2016 Spring Training Thread

[kehlis]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Marlins require players to shave off facial hair

I had to abide by this rule my entire college career and hated it.

[Master Live 013]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

If he is as good as the Babe, or any good for that matter, he can look like that.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

If he is as good as the Babe, or any good for that matter, he can look like that.

Glad to know you have the final say in other people's appearances.

[Master Live 013]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Glad to know you have the final say in other people's appearances.

No one will care he is overweight if he is any good, just like we don't care for an svelte athlete that isn't any good. Do you dispute that (just so we are on the record)?

[TripleCrown9]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Why does it matter? If his weight was an issue, he wouldn't be on the team.

A fat player showed up after the offseason still fat. I just don't know why the media makes a big deal about Sandoval when Fielder, Colon, and plenty others do the exact same thing and nobody bats an eye.

[Master Live 013]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

True, he has always been on the heavy side and it was ridiculous to think it would change since whatever success he has had in his career he pretty much did it in this way (more or less).

But when you see this:

In a bizarre interview Sunday morning upon arriving at the Fenway South complex, Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval said no one from the team ever asked him to lose weight in the offseason, that he hasn't weighed himself since October, and that he has something to prove but isn't affected by his disastrous 2015 season.

Other than that, it was a quiet morning in the clubhouse.

Although manager John Farrell said in January that Sandoval was "roughly 20 pounds lighter than the last game he played for us in 2015," Sandoval didn't appear that much lighter Sunday.

"I don't weigh. I don't weigh in at all," Sandoval said after being asked how much weight he had lost. "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."

His contention that no one from the team asked him to lose weight was curious, given that Farrell, coach Torey Lovullo and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski all have said that the team mandated he lose weight. Lovullo, who was the interim manager to finish last season, said on the final day in Cleveland that the team had talked to Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez and asked them to lose weight. For Ramirez, it was 15 to 20 pounds, and Lovullo wasn't sure the exact amount for Sandoval.

It makes everyone look bad. Him for apparently not taking things seriously after having a disastrous season (-2.0 WAR) and management hanged out to dry as either liars or not having a clue.

He may or may not fail again season and being out of shape may or may not contribute to that, but if he does fail, the out shape thing and his nonchalant attitude will be the rope which they will hang him with.

[redsox4evur]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread



So here is the bobble head for Pablo Sandoval...

And I'm with TripleCrown. This shouldn't be a story. Tell me when you have ever seen a lean Pablo Sandoval. The dude has always been fat. So why are people shocked that a fat guy came to camp and he was still fat.


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[Jr.]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Why does it matter? If his weight was an issue, he wouldn't be on the team.

A fat player showed up after the offseason still fat. I just don't know why the media makes a big deal about Sandoval when Fielder, Colon, and plenty others do the exact same thing and nobody bats an eye.

It's only an issue because Sandoval was terrible last year. Is he terrible because he's overweight? I don't know, but I can't imagine it helps when you're trying to play 3B.

[Scott]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Hamilton getting a 2nd opinion on his knee...His injury rating needs to be a 5 in The Show...

[SPTO]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Hamilton getting a 2nd opinion on his knee...His injury rating needs to be a 5 in The Show...

Hamilton is done being an every day player IMO.


As for Sandoval, the weight wouldn't be so much of a story if he didn't have such a nonchalant attitude about it. It really seems like he doesn't give a damn about conditioning. If it's true that Red Sox people have told him to work on cutting down the weight and he's denying that then it clearly shows that he isn't taking accountability for himself.

Of course, the nature of the beast is that we'll all forget that if he has a good season but I can't imagine carrying all that weight helps much. Fielder and Colon are big guys but they seem to have better conditioning. I've seen games last year with Sandoval where he's had to be pulled from games due to the most mundane reasons which I believe is largely contributed to having so much weight on his frame.

The Giants may have been right to let him walk....

[SPTO]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Since this is a development in spring training i'll post it here:

Looks like Joey Bats' days may be numbered in a Blue Jays uniform.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bautista: &quot;There&#39;s no negotiation. I told them what I wanted. They either meet it or it is what it is.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a></p>&mdash; Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArdenZwelling/status/701859145763463169">February 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bautista on hometown discount: &quot;Doesn’t exist. Not in my world. In my eyes, I’ve given this organization a 5-year hometown discount already&quot;</p>&mdash; Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArdenZwelling/status/701859725454000128">February 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[Mabster]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

I had to abide by this rule my entire college career and hated it.

I'd hate it too. That's my mojo you're making me get rid of. I'd want my players comfortable.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

In Pedro's book, he said he met with the Yankees before signing with the Mets, and Steinbrenner said they'd love to have him but he'd have to "cut all those damn ****ing curls and all that **** off" and that would be the only thing that would keep them from signing him.

[mpulse24]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

I like this Sandoval nonchalant attitude and I will like it even more if he gets to a slow start and the Boston fans/media bury him alive.

It seems you may have already gotten your wish. I have been home sick today and watching, listening and reading today's Red Sox spring coverage and the media has been absolutely crucifying him. They actually been focusing more of their scrutiny on the management for backtracking and now saying that they didn't put a number on the weight they told him to lose in the off-season, after being very vocal all winter about wanting him to drop 20-25 pounds.

As a Sox fan, it does concern me that Pablo just doesn't seem to care and that management seems to be covering for him and walking on eggshells around the subject of his weight.

But what concerns me even more this spring is Hanley Ramirez. After putting together a really sub par 2015 season and looking like crap at 1st base at the tail end of the season, he showed up at camp WITHOUT a 1st basemen's glove! To add to this, after practicing out at 1st for two days, using Mike Napoli's old glove, no less, He packed it in for the weekend and went to Miami to "unwind". That right there just shows that he doesn't care, his hearts not in it to put in the work and hes just here to cash his checks.

[19]

Re: 2016 Spring Training Thread

Bless Joey Bats' heart if he thinks he's getting a monster deal at 36.

Dare to dream.