The Braves have signed third baseman/first baseman Pablo Sandoval to a minor league contract, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Sandoval will head to their alternate site.
It didn’t take long for Sandoval to find a new team, as the Giants placed him on release waivers Sept. 10. To say the least, the two-time All-Star has gone through an up-and-down career. He was hugely important to the Giants from 2008-14, a span in which they won three World Series titles, but floundered after signing a five-year, $95MM contract with the Red Sox before 2015.
Sandoval didn’t get through his whole contract with Boston, which released him in 2017. He returned to San Francisco thereafter and turned back into a useful bench piece last season, but his year was cut short because of Tommy John surgery. The Giants re-signed Sandoval in January, but the 34-year-old switch-hitter could only muster a .220/.278/.268 line with one home run in 90 plate appearances this season before they cut the cord on him.
Sandoval will now join an organization whose third basemen rank dead last in the majors in fWAR (minus-0.4). Austin Riley and Johan Camargo, the NL East-leading Braves’ only third base choices so far, have combined for a .220/.272/.396 line through 294 plate appearances. The Braves optioned Camargo to their alternate training site on Sept. 9.
Lol why
Food inspector
Public relations. Braves have a solid team but only get headlines making a stupid move like this. If Neil Walker would accept a minor league spot, why not get him? Even if he wouldn’t, I’d rather take a chance on Rob Refsnyder or Blake Swihart..
Don’t count fablo expandoval out just yet
Clearly a dumb move. He doesn’t remotely improve the position
It’s a minor league deal so who cares?
When mgmt uses the excuse of money or elite prospects as an excuse to not improve the team, then yes every dime counts and all playing time for these individuals count also… even in minor league games or alternate training. It’s not like his fat butt can show these kid good work ethic, so he brings zero value and if anything, brings negative value
Sandoval signing actually is clever. Now is he going to be your future? No. But ATL is in a win now mode. In the post-season he would be a great bench piece, maybe a DH in a couple games. Because Pablo has something that Acuna, Freeman, & most other Braves players don’t… Alot, of not just post-season experience, World Series experience. And if you Braves fans want a ring, experience is golden. Pablo is a great locker room guy, switch hitter, & underated defender. Pablo is the kind of guy that can not touch a bat for months, then roll out of bed & mash. Again, he’s not going to carry the team to the promise Land. But being a lifetime SF fan, Pablo always was a clutch hitter. Ask Justin Verlander (Pando took JV deep 3 times in Game 2 of 2012 World Series). If ATL goes deep in the playoffs & need a big hit from a bench guy. Trust me.. he’s your man
Correction: Sandoval hit 2 HRs off Verlander. The 3rd was off a reliever.
@richard, I am a historic Pablo fan and glad he got picked up by the Braves. And, I love your enthusiastic evaluation of his credentials. However, watching him this year, as a Giants’ fan hoping Pablo would find his groove, I am not sure your take on our old buddy will hold. I hope so, as Pablo deserves to go out on top! Maybe he’ll come thru for ATL!!
2012 was ate years and 40 pounds ago.
Correct 2 off Verlander 1 off a reliever , but it was game 1 not game 2
Because Pablo has something that Acuna, Freeman, & most other Braves players don’t… ….Diabetes?
I heard they have Bartolo coaxed out of retirement and they are going to have daily cheeseburger and beer drinking contests.
Why? Obviously to mentor Camargo… hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha… I’m crying now.
The tigre gordo lives!
OK Braves, now you simply have to sign Big Sexy so that Roundman Panda has some company in the buffet line
Pablo certainly lives up to the name. SandOVAL indeed.
Haha good one
I guess it’s trendy to bust on the guy for his weight. Dude has a trophy though, and I’d wager a Coke his bank account has more 0vals than yours’ does at the end.
Hey now, mine has more ovals at the beginning, so it all evens out.
He gets paid millions of dollars to play a game and can’t even be bothered to be in shape, as an athlete should. Had to be placed on a weight regimen due to poor performance. Shut up.
Paraphrasing here, but that “out of shape” athlete is a 2x all-star and 3x World Series winner. I’d say his performance has been just fine over his career. Everyone doesn’t have to be chiseled out of stone to be an athlete. Plenty of guys have been built like Tarzan and achieved far less.
“performance has been just fine” Tell that to the Red Sox. What a joke.
You intentionally left out “over his career” which makes his statement accurate and your snotty post the joke
Most players would kill to have had Pablo’s career: WS MVP, All Star, 3x WS champ, $100 mil+ in the bank…if your mad that he had potential he didn’t reach you better be mad at about 99% of people in this world
Although I gotta say that most SF fans knew he wasn’t gonna work out in Boston, not sure why he or they did
The Red Sox don’t care about his career numbers, just his performance while he’s wearing their uniform when they were paying him. $95M. It’s a complete joke, just like your take..
