Tom Dierkes Breaks Down The Panda
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of Sandoval’s pros/cons as seen from the eyes of a non-Giants fan. Well written, I think:
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That sounds about right. I read somewhere that despite losing 30 pounds last offseason, Sandoval put 20 back on over the course of the season. He did look heavier to me as the season went on but he didn’t seem affected during the playoff run. I’ve generally tried to overlook the weight issue with Sandoval but it is still something that any club that signs him has to consider. Also, for $114M, or close to $20M per, I think Sabean can find a LF, SP, RF & 3b. Having said all that I still hope Sandoval stays.
Dierkes is spot on. However, in my mind, it is still an “overpay” for the Panda. Nevertheless, this is what the market is . . . I almost lost my cookies when I read what Martin got. The dude is 32 frickin’ years old and plays catcher. Yet, his agent was able to hoodwink the imbecilic Blue Jay front office for 5 years and $82 million dollars. Hilarious. Don’t get me wrong – I love Martin. He is one of the best at game-calling, pitch-framing and has outstanding leadership skills . . . but $82 million is crazy to give to a 32 year old catcher.
Same situation with the 28 year old Panda, who resides in a 32 year old body. Granted, he doesn’t play catcher, but as Dierkes points out, he has been a “trailblazer” insofar as not breaking down physically . . . yet.
Again, as I have said before, “Thank you for your service Pablo. Good luck playing for “fill in the blank.”
I concur.
Put your resources in development should be a Giants mantra.
One other thing. In my opinion, the Cards got an excellent return with Heyward. This guy has been jerked around quite a bit in Atlanta – being moved from middle of the order to the leadoff position and has done a fairly good job wherever he has been assigned. His defense is second to none (umm, ok, ok, second to Cain this season . . . details, details). In any event, I think this trade will easily benefit the Cards, who also got a still very effective Walden. The Braves will regret having Miller on their roster IMO.
as I said yesterday, both teams will regret these guys. Heyward comes up ant small, consistently. And I do think he’s still fucked up mentally after he got hit in the face (and that’s not a dig on him, just something I think that’s going on). Still, he never pays off his average draft position, at least at the NFBC…….
I’ve always thought Heyward was a bit like Belt. People look at them, see an athlete and think the guy should be a super star. Then they put up solid but not spectacular numbers and people view them as busts or unfulfilled potential but both of them have had various injuries at one time or another that may have slowed their progression. Of course I think Belt is poised to go gangbusters next season :).
that’s a good point. When they both came up, I remember when everyone said Heyward was going to be a bigger star than Posey and look how that turned out. The fact that Heyward has just put up decent numbers (not star numbers) might bias me against him a bit
I could see Heyward thriving in STL too, in better hitters yards, less pressure, yada yada.
He’s a pretty good OF already, and maybe does better in that LU.
Hoping same for Belt too, full healthy season, middle order. When he hit 3rd end of 2013 he was going really well. Return to form would mitigate losing Pablo, which more and more I think happens unless he comes down in years/$$$, Though why he’d want to play for the white sox, who are going nowhere fast, I dunno.
I hadn’t realized, or forgot, that Heyward took on in the face. I mean, I know getting hit anywhere on your body stings pretty good but a ball to the face has got to be tough to come back from. Another reason the Stanton deal is crazy. Dude hasn’t even played since that ball blew him up or has he?
One good sign..a local Boston sports reporter posted a picture (think I saw it on Twitter last night) of Panda at Boston’s Logan Field at Baggage Check.
What??? The Red Sox did not have an entourage and Red Carpet waiting for him??? If I were Panda and trying to gauge the interest of Red Sox, I would be pissed if I were sitting in baggage check without frickin naked girls serving me caviar and champagne as some underling went to retrieve my bags. Of course how much luggage does Panda need for a visit to Boston?
Is that a good sign that the Red Sox did not roll out the red carpet???? If I were him and did have the comfort of of having SF and ATT as home, I would certainly take a reasonable deal and would have been happy with 6 years and $90 mill. I was at 5 years $75 mill at the start of the season, so add one more year to the deal and $90 mill I can live with.
Blade is dead on with Russell Wilson…ridiculous!
