How Pablo Sandoval Was Seen as a Prospect
by John Sickels on Feb 2, 2012 3:01 PM EST
Email
PrintIt was pointed out yesterday that Mike Napoli and Pablo Sandoval should have been included in the list of top position players in 2011 by WAR.
They didn't show up on the Fangraphs list I was using because I hadn't set the "plate appearance" screen to zero. Anyway, Napoli had a WAR of 5.6 last year and Sandoval at 5.5, so let's take a look at how they rated as prospects. I did Napoli in a separate post earlier this afternoon. Here's Sandoval.
Pablo Sandoval: The Venezuelan Sandoval made his North American debut for the San Francisco Giants in the Arizona Rookie League in 2004, hitting .266/.287/.373 in 46 games, with poor plate discipline, although he was just 17. He wasn't on my radar at that point. That changed after he hit .330/.383/.425 for Salem-Keizer in 2005. I gave him a Grade B- in the 2006 book, noting his ability to hit for average. I pointed out the lack of walks, but also noted the low strikeout rate, a good marker.
Sandoval struggled in 2006, hitting .265/.309/.322 in 117 games for Augusta in the Sally League. The extreme lack of power and some negative scouting reports I had on him knocked him back to a Grade C, and I ended up cutting him from the book to save space. He rebounded with a .287/.312/.476 mark for San Jose in 2007, which got him back in the book.
There were significant questions about his defense at the time. . .was he a catcher? A first baseman? A third baseman? I rated him a Grade C but in retrospect that decision was wrong and I think he deserved at least a C+ and probably a B- given his hitting at San Jose, even with the defensive issues.
Sandoval had a breakout in 2008, hitting .350/.394/.578 between San Jose (68 games) and Double-A Connecticut (44 games), then making his major league debut and hitting .345/.357/.490 for the Giants. He exceeded rookie qualifications with 145 at-bats, so he wasn't in the '09 book. He would have at least been a Grade B+ at that point.
Looking over this, in retrospect Sandoval's Grade C rating entering 2008 was too low, even with the information available at the time. I didn't give enough credence to his age, as well as some statistical markers of a plausible breakout. Even with positional concerns, he should have at least been a C+.
22 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Sandoval
just keep that weight under control and he will be fine. he also plays pretty good defense at the hot corner which i wasnt really expecting after he officially moved off catcher.
Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.
Without the weight slowing him down
I think he’s arguably the best defensive 3B in the majors, and probably in the NL. Excellent hands, great, accurate throwing arm, and without the fat he’s got pretty excellent range left, right, front, and back. There are a bunch of clips at the end of this article that aren’t the exception – he was consistently pretty awesome.
Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)
just keep that weight under control and he will be fine
more to do with health. he keeps healthy, he’ll hit.
by JoelGuzman'sScout on Feb 2, 2012 4:06 PM EST up reply actions
This
His slump in 2010 wasn’t a weight issue, it was an injury issue. He was large in 2009 and had the highest OPS+ among 3B in the major leagues. Definitely should have been an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger award over Ryan Zimmerman in both cases.
COMIN' ATCHA, FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!
Fathaigh go mbuaimid!
Proud adoptive Father of Joe Panik. 2011 NWL MVP .
Job 1:14-15
Couldn't the weight have led to the injury?
I love Panda but lets not pretend that his weight didn’t play a factor in 2010. Being that fat will do a number on your legs especially over the grind of a 162 game season.
Big Sexy
Follow KBR and Dewey on Twitter! @KBRandDewey
by King Billy Royal on Feb 2, 2012 4:38 PM EST up reply actions
Well, it was a shoulder injury, which is brutal for a hitter.
He also had a messy, intercontinental divorce to deal with and was pretty distracted that year.
COMIN' ATCHA, FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!
Fathaigh go mbuaimid!
Proud adoptive Father of Joe Panik. 2011 NWL MVP .
Job 1:14-15
2009 & 2010
he was large in 2009 but not as large as 2010 which was a very rough year for him on and off the field, but weight is and always will be an issue for him. If he tries to play at 260-270 (which is very close to what he was at in 2010) he is going to fail, because a lot of his value at the plate comes from his ability to make contact, since he lacks patience, and being over weight drastically slows down his bat speed.
He has a very strong arm and an above average glove and if 2011 is an indication of the player he can be consistently I am very excited to have him on the Giants.
Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.
by James Westfall on Feb 2, 2012 4:55 PM EST up reply actions
Wait a minute!!!!!
Judging by your screen name how do I know you aren’t Pablo Sandoval?!!!!!!!!!!!!
He was also seen eating Cheetos and drinking a Mountain Dew at 9am before a World Series game. Conditioning like that will lead to injuries.
Big Sexy
Follow KBR and Dewey on Twitter! @KBRandDewey
by King Billy Royal on Feb 2, 2012 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
Also I am not saying I don't like Panda
I think he is pretty awesome. I just don’t think we can say the giant belly had nothing to do with his decline in 2010.
Big Sexy
Follow KBR and Dewey on Twitter! @KBRandDewey
by King Billy Royal on Feb 2, 2012 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
lol
I AM, in fact, a large guy. And I play ball. And I am a 3B. And I lost 70lbs. after the 2009 season going in to 2010.
But, alas, I am NOT Pablo Sandoval. I don’t have his talent, youth, or money.
COMIN' ATCHA, FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!
Fathaigh go mbuaimid!
Proud adoptive Father of Joe Panik. 2011 NWL MVP .
Job 1:14-15
by bigboneded on Feb 2, 2012 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Congrats on the weight loss brother
That is great to hear!
Big Sexy
Follow KBR and Dewey on Twitter! @KBRandDewey
by King Billy Royal on Feb 2, 2012 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
I have enjoyed the Napoli commentary and now this one.
John, do you think Stephen Vogt could be Sandoval-lite( like really lite)? Not in terms of prospects, as Sandoval was much much younger, but as future outlooks?
Hmm
Everything, except the breakout season I guess. I suppose that could be said of a lot of guys though perhaps though?
"Does it make your life easier to just throw a quick, racist term at somebody? A man who has seen the things I’ve seen… experienced the loss and pain that I’ve experienced… I transcend race, hombre." - Kenny Powers
Well, yeah
I just meant, at the same age, they had fairly similar stats, played a premium position that they weren’t destined to stick at, similar questions about future position, power ceiling, etc.
Right
I didn’t mean to sound like TOO much of a smartass there. In general, I think that players who were decent in the minors but, sort of unspactacular, except for being young for the league, are a a huge pool of where underrated major league performers come from.
"Does it make your life easier to just throw a quick, racist term at somebody? A man who has seen the things I’ve seen… experienced the loss and pain that I’ve experienced… I transcend race, hombre." - Kenny Powers
Crystal Ball
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/13/829773/pablo-sandoval-crystal-ball
Interesting to look back, 2 and 1/2 years later, at one of these things. Mine ARE intended to be a prediction, such as these things are.
I get to be wronmg a lot, like all people forecasting young ballplayers but, I was pretty darned right on the debate surrounding this guy. I would be close to winning the little wager discussed in this thread too, if we had made it. He chickened out though :)
"Does it make your life easier to just throw a quick, racist term at somebody? A man who has seen the things I’ve seen… experienced the loss and pain that I’ve experienced… I transcend race, hombre." - Kenny Powers
How Pablo Sandoval was seen as a prospect?
I am guessing it was in the line at a buffet.
Big Sexy
Follow KBR and Dewey on Twitter! @KBRandDewey
by King Billy Royal on Feb 5, 2012 10:12 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Minor League Ball
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
