Pablo Sandoval: Comeback Player of the Year?

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

 By: Tom Joyce

Put the bat down Pablo. This is a faint sense of optimism.

Last year, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval was paid more than ever at $19 million per year in his new contract. He was also the least productive he had ever been, hitting .245 with a .658 OPS. He also posted a .948 fielding percentage but was murdered by sabermetrics for his lack of mobility.

It was a down year for Sandoval, a guy, who in the past, had been in the running for MVP. With the amount of heat he has received in Boston, it seems clear that everyone thinks he is a talented and capable player. No one was on Lars Anderson's case when he struggled in the bigs.

Sandoval's season is not off on the right track with him coming into spring training in poor shape. He has been analyzed and scrutinized more than anyone and his frustrations are understandable. It makes sense that he would be mad that FanGraphs said that he should have made plays that he shouldn't and decided that he was "the second worst third baseman" in the game.

Expectations can't be too high for Sandoval so say for a second that he really does feel great like he has said, then maybe, just maybe he puts up a season like he has in the past. If he does that, then he could definitely be an American League Comeback Player of the Year candidate.

There is not much of an indication that he is better based off of his spring stats. But say Pablo is actually right. Say he actually did something this offseason that fixed his game. He really could win the award. He is eligible. He had a down year last year. He has to be on the preseason watch list.

It’s up to him to produce though. WIll he hit .330 ever again? Probably not. But that does not mean his career is over either. He will have to do his talking on the field because at the same time, Travis Shaw is coming for his job at third.