Using snippets of my statement to twist it to support your argument? Cool, now I know you have nothing but salt.
Do you know how many guys don’t win 1 WS? Just one? Mike Trout is the greatest playing the game right now, and he doesn’t have one to his credit. Pablo has 3, and is a big reason the Giants won as many as they did.
The Boston stint didn’t go well. It’s free agency. It happens. The Carl Crawford deal didn’t work so well either. He was fairly ‘in shape’ I’d imagine you’d have to say, right? So why does a guy like Panda, who has had a great career, get so much ridicule?
bosoxinjection.com/2018/05/16/red-sox-bad-pablo-sa…
Says a lot about Camargo’s future in Atl♂️
not really. I don’t think Pablo will provide more production. more so a veteran presence. I don’t think he’ll be in a braves uniform long.
He hit .289 over his previous 38 at-bats … Lifetime .344 average in the postseason … The Braves currently have no one on their bench that anyone would feel good about pinch hitting in the postseason (though with a DH, the lineup doesn’t have a major need for a PH).
Interesting, but much ado about nothing here.
It’s not an expensive move or risky… but it’s kinda an insult to injury to make a kind of ridiculous move like this after AA refused to upgrade the rotation at the trade deadline :/
This is no way shape or form reflects that at all. Unless you see Pablo on the mound, this move has nothing to do about pitching depth whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Nunca.
This comes off as really good subtle satire making fun of people who think that since a team didn’t make a big upgrade to one area of their squad then they shouldn’t make any moves at all. But I have a feeling you didnt intend it as such
He doesn’t upgrade that position at all and if anything, might make it worse. My point is, if you weren’t gonna improve the team during the trade deadline, then why would you make the team worse today. He has zero value on this Braves system. It’s an insult he’d even consider him… it 100% all relates.. no doubt about it
It’s a flier on a lefty bench bat with a history (albiet half a decade ago) of excellence in the postseason. They’re not getting a good player, so you take the chance that he can show the scouts and powers that he in two weeks that he’s an upgrade over what we currently have on the bench, which isn’t much.
If anything it’s even more mind boggling the Braves only added Milone. They should’ve added a starter (and it’ll probably bite them in the butt here in a few weeks), but AA has not engaged in big deals, so it’s not entirely shocking he wouldn’t trade his top guys. That they didn’t add a bench bat or capable pinch runner doesn’t get enough attention.
Good luck Pablo! Folks love to rip his weight but don’t give him credit for being an integral member of THREE World Series Championships.
He provides no value to the Braves…. a lot likely because of his weight. His body simply couldn’t keep up at the high lvl demanded in the mlb
That’s a lie that he provides no value to Atlanta. He’s not the Panda of old, but he’s a solid veteran presence who will not be worse than Camargo was.
Take a glance at his stats from last season. You act like he hasn’t contributed since 2016
His stats from last year just aren’t that impressive… I’m not sure how this helps your argument
I once had ringworm 3 different times & nobody gave me any credit
I don’t follow your math. Can you once have something 3 times? So three times you had one ringworm? Or one time you had three different ringworms? Either way, dude, you should probably consider some lifestyle changes
My point being genius, you can have anything 3 times, it doesn’t mean your in line for a 4th. A totally inane move.
So you don’t have ringworm? Not even once three times?
Wow, this is sad I have to explain this to you – just because Sandoval had 3 world series touches, doesn’t mean he has it in for a fourth. Does that penetrate your coca nut?
Curly:
You’re trying to diminish the achievement of 3 WS rings to make a nonsensical metaphor. There’s a big difference between contributing to a WS title and having a parasite. You don’t have a WS ring, you earn it.
I don’t understand the move myself, but give credit where credit is due.
So you’re saying Pablo Sandoval has ringworm?
Well I am proud of you.
If you get ringworm 3 times the only thing you deserve credit for is being a nasty mf
True, but have you seen him in Boston?
Pablo is a good guy and was a blast to watch in a Giants uniform for all those great years. I’m thrilled he found a taker and hope he can contribute something positive to his new club.
Almost would’ve preferred him over lamb for Oakland but at least he’s playing!
Wait til he gets a taste for southern cooking…Pablo the Hut.
Magic City Wings
If this doesn’t show that AA is a joke, I don’t know what will. And fans will defend him no matter how ridiculous it is… see in 3,2,1….