The picture of Panda at the airport is linked to Dierkes’ story. If the Cuban kid is going to sign for around $100 mill as an unknown commodity, I would hold Firm with Panda at $90 mill and call Boston’s potential bluff…we still need at least one starter and may have just $10-$15 mill to fill out a starter and potential left-fielder if we sign Panda at $15 mill a year.
There’s some theater involved in these things. LeBron jumped the shark with his “I’m taking my skills to Miami” infomercial; and now high school star athletes hold ludicrous press conferences with multiple university hats on the table, in an attempt to create drama. Which hat will they pick up? Oh, the drama!
“I’m taking my skills to Fresno State!” 🙂
I’m taking my skills to McDonald’s…
“Sandoval’s weighted runs created plus?” — sorry, I couldn’t help but laugh at this one.
Will Pablo continue to hit for six years? I think he will, that and a no trade clause are the only risks I see for the Giants. Sign Pablo to six years, at whatever the amount. Get however many years where his defensive skills are still good and trade him when and if he can’t field, to an AL team. As long as he still can hit (and you can sign him without the no trade clause), it would seem to be a no brainer to me. Hell, we signed Posey to a nine year contract and after next year we don’t know what position he’ll play. Win now, worry about Pablo’s weight and Posey’s legs(?) later.
Latest MLB trade rumors story noted Giants and Red Sox are talking on the $80-$90 mill range for 5 years. So of they are in that range then I think he surprisingly does stay home…
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/report-sandoval-discussing-deals-80-90-million-range?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo
Sheesh, if Pablo is willing to go 5 years/90 million, this should be a slam-dunk deal for the Giants, if they really want him.
I think I understand this. I think. 🙂
“Russell Martin rejected a qualifying offer from the Pirates, meaning Pittsburgh gets a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds. Toronto forfeits its first-round pick for signing Martin, with that pick (No. 17 overall) vanishing into thin air.
To refresh, a team signing a free agent that declined a qualifying offer forfeits its first-round pick unless it had one of the worst 10 records in 2014; otherwise the team forfeits its next-highest pick. The compensatory picks are ordered in inverse order of 2014 record, though teams receiving more than one compensatory pick (this year, only the Pirates are applicable with Francisco Liriano still on the market) get their subsequent picks after every other team gets their first compensatory pick.”
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/report-sandoval-discussing-deals-80-90-million-range
paulinasia. At the POTD. Yeah. What he said.
Friends: put in your prayers and thoughts my friend Dennis, who sometimes posts here and whom I met at HOF during trophy tour in 2011. His wife, Ree, lost her battle to cancer. Oddly, one of her good times, an oasis, was when we all went to Yankee Stadium last year. Giants won, on the sendoff day for Mariano Rivera. Dennis most likely does not want me posting any of this, but I feel he deserves our love, support, and solidarity. By any measure, he was devoted, valiant, and heroic during this two-year struggle.
Sorry for youir friend’s loss Pawlie (and yours as well). I’ve seen Dennis post here occasionally and although I don’t know him well (as you do), I always enjoyed reading his posts/opinions here. I’ve said a prayer for him and his family.
What a sad post. So sorry and Dennis my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Hang in there.
Thanks, guys. Not to overplay it, but I feel we are a community here. It’s been demonstrated many times for many here. We are a band of brothers and sisters.
Is that Dennisz? Sorry to read this.
yes
Condolences to Dennis, for sure…
I still can’t wrap my head around it. 3 rings in 5 years. I am tempted to say this year was the most surprising, but they all were, each different. If I’m honest, the “first” in 2010 had to have been the most emotional after such a long wait. Even doomer me can now say: more? why not? anything’s possible.
The Giants need to re-sign Pablo; there is no really good plan B.
There’s always a plan B.
Dierkes makes sense, but so does this guy from SI . . .http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/11/18/pablo-sandoval-free-agents-san-francisco-giants
Me? I hope this 2nd guy is right, as Pablo would only get $76 million for 5 years; and $82.2 million for 6 years. We shall see . . .
New post on my blog . . .http://aroundtheworldwithblade.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/kuang-si-falls-laos/