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Bacardi Untameable - Pablo Sandoval proves size doesn't matter

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Pablo Sandoval, one of baseball's most beloved characters, joined a truly exclusive club two autumns ago on a foggy afternoon in San Francisco.

Before a delirious crowd at AT&T Park - their appetite whetted from October glory two seasons prior - Sandoval became just the fourth player in MLB history to record three home runs in a World Series game, two of them coming off reigning Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.

This piece of trivia, however, isn't typically what comes to mind when casual fans discuss Sandoval, who's spent the last six seasons as the primary third baseman for the San Francisco Giants. His famously indiscriminate approach at the plate and surprising deftness afield aren't usually the first subject broached, either. That's because Pablo Sandoval has a weight problem.

A constant narrative since his 2008 debut, Sandoval's weight has always been the prism through which his career is judged. When the paunchy Venezuelan hit .345/.357/.490 across his first 41 games with the Giants, his size paled in comparison to his production, assuaging concern over his ability to handle the physical demands of life in the majors.

Sandoval, known affectionately as Kung Fu Panda due to a perceived likeness to the rotund animated Disney character, enjoyed even more success in 2009, posting a 144 OPS+ in his first full season. But his numbers plummeted one year later. Weighing in at close to 280 pounds while scuffling at the plate, the Giants' braintrust grew increasingly unwilling to abide his expanding waistline.

The club's ongoing frustration notwithstanding, Sandoval proceeded to earn consecutive All-Star berths in 2010 and 2011 before his production dwindled some last season. Things changed, though, when he returned to Venezuela after the 2013 campaign. Determined to shed some weight, Sandoval changed his diet and undertook a rigorous training regimen before arriving at spring training a decidedly slimmer man.

"I wanted to show my maturity," Sandoval told Jorge L. Ortiz from USA TODAY Sports in a Spanish-language interview. "The criticism I got made me grow up. It motivated me. I feel good not just physically but as a person, because I know I accomplished my goal, which everybody said I couldn't do in Venezuela.''

Sandoval, however, remains a truly unique baseball specimen independent of weight. His aggressiveness at the plate evokes memories of the free-swinging Vladimir Guerrero - no player offered at more pitches outside the strike zone in 2014 than Sandoval - and he has an uncanny ability to make contact with ostensibly unhittable pitches, which distinguishes him from the vast majority of his peers.

(Courtesy: Brooks Baseball)

Throughout his career, Sandoval has enjoyed at least moderate success when swinging at any pitch within a reasonable vicinity of the strike zone, so long as it isn't elevated. Counter-intuitive as it seems, this approach has allowed Sandoval to manage an .811 OPS over his seven-year career. He even managed a 111 wRC+ this past season when he offered at a greater percentage of pitches than any other qualified hitter.

Admittedly, Sandoval's weight tends to inspire more skepticism as it relates to his defensive abilities, but his girth actually belies some impressive lateral quickness. Over the last four seasons, only seven third basemen have compiled more defensive runs saved than Sandoval, four of whom already boast Gold Glove awards on their mantles. His defensive efforts are also appreciated by Ultimate Zone Rating, which pegged Sandoval as an above-average third baseman in three of the last four campaigns.

Sandoval continues to display his defensive prowess this postseason, once again proving an invaluable member of a Giants' club vying for a third World Series title in the last five seasons.

His performance at the plate this autumn has been equally impressive. Heading into Game 3 against Kansas City Royals, Sandoval is hitting .346/.404/.462 with six doubles through his club's first 12 playoff contests this year. He also sits third all-time after reaching base in 25 consecutive postseason games, further reinforcing his reputation as a tremendous October performer.

It will be difficult for Sandoval to escape questions about his size when he picks a new team as a free agent this winter; should his performance wane next season, it will be impossible. The lovable infielder's persona will always be linked to his size, but any kind of serious preoccupation with his weight threatens to undermine his current status as a pretty awesome baseball players - only 20 National League players have managed more wins above replacement since the beginning of 2011.

Baseball, of course, has a rich tradition of corpulent players. Babe Ruth, the most iconic figure in American sports history, was notorious for his girth during the latter stages of his career. John Kruk, a three-time All-Star, famously stated his aversion to being considered an athlete. Before he slimmed down last winter, former Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia was often derided in crude headlines for his hefty build.

Just like those before him, though, Sandoval has ably compensated for his size by consistently performing at a high level. And until his production wears thin, it seems foolish to obsess over the numbers he generates on the scale instead of the numbers he generates on the field.

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