Pablo Sandoval went viral on Sunday after an unflattering photo showed him looking very overweight, and the reporter who shared the image was disgusted by the reaction to it.
Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic tweeted a photo of Sandoval taking grounders at third base during Giants camp, and many were stunned at how big the 33-year-old looked. That led to a number of fans and outlets mocking Sandoval, which bothered Baggarly. In a series of tweets, Baggarly explained why he shared the photo and ripped those who taunted Sandoval over it.
No actual "journalist" would write a story with a headline of "So-and-so is a fat f*cking POS." There is no call for mean-spiritedness, especially now. We don't know what people are dealing with. We can't judge how they may or may not be dealing with the anxieties in their lives
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
Now, as to the photo … yes, I was a bit stunned when I saw Pablo Sandoval on the field yesterday. From my 100-yard view, it looked like he had put on a significant amount of weight during the past four months.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
But Sandoval's weight has been an ongoing news story for more than a decade on the Giants beat. He is expected to serve an important role as a lefty hitting 3B, switch-hitting presence off the bench and potential DH. So his condition continues to be a newsworthy storyline.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
So why attach the photo? Because I'm one of, like, a dozen media members who get to watch these workouts, and it's my job to report on how the players are looking. Rather than comment on Sandoval's condition, I attached the photo so readers could decide for themselves.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
It truly wasn't my intention to choose the most unflattering picture that I could.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
Mostly, I'm disgusted by the ugliness and fat shaming from the "media entities" that co-opted the tweet into mean-spirited content for clicks. I'd encourage those folks to do some soul searching and personal growth. And until that happens, stop calling themselves journalists.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 5, 2020
Giants manager Gabe Kapler was also disappointed by the reaction to the photo, saying he “wouldn’t wish it on anybody” and that Sandoval looks “healthy.”
Major League Baseball has implemented a universal DH for the shortened 2020 season, so Sandoval will likely be used mostly as a hitter anyway. As long as his weight doesn’t impact his hitting, Kapler probably is not concerned.
Sandoval was listed at 268 pounds at one point, and one of his former trainers once detailed the extent of Sandoval’s eating problem. Despite that, the former World Series MVP hit .268 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs in 108 games for San Francisco last season.
