Report: Pablo Sandoval wants at least six-year contract
Free-agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval is seeking at least a six-year contract on the open market, his agent told The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman on Thursday.
“Pablo is 28,” said his agent, Gustavo Vasquez. “He is still young. Maybe if he was 30 or 31 we could talk about four or five years. But he’s 28. He deserves more than that.”
Vasquez told Schulman that he has spoken with a "few" teams about the third baseman since free agency began on Tuesday. That includes the San Francisco Giants, the team with whom Sandoval has spent his entire seven-season career. But Vasquez said the Giants have not yet made an offer, despite general manager Brian Sabean saying the team has made an offer.
• REITER: Top 50 MLB free agents
Sandoval's agent said the slugger is willing to work with a team on the value of the contract if he is promised six years. He said none of the teams with whom he has talked about Sandoval has expressed concerns about his weight or conditioning.
Sabean told the paper the Giants' offseason, after winning its third World Series in five years, revolves around Sandoval.
“Again, it goes back to Pablo. Pablo is the only one we’ve engaged as far as an offer and moving forward. The other four free agents know where we stand. ... It’s obvious that Pablo is the heavy lifting.”
SI.com's Ben Reiter ranks Sandoval No. 8 in his list of the top-50 players on the MLB free-agent market. He hit .279 with 16 homers, 73 RBI and a .739 OPS last season.
