San Francisco Giants Must Lock Down Pablo Sandoval Before Next Season

The last time we saw Pablo Sandoval, he was celebrating a World Series championship with the San Francisco Giants. Sandoval had just broken the hearts of fans of the Detroit Tigers with a three-home run performance in Game 1 of the World Series. Sandoval is signed through 2014 but the time has come for the Giants to step up and give Sandoval a long-term deal worth what he deserves.

Sandoval is just 26 years old and did regress some in 2012, hitting just 12 home runs before his red-hot October but it seems like Sandoval loves odd-numbered years. Sandoval hit 25 homers in 2009 and 23 in 2011 so maybe he rebounds in 2013 with those type of numbers. The Giants, though, have to get Sandoval under contract for another six years I think and have him locked up through 2020. Sandoval will make $5.7 million in 2013 before his salary jumps to $8.25 million for the 2014 season. San Francisco should try to get Sandoval to take a six-year deal worth about $60 million and lock him up as soon as possible.

I think waiting on a contract like this could only increase Sandoval’s value if he has one of those odd-numbered higher home run years. The time to make this move is now before he would be one year away from free agency and I don’t see the Giants rushing a third-base prospect towards the major leagues. This is the time to strike before Kung Fu Panda becomes too expensive to keep around for the Giants and he slips away to another team.

Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.