Pablo Sandoval's Clutch October Makes Him Prime Hot-Stove Commodity

KANSAS CITY — Up, up, up goes the pop-up, sky-high, and Pablo Sandoval drifts under it, looks up and...

Time out.   

This isn't the final out of Game 7 of the World Series.

This is Sandoval staring up at his future.   

When he looks up, what does he see? A triumphant return to the Giants in 2015? An emotional split?

Sandoval is a free agent this winter. And Panda heads throughout San Francisco are quivering nervously at the prospect of losing him. The Boston Red Sox, according to reports, such as from CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, are said to be preparing to make an aggressive charge at the man dubbed long ago by Barry Zito as Kung Fu Panda. Other clubs surely will engage him as well.

The Giants? They cut off contract talks in April after Sandoval, 28, reportedly declined their three-year, $40 million offer. Understandably, they're concerned about committing to too many years because of Sandoval's career-long battle with his weight.

Thing is, his gamble on himself appears to have paid off: As the Hot Stove League begins in earnest, Sandoval, after more October heroics, is the hottest name among free-agent position players.

"As far as what happens, I don't know," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said as the champagne flowed after the Giants' third World Series title in five seasons Wednesday night.

USA TODAY Sports

"It's obvious that I love this kid, too. I've had him since he came up, and hopefully things get done."

General manager Brian Sabean's Giants traditionally have found ways to retain their most productive players and popular characters. Tim Lincecum has one more season remaining on a two-year, $35 million deal signed in October 2013, when The Freak already was in decline. They retained Hunter Pence and even Marco Scutaro following the 2012 World Series run.

Few players are as beloved around town as Sandoval, whose lifetime averages over 39 postseason games are .344/.389/.545. In the seven World Series games against the Royals, he hit .429/.467/.536.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Panda's weight—he's listed at 5'11", 245 pounds—always has been an issue. But his hitting and overall athleticism, mostly, hasn't been.

His soft hands and quick feet have him nominated for a Gold Glove award this season. His knack for hitting bad balls continually has flummoxed pitchers attempting to game-plan for him. He smacks fastballs an inch off the ground and several inches above the strike zone with equal aplomb.

"I don't care what kind of belly he has," teammate Jake Peavy, with the luxury of watching Panda rather than negotiating with him, said earlier this month. "Babe Ruth didn't look the part, either. David Ortiz doesn't look the part."

Though Sandoval was hitting poorly enough in the 2010 World Series that the Giants mostly sat him in favor of Juan Uribe at third base, he was the MVP of the '12 World Series (he slugged three home runs in Game 1 against the Tigers) and could have made a case for another MVP award this month if not for that Madison Bumgarner dude.

"Great players, they have a way of rising to the occasion," Bochy said. "He did that. You could see the difference in Pablo once the postseason started. His focus, his third-base play was as good as I've seen from any third baseman.

"That's what I'm proud of about him, that he made himself such a good defender."

His 16 homers this season represented his most since he crunched 23 in '11. He also had 73 RBI while hitting .279/.324/.415, all for $8.25 million.

USA TODAY Sports

With another big-time October and a third ring, industry speculation is that Panda is on deck for a whole lot of bamboo, somewhere in the neighborhood of five years and $100 million.

The Red Sox appear in prime position either to poach Panda from the Giants or, at the very least, force San Francisco to open its wallet wider than it would prefer to keep him. The Red Sox need a third baseman now, and they dream of the damage his bat would do in Fenway Park. If his weight starts to increase, no problem: Ortiz will be 39 next April on Opening Day, and Boston is going to need a replacement designated hitter very, very soon.

A switch-hitter who swings best from the left side, Sandoval is tailor-made for Fenway Park. His knack for delivering in big moments is perfect for a Boston club that is back in the mode of aiming for a title every year.

"Pablo is as big-time of a player as I've played with, and I've played with some great, great guys," said Peavy, who won his first World Series ring in '13 with the Red Sox after they acquired him from the White Sox for the stretch run. "David Ortiz, the flair for the dramatic, is probably the most clutch player I've ever played with. Nobody is as clutch as that guy.

"That being said, this guy is a very, very close second. This guy revels in being on the big stage, having the big moment. This guy's ready. He loves the big games."

Driving home his point, Peavy told a story from Game 5 against St. Louis in the NLCS. The game even at 3-3, the Giants needing a win to clinch the series in San Francisco and Sandoval due to lead off the bottom of the ninth, Peavy told Panda, "C'mon, let's go to the World Series."

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Sandoval looked Peavy "square in the eye" and vowed to get on base. Then he singled against Michael Wacha, was removed for a pinch runner, returned to the dugout and found Peavy.

"He couldn't wait to get back in the dugout when we pinch ran for him and said, 'I told you! I'm not letting you down!'" Peavy said. "That's special, guys that play with that passion.

"He's a special player. You don't get lucky and hit home runs off Justin Verlander in the World Series. Go look at his at-bats from that Pittsburgh [Wild Card] game, against the best trying to get you out.

"It's a special player that can take it to the next level in the postseason."

Now, financially, Sandoval is in position to take it to the next level this winter.

Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. He has over two decades of experience covering MLB, including 14 years as a national baseball columnist at CBSSports.com.

Follow Scott on Twitter and talk baseball @ScottMillerBbl.