Pablo Sandoval, the Boston Red Sox third baseman, has had a career marked by both remarkable achievements and significant challenges, particularly concerning his weight. His journey is a testament to the struggles many athletes face in maintaining peak physical condition amidst the pressures of professional sports. This article delves into the details of Sandoval's weight loss attempts, the factors contributing to his weight issues, and his efforts to revitalize his career.
Early Success and the Contract
Sandoval, nicknamed "Kung Fu Panda," was a wildly popular three-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star with the San Francisco Giants. However, after signing a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in November 2014, his career took a downturn. In a joint English-Spanish interview with ESPN.com and ESPN Deportes' Marly Rivera, Sandoval admitted that he got "complacent" after signing the lucrative contract. "My career had fallen into an abyss because I was so complacent with things that I had already accomplished," Sandoval said, pledging to "start my baseball career all over again."
Weight Issues and Performance Decline
Since the beginning of the 2015 season, Sandoval's performance declined significantly. He batted .242 with a .290 on-base percentage and 10 home runs, lost his third-base job, and fell out of shape. His weight gain diminished his mobility and range at third base, contributing to a career-worst .658 OPS in 2015. Rock bottom came in early May when he underwent shoulder surgery, ending a season in which he started only one of the Red Sox's first five games.
Attempts at Weight Loss
Throughout his career, Sandoval has struggled to stay in shape, gaining and losing weight with dramatic fluctuations. Over the past few months, Sandoval has shed "significant" weight, according to Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Sandoval said he has been following a really strict routine that has taken a lot of dedication from his part. "It has not been easy to wake up every single day at 6:30 in the morning to then head to the gym and start a full day of work. But you have to have that kind of dedication if you want to achieve the goals you have set for yourself."
However, in a bizarre interview upon arriving at the Fenway South complex, Sandoval said no one from the team ever asked him to lose weight in the offseason and that he hasn't weighed himself since October. "I don't weigh. I don't weigh in at all," Sandoval said. "I just do my work, try to do everything I can out there. I don't weigh at all in the whole offseason. I just try to get better, be in a better position and, like I say, be an athlete."
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The "Babysitter" Approach
Sandoval's former trainer, Banning, revealed the extent of the efforts required to manage Sandoval's weight. Banning described a period where he essentially acted as Sandoval's "babysitter," managing his diet and training regimen intensely. "I would go pick him up at a random location, drive him to the facility so that his car wouldn’t be there, so if they dropped in they wouldn’t know he was there," Banning said. "So for about a three-week period, he had the flu - we had every excuse in the world. We were just trying to rip weight off him again."
Banning sacrificed his own existence to help Sandoval burn fat quickly. "I was coming in seven days a week, he was training three times a day on six days, and on Sundays he was training twice," Banning said. He emphasized that managing Sandoval's eating habits was crucial. "It’s not an exercise thing, it’s an eating thing. Obviously exercise is an important factor in it, a very important factor, but eating is going to be the component that needs to be managed and monitored."
Banning also highlighted the cultural aspect of Sandoval's eating habits. "He loves to be loved by people. And he connects with people, and the way that (Venezuelan) culture connects is through food." Banning recounted traveling to Venezuela with Sandoval and acting as a buffer against the constant offers of food. "When I’m there, I could say no to people and I could shake my head and people would walk away."
The 2017 Spring Training Saga
In 2017, Sandoval arrived at spring training appearing to be in better shape. The Panda appeared pleased with his diligent offseason preparations to construct a new and more presentable Panda. No more apparitions of a Sumo playing third base. However, he remained secretive about his weight loss methods. "I got a program. I got a program, it’s all included," Sandoval said. "So I don’t worry about that. I got a program, it’s all included. I’m going to continue to keep doing my program. So that’s my main goal."
Despite the secrecy, the focus remained on his performance. The real issue for those of us more concerned about catching and hitting the ball than eating it is just how Sandoval appears to perform on his job - will the skills promised finally come to fruition? That is the only real concern and for this fan the single most important issue of the spring training session.
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Personal Issues and Motivation
Sandoval acknowledged that personal issues had contributed to his struggles. According to multiple people close to him, he dealt with several personal issues in 2015, including a dispute over his training program. The birth of his child in May served as a major source of inspiration. "Watching 'Baby Panda' grow up and that he gets the opportunity to see his father play in the majors for seven, eight more years, to get back to the success I had, that's my motivation every day," Sandoval said. "The people that I surround myself with now and my family, they are the key to my success. This has been a life lesson."
Second Chances and Redemption
Sandoval recognized the skepticism of Red Sox fans but expressed his determination to prove himself. "I certainly get it. I understand all the frustration [fans] must have felt, and I can't hold any grudges," Sandoval said. "I have no ill will about anything. Actually the opposite. It was another lesson for me. It fueled me. Sandoval said he is returning to switch-hitting this year. He stopped switch-hitting early last season after going 2-for-41 as a righty. Batting as a lefty against lefties, he hit .255 (27-for-106). "I lost my confidence," he said. "If you don't have that, don't feel confident at home plate [on] that right side, you're not going to trust in your swing. You're gonna put a lot of pressure on you, so that's what I do."
The Underlying Issues
Banning believes the contract Sandoval signed in 2012 created some ego, a resistance to be doing told what to do. Sandoval needs the babysitter, said Banning.
Sandoval also said he is returning to switch-hitting this year. He stopped switch-hitting early last season after going 2-for-41 as a righty. Batting as a lefty against lefties, he hit .255 (27-for-106).
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