Pablo Sandoval joins crowded Giants disabled list

All star third baseman Pablo Sandoval has fractured the hamate bone in his left hand and will be placed on the disabled list.

This is devastating news for the Giants as the same injury to Sandoval occurred last season only to his right hand which caused the slugger to miss six weeks and 41 games (just over a quarter of the season).

The loss of Pablo Sandoval puts added
pressure on the Giants struggling offense.

The injury took place after an at-bat during the sixth inning of last night’s 3-2 loss to the Miami Marlins, as Sandoval immediately exited the game in serious pain. 

Sandoval’s name will be added to a crowded disabled list that holds many key teammates including closer Brian Wilson (out for season), reliever Jeremy Affeldt, first baseman Aubrey Huff, and second baseman Freddy Sanchez.

While all the above mentioned losses for the Giants hurt, Sandoval’s name skyrockets to the top of the list. As arguably the best hitter on the team alongside catcher Buster Posey, the loss of the slugger creates a major void in the middle of San Francisco’s lineup, which has struggled of late.

To make matters worse, there is no obvious replacement for Sandoval, as the team elected to call up third baseman Conor Gillaspie from AAA Fresno.

The loss of Sandoval, though it is not season-ending is reminiscent to what the team had to experience while Posey was out last season, a major drop off in production from an offensive standpoint at the player’s position.

Further, this Giants offense is not the kind of offense that is prepared to handle major blows for any extended period of time, which is exactly what this loss is.

Sandoval’s absence along with Huff and Sanchez being sidelined for the Giants offensively reflects poorly on Giants ownership and management as well.

Remember when the Giants elected not to shell out the two-year, $26 million contract to all-star outfielder Carlos Beltran this winter, who the Giants acquired for their top prospect pitcher Zack Wheeler last July.

While the Giants reasoned money was the issue, it would take a fool to think the team didn’t have the funds available to sign the slugger after they sold-out an entire season at AT&T Park and gained more money than ever in merchandise sales following the 2010 championship.

Oh yeah, dare I mention that Beltran has been amongst the most productive offensive players in the game this season? How does a .279 average with seven home runs, 20 runs, 18 RBI, five stolen bases, and a .933 OPS (on-base plus slugging) sound?

It is obvious that the resigning of Beltran would’ve given the Giants not just an above average offense when healthy but allowed for some comfort room should a major loss occur to the team as did so today.

San Francisco currently boasts a 12-12 record and sits four and a half games behind their rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Assuming this injury requires Sandoval to miss around the same amount of games as last season, it should not deter the Giants from still having a successful season but it will make things a lot more difficult.

With Sandoval in the lineup this team struggles to score runs, now the same players are going to have to really pickup the weight.