn’t be a signal that the word should be used in those other ways, especially when a clearer and more direct way of saying the thing is available. In this case, if the purpose was to say that Sandoval is highly unusual then just say he’s highly unusual. This makes the point perfectly clear and avoids the oxymoron issue. In any case, all the writing guides I’ve ever seen advise against adding a modifier to the word unique. It is awkward, at best.
Do you really believe the first sentence that you posted? Understanding the message given is absolutely the goal of any communication, written or oral.
Yes, and that would be apparent if you read the sentence without leaving out a key word. Also, read the sentence after it that further explains the point. All of which goes to show that if anyone can misinterpret something you wrote, somebody probably will. Being concise rather than ambiguous with your word choices at least gives you a fighting chance of not being misunderstood. As you’ve shown, it isn’t always going to work, but it’s still always worth doing.
He can go anywhere but Boston
Not true. No fit in Oakland.
My only comment about Sandoval is what if? What if Pablo actually got into playing shape? His career will always have the specter of conditioning.
This team has far greater problems than worrying about Pablo Sandoval. Take a look at the abysmal seasons Holland and Pomeranz are offering up. Samardzija has reverted back or never risen above mediocre. Right now, Holland, Pomeranz, and Samardzija are untradable. This club has to take a huge step forward in the rotation. I was looking forward to a rotation of Beede, Rodriques, Anderson, Suarez, Cueto at year end. Maybe even a Menez jumping the ladder.
The fact that Holland, Pomeranz, and Samardzija are untradeable only serves to road-block the youth movement. This makes Bochy happy. We are now entering the final years of Cain and Peavy. “Deja Vu, all over again”
If the club is going to lose 100 games. Do it with young arms and see what we have going forward. These albatross contracts have absolutely destroyed the Giant’s pitching rotation.
Is there any update on Ryder Jones? He has only one at-bat this year. Is he rehabbing his knee?
The market dictated 5/$95 with Boston. He could not stay healthy there and was ultimately a bust. Happens all the time, not sure why there are so many disparaging comments about the Panda. I think he’s a great story. He’s accomplished a lot and he’s having a productive year. Any contender would benefit from his presence and he would be cheap. I’m happy to have him play out the year in SF or move to a contender and potentially get a 4th ring. He’s had a pretty good career and I’m happy to see him healthy and doing well again
Perhaps the Panda is like Edgar Rentaria who was a good player in the NL but not so in the AL.
Bum and Panda to Phillies
A cancer? Pablo sandoval is loved by every single person in the giants organization and fanbase. His biggest contribution to a team is his clubhouse presence. But stat geeks dont know that stuff like that matters.
When you mention the name Panda to a Giants fan, it will always bring a smile to there face. He s one of the more popular SF Giants ever !!
I guy who have iron nerves in a world series game should always be an asset even is he is overweight, never forget 3HR in a WS game. Just to have him in the bench is have a good energy in the team. He is even pitching lol
“You may be a buyer, but I’m walking away”. ??? What does that even mean?
It means if you or I want to trade for Pablo Sandoval, we can. I’m not quite sure if you’re an MLB GM or not, but assuming you are, go ahead and make an offer because a fantasy baseball writer – who presumably runs an MLB team in his spare time – isn’t going to.