‘Kung Fu Panda’: Pablo Sandoval relishes playful moniker
Baseball players often personalize their lockers with family photos, mementos from fans, and other items they enjoy looking at for the months they spend in the clubhouse. When Pablo Sandoval joined the Boston Red Sox in November, he found his locker was already decorated — with a panda poster.
“They put it here when I came to sign here,’’ Sandoval explained. “I told them to leave it there because I liked it.’’
Sandoval earned his moniker in 2008 as a member of the San Francisco Giants. After jumping over the tag of a catcher, then-teammate Barry Zito dubbed the third baseman “Kung Fu Panda,’’ a reference to the movie that was new at the time. Zito drew similarities between the main character and Sandoval, who emerged as a rookie that season. Sandoval, who grew up in Venezuela, had spent over four years in the minors before making his major league debut.
“He came from nowhere and no one knew who he was,’’ Sandoval said of the movie character.
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People soon knew Sandoval. The nickname stuck over the years as he went on to win three World Series titles with the Giants, 2012 World Series MVP honors, and two All-Star selections in seven seasons.
Red Sox history of nicknames
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Fans latched on the identity, tossing stuffed animals on to the field and wearing panda costumes.
They also have given Sandoval panda-themed memorabilia, his favorite being a Swarovski crystal figurine. The strangest? Panda undergarments.
Sandoval noted he has already seen “a lot of panda heads’’ among Red Sox faithful.
In spite of his soft and cuddly nickname, Sandoval can be a beast at the plate. Last postseason he batted .366 with a record 26 hits during the Giants championship run, including three in the deciding game. He is batting .270 this season.
His power on the field lends itself to another persona. If Sandoval had to select an animal alter ego, he would choose one known for being more aggressive and ferocious.
“I love tigers,’’ he said. “Sometimes you have to take your mean side and take advantage of that. It comes out during the games. I’m going to show my teammates that I’m going to play hard for them.’’
Don’t expect Sandoval to change his identity, though. Now in his eighth season, he has embraced being known as “Panda,’’ right down to looking at a poster of one every day he goes to Fenway Park.
“This is the first [poster], I love it,’’ he said. “I like everything [about it]. He looks so calm, he feels pretty good.’’
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