DETROIT, Michigan, EE.UU. (AP) — Pablo Sandoval estaba empapado por la champaña y cargaba orgulloso el trofeo al Jugador Más Valioso de la Serie Mundial.

El toletero con el apodo más pegajoso de las Grandes Ligas —"Kung Fu Panda"— tuvo que responder la pregunta de siempre.

"Oiga Panda, ¿te seguirán mortificando con lo de gordo?", se le inquirió. "¡Que digan ahora lo que quieran!", respondió el tercera base venezolano de los Gigantes de San Francisco.

Sandoval se llevó a casa el trofeo después de la barrida que los Gigantes le propinaron a Detroit, en la que él sumó .500 de porcentaje con tres jonrones, un doble y cuatro carreras producidas en 16 turnos al bate.

Este Panda hace daño con el madero, no con un palo de bambú.

Sandoval le dio a los Gigantes un magnífico arranque al batear tres jonrones en el primer partido frente a los Tigres, convirtiéndose en apenas el cuarto jugador en la historia en lograr esa hazaña en un partido de Serie Mundial, emulando a Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson y Albert Pujols.

Debutó en las Grandes Ligas con los Gigantes el 14 de agosto de 2008, y tan sólo un mes después ya le habían puesto su apodo.

Ese 19 de septiembre en el Dodger Stadium, Sandoval anotó desde la segunda base impulsado por un sencillo de Bengie Molina en el primer inning ante Greg Maddux, al tiempo que daba un salto hacia un costado para evadir al catcher Danny Ardoin, que intentaba tocarlo tras recibir el tiro que le mandó el jardinero central Matt Kemp.

Maddux y el manager Joe Torre de los Dodgers argumentaron que Sandoval había avanzado por fuera del corredor que conduce al plato. Barry Zito, en el montículo para los Gigantes esa noche, acuñó el apodo para el venezolano debido a su personalidad sobresaliente y figura rechoncha. La cinta de dibujos animados "Kung Fu Panda" había sido estrenada en junio de ese año.

"El Panda tiene poderes especiales", dijo Zito en medio del festejo con champaña. "Había visto la película y pensé que teníamos a un jugador que no lucía muy atlético y luego salía al juego y te dejaba maravillado con su capacidad. Es uno de los mejores peloteros en las Grandes Ligas".

Sandoval registró promedio de .330 en la campaña de 2009 para quedar segundo por el título de bateo de la Liga Nacional. Pero al año siguiente el porcentaje se desplomó a .268 y fue relegado a la banca. Apenas disputó tres juegos dentro de una postemporada en la que los Gigantes se coronaron campeones.

El equipo le ordenó bajar de peso y Sandoval respondió sometiéndose a un régimen de acondicionamiento físico que incluyó correr hasta el cansancio en Arizona.

Logró redimirse en los últimos dos años, en los que fue seleccionado al Juego de Estrellas.

"Las cosas que he logrado este año se deben a mucha constancia y perseverancia", dijo Sandoval, quien bateó para .369 esta postemporada con cinco dobles, seis jonrones y 13 remolcadas. Fue un giro total con respecto al pálido .176 y dos empujadas hace dos años.

"Aquí estoy viendo el resultado, nunca me di por vencido. Estoy viendo el resultado de todas las cosas buenas", afirmó Sandoval. "Uno aprende de las cosas malas y las guardas para esperar el mejor momento para hacerlo de nuevo".

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