Big or small, I love the guy. But Pablo Sandoval's weight, it seems, proved a bit of a problem for the Giants. So much so, in fact, that nudges from teammates Buster Posey, Hunter Pence and Matt Cain helped pressure the star hitter to lose a chuck of poundage. Here's video to prove it. Glorious.

McCovey Chronicles (titularly chronicling Spring Training now in session) notes:

The good news: Pablo Sandoval looks more fit than he did last year. Fitter. Happier. More productive? Not drinking too much. Regular exercise at the gym (seven days a week). Getting on better with his associate employee contemporaries. At ease. Eating well. No more microwave dinners and saturated fats. All that jazz, but without that dystopic undertones.

USA TODAY has more on Pablo's change:

Sandoval spent two months working out with Bobby Abreu's old trainer, Rafael Alvarez, focusing on nutrition, agility, strength and explosiveness. They trained in Valencia, Venezuela, dispelling the notion that Sandoval always balloons when he goes back home.

"I wanted to show my maturity. The criticism I got made me grow up. It motivated me,'' Sandoval told USA TODAY Sports in a Spanish-language interview. "I feel good not just physically but as a person, because I know I accomplished my goal, which everybody said I couldn't do in Venezuela.''

Speaking of the Giants and Brisbee, the raccoon-watching-Yankees-spring-training bit that made the rounds today was made 100% better with the addition of Hunter Pence. All things, by and large, are made better with Pence. Behold:


[McCovey Chronicles]
[USA TODAY]