Pablo Sandoval won his third World Series ring for the Giants last season with yet another huge World Series. In a great read from Scott Miller of Bleacher Report, though, it sounds as though Panda played through all of last season unhappy with pretty much everyone in the locker room.
Here's the big quote, on who he will miss:
"Only Bochy," Sandoval said of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "I love Boch. He's like my dad. He's the only guy that I miss. And Hunter Pence. Just those guys.
There's more in the full story, but the basics are that he's much happier with the Red Sox. And that's an indictment of pretty much every other player in the locker room.
So, OK, there are a few takeaways.
First of all, as much as Giants fans are going to want to hate on the guy now, make sure to give him props for being professional and doing his job well despite not being pleased. He played 157 regular-season games and had another excellent postseason. He never publicly complained about his contract situation. He just played and was a major part of three rings. That built-up goodwill shouldn't be washed away with a few comments.
On the other hand, is this talk necessary now? Couldn't he have just said he loved playing in San Francisco but he's happy to be with Boston now and that's where his heart is? Something like that?
I'm also wondering about all this "chemistry" talk you hear from baseball fans and media. Do players actually have to be friends to play well together? Think back to all the Bronx Zoo Yankees teams and the problems they had in the clubhouse. They won multiple World Series, just like the Giants with an apparently disgruntled Sandoval did.
Outliers are always possible, of course, but I couldn't help but take this as another reminder that professional athletes are, yes, professionals and don't necessarily have to be friends with teammates. They are co-workers.
And the final takeaway? It's utterly hilarious that only one teammate was named. Long live Hunter Pence!
