Major League Baseball

Red Sox 3B Sandoval says not hard at all to leave San Francisco

Published Mar. 9, 2015 9:17 p.m. ET

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Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval said it wasn't hard at all to leave San Francisco after his team won its third World Series in five years. In fact, in a recent interview with Bleacher Report, Sandoval said he knew a year ago that he was going to leave the Giants.

"I knew early in spring training last year I was going to leave," he said. "They didn't respect my agent. Contract talks, everything. The way Brian Sabean (Giants GM) talked to my agent.

"If you want me around, you make the effort to push and get me back," he added.

According to Sandoval, the Giants did not make the effort when contract extension talks were aborted last spring. The Giants did eventually make an offer, but it wasn't until November. After the team won the World Series. And after Sandoval racked up an MLB-record 26 postseason hits.

"The Giants made a good offer, but I didn't want to take it. I got five years (and $95 million) from Boston. I left money on the table in San Francisco," he said. "It is not about money. It is about how you treat the player."

So the Panda sought greener pastures as far away from the Bay Area as a bear can get.

"I wanted to get out of the NL West," Sandoval said. Which is why a serious offer from the San Diego Padres was never really considered. "If I had gone to San Diego, it would have been crazy when we played San Francisco." It would have been crazy 19 times over as the Padres and Giants are slated to play six series against each other.

Now he gets six series against the Yankees and a new city on the other side of the country to win over.

Meanwhile, Bay Area church congregations boo the loss of their beloved third baseman.

"They're going to miss him," said new Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis.

Sandoval, however, will only miss two people. Bruce Bochy and Hunter Pence.

"Only Bochy. I love Boch. He's like my dad. He's the only guy that I miss. And Hunter Pence. Just those guys."