SAN FRANCISCO — What is Bruce Bochy thinking, putting his not-so-secret weapon Pablo Sandoval in the starting lineup?
“Usually I get the other question, as in, `How come he’s not playing?,’ ” Bochy said Monday night before the Giants opened a four-game season against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park.
Indeed, with Sandoval hitting pinch-hit home runs on consecutive days, batting .301 and with slugging (.656) and OPS (1.000) figures that would represent career highs if carried out over a full season, giving the “Panda” a start at third base makes sense.
Then again, the Braves know exactly when they’ll be facing Sandoval, who is batting fifth against starter Mike Soroka.