I think he’s a good GM
Good for you… but your opinion is wrong if you evaluate it under the Braves umbrella
When did the braves make the post season last?
@bravesfan – ATL is 9th in the NL in salary but they have the third-best record in the league. The Mets, Phillies, and Nationals outspend them most years, but the Braves look like they’re going to beat out those teams to win their third straight division title. These are objective, factual metrics that tell me AA is better at producing his product than most of his competitors. Your primary beef with him seems to be that AA makes different choices than you would. I understand your arguments, but not your confidence in them. The facts seem aligned against you, my friend.
Couldn’t agree with you more. Welldone
AA did this with another GM’s players… nothing AA has done has helped the team. Only good thing he has done, is sign Acuna and Ozzie to cheap contracts… but gm’s do that kind of junk all the time. Ie, the stats ur throwing at me don’t belong to him.
Ozuna? d’Arnaud? Duvall? Where would the Braves be without them this year? All extremely sound moves, all done by AA. Again, the facts favor AA, even if some people’s opinions don’t.
WTF? Can he pitch?
Actually yes, yes he can
Is he a starter? We need one of those.
What starter is out there? All that’s left on the FA market is dumpster pieces
Fat
More successful in life than you or that one other Marlins fan.
He is a good pinch hitter
From 2019: In 50 pinch-hit appearances, Sandoval went 18-48, with eight doubles, two home runs, and two walks, good for a slash line of .375/.400/.667.
Good on you for finding that, I didn’t realize he was that good off the bench. I wonder how good he is in crucial spots off the bench.
He is excellent in the clutch. I wish Cody Bellinger would be more like that.
I wish the Rangers would just play well lol. I see a Kumar Rocker future if the Pirates don’t quit stepping on themselves though.
There’s a lot of fat jokes in these comments. I’ll assume they’re also WS MVPs.
Good luck, Panda. There’s a lot of ex-Giants contributing over there, something tells me you’ll fit in and help them to a win or two.
Yes, fat jokes by people whose exercise routine consists of running to the fridge between innings. Good ol’ American jealousy of pro athletes.
I don’t run. I pause and walk.
Why do people think you have to be better than someone at their craft in order to criticize them? I am not a better writer than Ernest Hemingway and yet I was expected to write a criticism of his work in high school. Roger Ebert was not a better actor than anyone he covered and yet people enjoyed his criticism of movies for decades. Being a critic does not require one to be better, it just requires one to be OBSERVANT. And anyone should be able to observe that Sandoval is a bit husky.
Fair enough, hiflew. However, as a teacher, if you criticized Hemingway’s writing ability by saying, “He’s fat,” I’d flunk you. As a baseball fan, the entertainment value of watching the big guys goes through the roof…same goes for the skinny guys, the short guys, or the guys with any physical limitations.
Fair point. Although I will argue that Hemingway’s weight had absolutely no negative value on his ability to write, but Sandoval’s weight can have an tremendous affect on his ability to play baseball.
It can have a tremendous effect, but it didn’t stop him from having an OPS+ of 114 last year or hitting 18-48 as a pinch hitter these last two years. He was a big dude when he was an all-star twice and when he went yard twice vs Verlander (out of three in one game) on his way to a WS MVP. I’m just not sure being big has hurt him that much.
That is a question that cannot have an answer. Yes he has been good, at times very good, but could he have been BETTER if he had been in better shape? Hitting doesn’t really require you to be in good shape, but fielding and base running does. His natural talent made him a very good hitter and his physical condition forced him to be simply a one dimensional hitter.
Let’s hope he hits his weight.
Which is something his critics will never do in any area of life.
They’re not being paid to. He is.
Right… he’s paid to physically perform at his job. When he eliminates the physical aspect, he provides little value to a team.
Read what Fred McGriff said in this post about Panda. Ask Justin Verlander if Pablo’s a clutch World Series player. BRAVES fans are IDIOTS. How many WS games has Freddie & Acuna played in? You need experience if you idiots ever want what Pablo has (he’s got 3 of them). He’ll be a good bench player
I heard he was in the running with John Candy
Sick modern reference bro
Dude, you better go re-watch a day’s worth of Three Stooges episodes and take copious notes if that John Candy remark was the best you could do.
Gee agentx, let me refer to your past remarks on this post – oops there aren’t any – is that the best you can do?
He’s had some good years, for sure, but it’s hard not to point out the fact that he’s badly let himself go physically. He’s a professional who looks to have no interest in staying in shape – which is forgiveable if you’re performing..but he’s not.
