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SF Giants manager Gabe Kapler remembers Pablo Sandoval's signature smell

Former SF Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval stopped by Oracle Park on Friday, and manager Gabe Kapler recalled the Kung Fu Panda's signature smell.
Marc Delucchi|
SF Giants manager Gabe Kapler remembers Pablo Sandoval's signature smell
SF Giants manager Gabe Kapler remembers Pablo Sandoval's signature smell

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San Francisco Giants

Former SF Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval stopped by Oracle Park on Friday, catching up with several old colleagues prior to the game. Giants manager Gabe Kapler was happy to see Sandoval, who he managed in 2020, back at the ballpark. During his pregame media availability on Friday afternoon, Kapler was asked to recall his most memorable moment with "Kung Fu Panda." His answer will surprise you.

"This is a compliment," Kapler clarified before providing prior to his answer. "You could always smell Pablo. Very intentional about his scent. He walked in the dugout, and you knew Pablo was there. He smelled good, ready to play baseball."

When asked exactly what scent Kapler recalled, he described it as having "strong gasoline tones and notes." While others may have a much more negative reaction to the notion of a cologne that wreaks of gasoline, Kapler insisted that he was a fan.

"It's a very manly scent," Kapler added. "Very strong. Announces your presence. Powerful."

Perhaps Kapler would have a different memory if he had coached Sandoval during the prime of his career. After all, Sandoval had plenty of memorable moments over the course of his 14-year MLB career, most of which was with the Giants. A two-time All-Star, three-time champion, and 2014 World Series MVP, Sandoval's athleticism, swing, and outings on the mound as a pitcher late in his career probably stand out most to most fans.

On a less cologne-based note, Kapler did praise Sandoval for the fervor he maintained throughout his career.

"I'm glad that Pablo's here, man. One thing about Pablo that was really refreshing is, even at the end of his career, he still wanted to play all the time. He wanted the big moment. He was always prepared in the cage. It's hard to be a veteran player and maintain that youthful enthusiasm about playing baseball."

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Marc Delucchi
MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).

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