Blog Archives

Pablo Sandoval: A Tribute to Panda’s Historic World Series Night

Wednesday October 31st, 2012

Luke Whitecotton:  When I mention Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols, what words come to mind to describe these guys? Probably legends, greatness, clutch hitters, and champions. Now what if  I asked the same question about Pablo Sandoval or better known as “Kung Fu Panda”? You can say champion. But legend,clutch hitter and greatness might not be anywhere near your radar. What if I  told you he had one of those magical October nights? One that people in and out of baseball will talk about for years to come, and something those other greats did not do. Would you say that I was crazy, or maybe a little out of my mind? Well, maybe- but Pablo Sandoval was a legend, great, and a clutch hitter on a special October night in San Francisco. Read the rest of this entry

Pablo Sandoval Is Going to Have His Best Season Ever in 2012

Sunday March 4, 2012

Sam Evans: Last year, the Giants won eighty-six games and finished eight games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the N.L. West. They did this despite not having their best catcher for most of the year and losing their best hitter for forty-five games. 2012 however is a new year. If the Giants hope to win their division, Pablo Sandoval needs to stay healthy.

Pablo Sandoval has shown some outstanding potential. Last year, in only 117 games, Sandoval had a .909 OPS and a 12.3 UZR. First of all, his UZR last year was outstanding. UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) is far from a perfect defensive statistic, but it can be useful in finding how well a player covers the area around their position. Sandoval ranked 2nd among 3B’s in UZR.

When I first saw Sandoval play on TV a couple of years ago, I was astonished that he was even in the major leagues. He is 5’11’’ and weighs roughly 245 pounds.  In 2008, Sandoval played seventeen games at first base, twelve games at third, and eleven games at catcher. He looks like he doesn’t belong on the baseball field, but he plays like a perennial All-Star. He’s unlike any athlete I’ve ever seen, and it is a joy to watch him play baseball. Read the rest of this entry