Pablo Sandoval has high expectations for the Giants this season.
And if there’s anyone who knows what San Francisco is capable of, it’s the Kung Fu Panda.
Sandoval joined 95.7 The Game’s “Morning Roast” on Wednesday, where he told hosts Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky the Giants’ current squad is a “special group.”
So special, in fact, that they defied odds last year en route to a 107-win season and NL West title.
“To win 107 games means something different,” Sandoval said. “Those guys in the clubhouse, they were having fun. It’s one of those things that you look for in the game, to be part of a special group like that and keep winning.”
Sandoval knows a thing or two about having fun. During his 11 seasons in San Francisco (2008-14, 2017-20), his joyful antics both on the field and in the dugout earned the infielder a spot in the hearts of Giants fans.
The Panda was part of the Giants team that won three World Series titles from 2010 to 2014. He was named the 2012 World Series MVP after becoming just the fourth player in MLB history to homer three times in a single World Series game.
San Francisco was favored to win a series just once across those three playoff races -- against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2012 NLCS.
Sandoval knows a thing or two about winning -- and doing so as the underdog. That’s why he isn’t taking the Giants’ underwhelming preseason projections to heart and knows the team isn’t, either.
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“Don’t sleep on that team, bro,” Sandoval said. “If you sleep on those guys, they’re gonna do it again.”
These days, Sandoval is playing baseball for Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League. But it’s safe to say the Giants still have a special place in his heart.