Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is denying a report that he has dropped 42 pounds this off-season.

McDonalds stockholders just breathed a sigh of relief.

Best shape of his life?

There's a photo in TFA indicating that, regardless of the numbers, Sandoval has indeed lost a lot of weight.

There's a photo in TFA indicating that, regardless of the numbers, Sandoval has indeed lost a lot of weight.

The 42 lbs number was part of the tribute to Mariano Rivera.

Wow he has an enormous head.

Wow he has an enormous head.

He has a fat man's head. He is defying his destiny.

He looks good, he's now a strong 240 instead of a flabby 280 or whatever. It can't hurt, especially as he ages his back and knees will feel quite a bit better during the dog days of summer.

Regardless of what his weight is next year you have to be Prince Fielder crazy to sign him to a long term contract. That weight is coming back.

It's not fair that he has the God-given ability to play baseball yet chooses to be a big slob.

"The 42 lbs number was part of the tribute to Mariano Rivera."

The Giants would love it if Sandoval can retire those 42 pounds for eternity as further homage.

Is there much empirical evidence for heavier players having different aging curves, controlling for position/speed? I'm under the impression that big, fat first basemen with little lateral movement age poorly, but Sandoval isn't some immobile slug out there. Obviously I'd like to see him in better shape, but he's generally played a perfectly cromulent third base (minus 3 RField for his career by B-Ref), which suggests to me that his athleticism is good.

Is there much empirical evidence for heavier players having different aging curves, controlling for position/speed?

I'm not sure where you can reliably find accurate player weights. Cecil Fielder, for example, is listed on b-r as 230 lbs. I mean, come on. To quote Bill James, what does the scale read when he puts his other foot on it?

He looks good, he's now a strong 240 instead of a flabby 280 or whatever. It can't hurt, especially as he ages his back and knees will feel quite a bit better during the dog days of summer.

But it apparently can hurt, and has. Giants fans who've followed his career are well aware of the truism that Fat Pablo=Good Year and Not As Fat Pablo=Mediocre Year. I don't know why this is true, but it is.

This is presumably why he felt the need to issue a denial about losing so much weight.

Bochy is on MLB Network right now chuckling about the picture. The phrase "best shape of his life" was used.

I miss the fact that Pablo used to catch on his off days. What happened to that?

Am I the only one who thinks that the photo in the article looks like somebody was using Photoshop for the first time?

There's a photo in TFA indicating that, regardless of the numbers, Sandoval has indeed lost a lot of weight.

You must be a forensic level analyst to be able to detect the loss of a mere 42 lbs by this man with just a photo.

If only there was some way to determine an individual's current weight, other than media discussion. I have something in mind like a postage meter, only bigger, that the Giants could bring to spring training. They could use this "scale", with all their players.

In other Giants' news :

Buster Posey has already dropped 42 pitches that were strikes !
Angel Pagan "dropped one" unintentionally during a take and slow after-swing !
Hunter Pence dropped dead in RF , but was only faking it and came up with the ball !
Brandon Crawford doesn't know what "dropped" even means !
Barry Zito dropped in to say goodbye...again ! (then a phone rings...)
Tim Lincecum dropped ... NSFW ! ... and giggled all the way home !
Some irrelevant new player was not recognized by security and dropped into the COVE !

Seismologists in the Bay Area just breathed a sigh of relief !