Sandoval says he's happy to be back in S.F., but that's taken as a jab at Red Sox
Simply put, Pablo Sandoval's tenure with the Red Sox will go down as one of the worst free agent signings in baseball history. The team gave him a five-year contract worth $95 million, and in return, he gave them a .236/.286/.360 batting line and minus-2.2 WAR in 161 games. Boston owes him $18.6 million in 2018 and another $18.6 million in 2019. Brutal. Just brutal.
The Red Sox released Sandoval last month, and a few days later, he returned to the Giants minor league contract. San Francisco has since called him back up to the big leagues, and the man they call Kung Fu Panda has gone 6 for 25 (.240) with one home run in seven games. The Giants are out of the race and they needed a third baseman, so they're giving Sandoval a look.
In a piece written for The Players Tribune, Sandoval explained Boston "just never felt like home," and that he attributed his failures with the Red Sox to being uncomfortable. Here's a snippet:
At the end of the day, I just never felt comfortable in Boston. It had nothing to do with the organization, or my teammates, or the fans, or the city. Everybody was great to me. I think it was just something that happens sometimes — you don't feel comfortable somewhere, or you don't fit in, even if you're in a place you chose to be. In Boston, I was lost. It just never felt like home. ... And I think that's another reason I struggled so much the last couple of years: Because every day I spent in Boston, my heart was still back in San Francisco.
Predictably, this is being taken as a shot at the Red Sox by many New England fans on social media. Hearing a player -- an unpopular player who didn't produce and had conditioning issues -- say his heart wasn't into playing for your team is an insult. Here's what Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters Monday when asked about Sandoval's comments:
Farrell on Sandoval: 'Coming to Boston was his choice...(Sox took) many steps that took into account his needs on and off the field.' — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) August 14, 2017
Sandoval did make a choice to go to Boston and the Red Sox made a choice to offer him that contract. Neither side held the other hostage. Free agent contracts are a two-way street.
Within the piece, Sandoval apologized to the Giants and to Giants fans for taking shots at them after he signed with Boston, and that's the focus of what he wrote. His love for San Francisco and how happy he is to be back. I'm sure most other players in his position would feel the same way.