At least he managed to nail down a fielding spot for a number of years – Vlad Jr is a kid and he’s already eaten himself away from 3B. I still remember people on here swearing black and blue that Vlad’s weight isn’t an issue and that he’ll stick at third. Nope.
Performing? Below were his numbers last year. He was worth 1.5 wins in 296 ABs, including some very clutch pinch hits. He’s had only 82 at-bats this year, immediately following shoulder surgery in the offseason.
AVG .268
OBP .313
SLG .507
OPS+ 114
Funny that – in the last 6 seasons combined, he’s been worth a total of -0.7 fWAR. Yes, negative fWAR in his last half a dozen years put together. And he was literally just cut from a team in postseason contention.
Maybe you should call up the Giants front office with that small sample from last year and ask them why he got cut now.
Best wishes to him – but you’re clutching onto a tiny number when the bigger problem is right in your face.
Meh. He sucked in Boston and the pressure of a 90 million dollar contract was killing him. The only funny thing is, you were talking present tense performance, but had to go back and include every awful year he had there in order to make the fWAR work. This year, the sample size is about a month, he’s coming back from TJ, his wife had COVID-19, and both Belt and Longoria have been hitting. Presently, he has hit .289 in his last 38 at bats. I’ll save my breath with the front office, thanks. Being a fanboy here is less embarrassing.
Yeah, who needs years of data when you can have 38 at-bats worth instead. And again, 38 at-bats before he was cut.
It boggles the mind that in this day and age, people still need reminding of the dangers of small sample sizes. Come on man, use some common sense.
So how he’s performing currently wasn’t what you meant? Common sense must not include understanding the present tense. Read Fred McGriff’s comment. Idk if that’s really him, but the point is valid.
I don’t really understand this move but it’s just a minor league deal with zero guarantee of anything. It’s always nice to have some insurance at first and third for the playoffs. God forbid something happens to Freddie or Riley and we have to use Panda. Having a safety net for a competing team is always smart though and AA wouldn’t be doing his job if he was creating one.
The Panda!!! The Braves are going to the WS for sure now but they will need to celebrate with a huge ice cream full of carbs – instead of liquor which will not be allowed for any post season. celebration – so that Pablo shall be a happy camper,,,
Panda Should give the Braves an immediate improvement, offensively, over Camargo and Riley who clearly does not belong in the bigs yet
I think a lot of Atl fans here angry their former top prospects Camargo and Riley, are now viewed as nothing more than fill-ins that an overweight has been can replace.
Bro, if you don’t like Belt or Panda, just root for the Dodgers.
And wtf is “an overweight?”
On a different Braves note, I just watched Touki implode again. For the love of God can we please try someone else; anybody will do. I guess that definition of insanity hasn’t reached the Braves yet.
I wonder what Carney Lansford is doing these days. Maybe we can sign him.
So many haters online, welcome panda man!
Why sign more effing position guys though when starting pitching is what we need? Cuz they don’t know how to teach/train pitchers anymore and tend to make pitchers coming over from another team worse than they were at their old club. If Atlanta doesn’t commit to spending money on the market for pitching in the coming years and get some top notch pitching coaches to work with the young guys than this teams success isn’t going to last very long. This pitching problem is out of hand. Some of the worst teams in baseball seem to at least pump out decent pitching year in and year out. Atlanta can’t take 10 top 100 prospects and even help develop half of them into decent major league arms. Ian Anderson’s and Soroka are the only 2 with max fried developing mostly in San Diego. Something has to be done. NOW
People act like GM’s are turning down moves for pitchers because they’ve made moves for hitters.
“Sorry, we can’t sign you today – we’re celebrating the Panda signing”.
No I’m not saying that. I’m just talking about how bad this dang team needs starting pitching. The braves have had plenty of chances to potentially sign starters over the last 3 years and have chosen to not spend the money needed as Liberty media will never agree to pay what it takes to get a top flight starter. They have put way to much trust in their young pitching prospects and 3 out of the 12-15 have actually paid off. They either need to spend money on some pitching or they need to pay a pitching “guru” who can work with these young guys in the minors and help them develop because what they are currently doing and their philosophy of teaching these young pitchers is absolutely flawed. That’s what’s I was talking about. It has nothing to do with Sandoval.
I’d rather have Culberson, 7 ABs this year? Give me a break. How about Holt? Everybody said he was done. Does Washington think so? 7 ABs tells you nothing. Man wasn’t given a chance.
Ah the catering company must have overages that need consuming.
Pablo SandOVER.
Yeah “dumb move” for all of you that never played the game, maybe apart from rounders or on your playstation, and you just haven’t got a clue.
Experience counts for everything in this game.
