tUSATODAY.com
Slimmer Sandoval carries burly bat in winter league
Updated 1/12/2010 10:57 AM ET


By Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY
The Kung Fu Panda might be a bit less cuddly next season, but his swing remains just as sweet.
San Francisco Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval, the runner-up in the National League's batting race in his first full season in the majors, homered five times and hit .462 in his first nine games of the Venezuelan winter league playoffs for Magallanes.

FANTASY WINDUP: Huff signing helps Sandoval's value TEAM REPORT: San Francisco Giants
That came on the heels of batting .395 with 21 RBI in 20 regular-season games, yet another indication that Sandoval's offseason attempt to reshape his body has done nothing to detract from the stroke that produced a .330 average, 25 home runs and 90 RBI for the Giants.

Sandoval agreed with the team's assessment that he needed to shed some pounds from his 5-11 frame. He was listed at 245 pounds when the 2009 season began but gained weight as the year went on.

Sandoval said he's 10 pounds lighter, down to 260, after sweating through an arduous three-week program of team-supervised workouts in November, mostly in Arizona.

He plans to return to the Phoenix area this week to get a head start on spring training with more conditioning drills. The Giants would like him to start the season at 250.

"I feel more agile, quicker," said Sandoval, whose physique and happy-go-lucky persona made him a natural for the Panda moniker bestowed on him by teammate Barry Zito. "I don't get tired as quickly."

The conditioning program included a revamped diet and nutritional instruction.

He said he largely resisted falling back on old habits.

"After the games I used to stop at a McDonald's or a Burger King to eat fast food, which was a mistake," he said. "Now, I try to eat some fruit, a salad, chicken, vegetables. I learned to eat better to improve my future."

Sandoval has played third base exclusively in Venezuela, and the enhanced agility could serve him well in manning the position for the Giants.

But San Francisco has failed to land a first baseman to help share the offensive load for a team that scored the fifth-fewest runs in the majors last season, so Sandoval figures to switch to first, with new acquisition Mark DeRosa and the re-signed Juan Uribe the top candidates to play third.

"As long as we're adding bats to our offense, I'm happy," said Sandoval, 23. "It doesn't matter where I play. "

In other winter ball developments:

•Minnesota Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano, a rookie sensation in 2006 before an elbow injury stalled his progress, has pitched 26�..." scoreless innings in a row in the Dominican League, including the playoffs. He has 35 strikeouts in 27�..." innings.

Liriano, who went 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA last season, is expected to compete with Glen Perkins, Brian Duensing, Jeff Manship and Anthony Swarzak for the fifth starter's spot.

"This is a big year for him," Twins general manager Bill Smith told MLB.com. "It's good that he's in good shape and that he's throwing the ball well in the Dominican. But he needs to come into spring training and pitch well."

•Cleveland Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona, also trying to regain his old form in the Dominican Republic, posted a 2.70 ERA and no walks in 13�..." innings for the Aguilas Cibaenas, who are out of the playoffs.

•Free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado batted .400 (6-for-15) with a home run as the designated hitter in his first four games for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican league. Delgado, 37, who had not played since having hip surgery in May, is trying to show teams he's healthy.

Delgado hit 104 homers over the last four seasons with the New York Mets, who have expressed an interest in bringing him