Prior to the 2014 season, the Giants used playing time as a motivation for Pablo Sandoval.
They told him he wouldn't play the late innings if the Giants had a lead until he got his weight below certain target numbers.
Did Sandoval take it personally?
“No, I don’t take it personally,” Sandoval said back in February during spring training. “He needed more defense at the time and I was out of shape. It was part of the game.”
So, last offseason, Sandoval took control of the issue and reported to camp an estimated 30 pounds lighter.
The hard work paid off as Sandoval played a career-high 157 games in 2014, and his 26 hits over 17 October games set the MLB record for most hits over a single postseason.
The hard work also literally paid off, as Sandoval bolted San Francisco and signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Red Sox.
[RELATED: Sandoval: I wanted, needed a new challenge]
At his introductory press conference in Boston on Tuesday, Sandoval was asked the following question:
"Are you sick of all the focus on your weight all the time?"
"No man, I'm gonna be ready," Sandoval said. "That's why I have my trainer ... the Red Sox trainer, too. He's part of the team. I'm gonna work on those things.
"I'm gonna be ready out there to play third base ... I'm gonna be out there, taking care of those things to play third base."
Later, Sandoval was asked: "How justified were the Giants' concerns about your size, and what would you say to people that are concerned it could be an issue as you get older?"
"I don't take it personally. I just take it as advice. They want me to be a better player. They want me to show them that I can be a better player.
"I learned a lot of things from that. So now that I'm in my new organization, I'm gonna show that I can handle those things. That I'm mature, and grown enough for those challenges."
Moving from the National League to the American League, Sandoval now has the ability to be the Red Sox's designated hitter at some point in the future.
Was that discussed during his negotiations with Boston? Would being a DH appeal to him?
"No," Sandoval answered. "I want to prove that I'm a third baseman for this team through the rest of my career."