Post season average 10 series .344 and you want to run him down. How laughable.
World Series average .426 with 8rbi 3 hr and 4 doubles. Oh yeah, it was so long ago……he knows what to do. This is a good move which brings a LH bat and depth, nothing but respect for this man.
THANK YOU.
Well we got our first panda in Georgia! Welcome to Atlanta Pablo.
Panda>Matt Adams??? Culby could have backed up 3b, Duvall could backup freeman. I’m a little confused in the move myself after all this musical chair charade now that I think about it more.
Only thing I can think of is camargo, culby, and Adams were part of the corporation slogan “what have ya done for me lately…”
BTW: Camargo is another fine example of someone who will just never be any good/valuable until he plays everyday somewhere, he just doesn’t have the ability to keep his timing at the plate while playing sporadically. He was actually a threat at the plate in 18′ and his fielding was also great that year, funny what a little confidence can do while not looking over your back consistently.
Matt Adams < Panda
2019:
AVG .226 < .268
OBP .276 < .313
SLG .465 < .507
OPS+ 86 < 114
I absolutely cringe whenever I see an MLBTR post that mentions Sandoval. As a Giant’s fan I want to read it, but I know I’ll be subjected to a bunch of tired fat jokes. I don’t really understand the pleasure some people get insulting someone else on line, but I could get on board if, at least, they were truly funny, or there was some cleverness to them. Unfortunately it always seems to be some people just taking advantage of the opportunity to make lame insults. Really, if making fat jokes does it for some people, I wish they would get some fresh material; something that’s clever, or actually funny.
The trick is to be the Giants fan that makes the fat jokes. When in Rome lol
Fine, but I don’t care who makes them. But unfunny old jokes about the buffets, or whatever, are about as tired you can get. I don’t care if a Dodger fan posts about Sandoval’s size as long as it’s funny, and not as lame as some of these posts.
tad2b13. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Really? That’s pretty ironic. Responding to my post about tired, old, retread fat posts, with a tired, old, lame response like that. Nothing like a trite cliche to make your point. Way to raise the level of discourse here.
Read what Fred McGriff said in this post about Panda. Ask Justin Verlander if Pablo’s a clutch World Series player. BRAVES fans are IDIOTS. How many WS games has Freddie & Acuna played in? You need experience if you idiots ever want what Pablo has (he’s got 3 of them). He’ll be a good bench player
Braves fans are morons. They’re literally arguing with 2 former MLB players about signing Sandoval
Sandavol. Overweight. Swung at everything out of the strikezone. He was on the bench during the 2010 playoffs. He has been washed up for a long time. I am a Giants fan.
James:
Your post makes it sound like he’s been bad since 2010. You know that’s not true, Yeah, he was out of shape and overweight in 2010, but once the Giants put him on a weight regimen, he was highly productive, He was a WS MVP after all.
And yes he did swing at balls out of the strike zone, but some of those swings left the park. Vlad Guerrero was infamous for swinging at bad pitches and he had a pretty good career.
He was effective last season off the bench, for a team many had predicted for last place. I admit, it was time for the Giants to move on, and I completely understand his release. But let’s be fair. He was a big part of 2 of those 3 WS titles. I appreciate what did, and was not sad to see him move on. but he was a great Giant.
3 Rings and a WS MVP award. Even if Panda just gleens some knowledge and experience onto the Braves there’s nothing wrong with that.
He won’t be on their post season roster unless someone gets hurt. Braves fans need to calm down. It’s a minor league deal so he’s not taking up a 40 man roster spot and it doesn’t prevent them from adding FA pitching to the team (if there are any).
Braves are missing Josh Donaldson. Austin Riley won’t be on the team come 2022.
the twins have missed him ALL year also. They made the right move on Donaldson.. Injury prone..
Braves clubhouse guys are probably tired of wrapping the leftovers from the post-game buffet in those annoying to-go boxes. Needed the Panda to clean up this situation. Munch, munch, it’s only lunch!
Not that I expect him to make the postseason roster, but is he even eligible for that since he joined the organization this late? I don’t believe he would be under the old rules.
I think this is a great move and puts pressure on Riley and Camargo to step it up, you don’t produce you be sent down (Camargo) or sit on the bench.
He isn’t any help.. Rather see Culberson than Panda… Playoff baseball, you need more BOB hitters in the lineup..
What happened with Johan Camargo?
Sent down due to Adeny becoming a more useful utility man. My concern now is Acuna – 12 K’s in last 18 ABs ? May be time to switch him & Albies in the order.. Constant looking K’s down the middle are not only painful to watch now, but will be a game-changer in the play-offs. .