Sandoval back where it all began with Giants
The San Jose Giants held a “Christmas in July” promotion Saturday night.
But the return of Pablo Sandoval made it feel a little more like October.
The World Series hero drew a warm ovation simply by walking to the plate for his first at-bat with the Giants organization since 2014. Sandoval said hello by pounding a crisp single to left field in the first inning. “Welcome back, Pablo!” one fan shouted.
It was part of a 1-for-4 night for Sandoval, who officially signed his minor league contract with the Giants earlier in the day. True to his vow not to give up switch hitting, Sandoval hit from both sides of the plate.
Sandoval batted third in the lineup and served as the designated hitter in San Jose’s 5-4 loss to Rancho Cucamonga (a Class A affiliate for the Los Angeles Dodgers).
Against Quakes starter Caleb Ferguson — a 21-yearold left-hander — Sandoval singled in the first, flew out to left field in the second and grounded out to deep shortstop in the fourth. Against right-handed reliever Andrew Istler, 24, in the seventh, Sandoval grounded out on a hot smash to third base.
Against Istler with the potential tying run at second in the bottom of the ninth, Sandoval drew a two-out walk before being replaced by pinch-runner John Polonius.
Sandoval looked leaner than his Giants days — even while wearing a garish uniform designed to look like a Christmas sweater. (Panda wore reindeer).
There were cheers as he strolled to the plate in the first, but the reception was a few notches below raucous. There were only a handful of Panda hats in the crowd (too hot) and some Giants fans have yet to forgive Sandoval for disrespecting the team when he left (too cold).
“Give me another chance. I’m here. That’s the most important thing,’’ Sandoval told reporters earlier in the day in San Francisco. “I’m here to show them that I am ready for it.”
Sandoval is essentially back where he started. He arrived at San Jose Municipal Stadium years ago, in 2007, as a 20-year-old catcher/first baseman trying to work his way up the ladder.
Now he’s back, at 30, just trying to hang on. The Boston Red Sox released the three-time World Series champion earlier this week.
Fueled by nostalgia — and apparently the Christmas spirit — the Giants gave him a second chance. He is scheduled to play Sunday and Monday in San Jose, then head to Triple-A on Sacramento as part of a plan to get him 40 to 50 atbats.
There was no mistaking this game for Sandoval’s halcyon days on the grand stages. This was the minor leagues in all its glory. Santa Claus threw out the first pitch on a 93-degree night. The legion of scouts in the stands were actual boy scouts and girls scout troops — there was a camping promotion at Municipal Stadium after the game.
Sandoval himself chucked a few baseballs at truck headlights as part of a Winchester Autoparts “Smash for Cash” promotion in the sixth.
It was a far cry from hitting three homers in a World Series game, as Sandoval did in 2012.
But San Jose Giants manager Nestor Rojas was simply happy to have his old friend back in the fold. Rojas goes way back with Sandoval, his fellow Venezuelan. They were occasionally roommates during their early days in the Giants organization.
“He was hilarious,’’ Rojas, now 33, said. “Pablo is a very, very funny guy. He’s always happy.”
Rojas said his long history with Sandoval puts him in position to gauge how close he is to being major league ready. He knows Sandoval. He knows that swing. “I can tell how close he is,’’ he said. “It’s been a little while since he’s been playing because of some injuries. Hopefully he can help us and help the big club soon.”
Sandoval was hitting only .212 for the Red Sox.
“In baseball ... you don’t stop learning until it’s over. If you don’t have good people around you, it’s going to be the worst thing for you,’’ he said. “I have to prove a lot of things, man. I’m happy to be back.”